97-year-old Nazi secretary appeals German murder convictions
Irmgard Furchner, a 97-year-old former secretary at Stutthof Nazi concentration camp, has appealed her two-year suspended sentence, just days after she was convicted of being an accessory to the murder of more than 10,000 camp inmates by a German state court, CBS News reported on Wednesday.
Furchner, who served as a stenographer in the camp Commandant Paul Werner Hoppe's office, had been accused of aiding and abetting the deaths of thousands of people between June 1943 and April 1945, and was found guilty on December 20, more than a year after her trial first began. She had initially fled her nursing home before a 2021 court date, and was apprehended only after a judge issued a warrant for her arrest.
Since she was in her late teens during her time as a civilian typist at the camp, Furchner was tried and convicted in German juvenile court, with her attorneys arguing for a full acquittal claiming it could not conclusively be proven that she was aware of what was happening to camp prisoners. Presiding Judge Dominik Gross, however, countered during her sentencing that it was "simply beyond all imagination" that she could not have known what was taking place. Camp Commandant Hoppe was convicted in 1955 for his role at Stutthof, with one witness at his trial testifying he had personally intervened to expedite the gassing murders of pregnant Jewish prisoners, according to a contemporaneous report from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Furchner also testified during Hoppe's trial, telling the court that although Hoppe had dictated messages to her during her time in his office, she nevertheless remained unaware of the tens of thousands of deaths that took place there under his authority. According to BBC News, she later married SS squad leader Heinz Furchstam, to whom she was likely introduced while working at the camp.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In her sole statement during her trial, Furchner addressed the court before her sentence was handed down, saying simply "I am sorry for everything that happened. I regret that I was in Stutthof at the time. That's all I can say."
The German State Court has not yet indicated if and when it will address Furchner's appeal. However, given her advanced age, and two-year suspended sentence, it was unlikely she would have ever been made to report to prison in the first place.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
Why Justin Welby has stepped down as Archbishop of Canterbury
In the Spotlight 'Lack of curiosity' over claims of abuse of dozens of boys by Christian camp leader had made Welby's position untenable
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Climate change is threatening Florida's Key deer
The Explainer Questions remain as to how much effort should be put into saving the animals
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
TV to watch in November, from 'Dune: Prophecy' and 'A Man on the Inside'
The Week Recommends A new comedy from 'The Good Place' creator, a prequel to 'Dune' and the conclusion of one of America's most popular shows
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Saudi crown prince slams Israeli 'genocide' in Gaza
Speed Read Mohammed bin Salman has condemned Israel’s actions
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump fills key slots, tapping Congress, MAGA loyalists
Speed Read The president-elect continues to fill his administration with new foreign policy, environment and immigration roles assigned
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Haiti council fires prime minister, boosting chaos
Speed Read Prime Minister Garry Conille was replaced with Alix Didier Fils-Aimé
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump tells next Senate GOP leader to skip confirmations
Speed Read The president-elect said the next Senate majority leader must allow him to make recess appointments
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Fed cuts rates, chair says he won't quit if Trump asks
Speed Read Jerome Powell was noncommittal on future rate cuts that were expected before Trump won the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judge revives plea deal for 9/11 suspects
Speed Read A military judge has ruled to restore the plea deals struck by 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two co-conspirators
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Harris concedes as world prepares for Trump's return
Speed Read Vice President Kamala Harris told supporters it was important to 'accept the results of this election'
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Abortion rights measures go 7 for 10
Speed Read Constitutional amendments to protect abortion passed in seven states but failed in three others: Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published