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VOLUME 6: 1979-1980
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3. Foreign Ministry Statement on the Acquittal of Nazi war criminals, 20 April 1979.
The trial of 13 individuals charged with the mass murder of inmates of the Maidanek concentration camp during World War II, lasted for several years in a West German court. In April 1979, while the trial was still in progress, four of the accused were acquitted at the prosecution's own request, on the ground that it was unable to produce "cogent proof" of the participation of those charged in the crimes they were accused of. The acquittal aroused widespread criticism in Europe and strong sentiments in Israel by those who feared that this acquittal might affect the pending issue of the statute of limitation of Nazi crimes. Israel felt that the acquittal could also lend support to the argument that it was impossible to, hold a proper trial 35 years after the commission of the offence. Israel then addressed the following note to the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
The Government of Israel expresses its shock at the release of four Nazi war criminals who participated in the murder of innocent people.
It is regrettable that owing to the laxity of the prosecuting authorities an inadequate case was presented against them. There is no doubt that the accused were the commanders of the death camp of Maidanek. Since then, more than thirty five years have passed and it is naturally very difficult to find witnesses to prove specific charges against them. But it is' common knowledge that Maidanek was a death camp and the fact that the accused were its commanders should be sufficient to justify finding them guilty of genocide. The release of these men has shocked public opinion in Israel and among Jews and men of good will throughout the world. We urge the German authorities to take all necessary measures to ensure the conviction of Nazi war criminals in all outstanding cases.
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