Laszlo Csatary Held: Solid Evidence In Nazi-Era War Crimes Case, Experts Say

Alleged Hungarian war criminal Laszlo Csatary sits in a car as he leaves the Budapest Prosecutor's Office after he was questioned by detectives on charges of war crimes during WWII and prosecutors ordered his house arrest in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, July 18, 2012. (AP Photo/MTI, Bea Kallos)

BUDAPEST, Hungary -- Historians and legal experts say that the evidence against a 97-year-old alleged Holocaust-era war criminal put under house arrest in Hungary is much stronger than in a similar case last year that ended in acquittal.

Laszlo Csatary is suspected by prosecutors of abusing Jews and helping deport thousands of them in 1944 while he was a police officer in the Slovak city of Kosice, at the time part of Hungary.

In 2011, Sandor Kepiro, was acquitted of war crime charges by a Budapest court because of insufficient evidence. He died in September at age 97, while the verdict was being appealed.

Adam Gellert, an expert in international criminal law who has been researching Csatary's actions in Slovak and Hungarian archives, says that Csatary's "is a much, much stronger case."

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• This Wednesday, July 18, 2012 file photo shows alleged Hungarian war criminal Laszlo Csatary covering his face in a car as he leaves the Budapest Prosecutor's Office after he was questioned by detectives on charges of war crimes during WWII and prosecutors ordered his house arrest in Budapest, Hungary. (AP Photo/MTI, Bea Kallos)

• Alleged Hungarian war criminal Laszlo Csatary sits in a car as he leaves the Budapest Prosecutor's Office after he was questioned by detectives on charges of war crimes during WWII and prosecutors ordered his house arrest in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, July 18, 2012. (AP Photo/MTI, Bea Kallos)

• Alleged Hungarian war criminal Laszlo Csatary, right, waves and is helped by a relative as he leaves the Budapest Prosecutor's Office after he was questioned by detectives on charges of war crimes during WWII and prosecutors ordered his house arrest in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, July 18, 2012. (AP Photo/MTI, Bea Kallos)

• Alleged Hungarian war criminal Laszlo Csatary, leaves the Budapest Prosecutor's Office after he was questioned by detectives on charges of war crimes during WWII and prosecutors ordered his house arrest in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, July 18, 2012. (AP Photo/MTI, Bea Kallos)

• Alleged Hungarian war criminal Laszlo Csatary, left, is flanked by his lawyer Gabor Horvath B. as he leaves the Budapest Prosecutor's Office after he was questioned by detectives on charges of war crimes during WWII and prosecutors ordered his house arrest in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, July 18, 2012. (AP Photo/MTI, Bea Kallos)

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Comments

[Finn123]

06:33 PM on 07/22/2012

I don't agree with the purported moral consensus that prosecuting ex-Nazi criminals is a good idea. On the contrary, there is reason to believe that such legal actions, and indeed the entire de-Nazification policy have developed into a serious moral error.

The central problem with prosecuting Nazis is that America's alliance with Stalin weakens any claim we have of moral superiority over even the worst fascists. So to moralistically persecute ex-fascist war criminals while absolving ourselves of any guilt for the millions that Stalin sent to death will only exacerbate our contribution to evil, by adding hypocrisy to our fault and by allowing us to vent on some sort of scapegoat.

Furthermore it seems clear that those who are most avid to pursue these charges fall into two factions:

1. Victims of the Nazi crimes or their families, who are inclined to be blinded by the passion for revenge. Here it is important to see that they should not be allowed special authority to determine the right procedure in this case, just as our justice system does not allow victims of ordinary street-crimes to manage trials.

2. Individuals who have no moral qualms about having dealt with Stalin in order to stop Hitler. In other words, people who have the conscience of Stalin himself and have learned nothing from WWII.

Once again I understand that my view is not mainstream, but, well, the people have been wrong before.

[ChesapeakePirate]

09:44 PM on 07/22/2012

I respect you opinion. But I disagree. The "people" who did this stuff should be hounded to the ends of the Earth and even to their graves.

I have zero compassion for anyone who rounded up defensless old men, women and children and murdered them. ..and even less compassion when I know they did it for the purpose of "ethnic clensing" or extinction.

The world will never know what was missed by the actions of the Nazis. Perhaps one of those murdered (or even soldiers killed in the war) would have been the next Einstein, or even greater. Their possible contribution to the world ended in a concentration camp or a pit like Babi Yar.

The only way to stop atrocities is to hunt down "war criminals" and keep hunting them down until regimes and their henchmen learn that once they take that step there is no escaping their fate.

[Martin Musetsky]

04:34 AM on 07/22/2012

A Jesuit priest who was in Košice gave testimony to Yale in 1985 about the Hungarian policemen turning Jews over to the SS. It's a well known part of history. He describes it as the whole city hearing Jewish men, women and children screaming as the Hungarian gendarmes forced them into the SS's hands.

For all the apologists on this thread who are so quick to defend a Nazi, view this video - you have to listen through the end of the priest's testimony to where he talks about the Hungarian police - and learn something before you post. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WByrxGE64Y0

[NewzFollower]

09:18 PM on 07/22/2012

You are just showing testimony that certain events happened, not whether this man was involved. You should not be condemning a man based on an event unless you also have proof the man was involved in the incidents. Where's that video?

[Martin Musetsky]

09:47 PM on 07/22/2012

You didn't listen far enough where the priest talked about the Hungarian police handing the Jews over to the SS, their willing role.  The point of the trial will be to show whether your Nazi buddy was one of those policemen or one of their commanders who gave them their orders.  The video shows what it is he's being accused of. 
Why don't you wait for the evidence?  You've come here defending an accused and convicted Nazi. You've made up "facts" about that past trial.  You disregarded the actual event that took place until I pointed out in comments what it was.  You are yelling too much on this one.  Wait and find out.  

[Martin Musetsky]

04:15 AM on 07/22/2012

An eyewitness account to what happened in Košice from a Jesuit priest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WByrxGE64Y0

This guy was there. The Czech convicted him for a reason. Watch the video.

[Finn123]

10:24 AM on 07/21/2012

The article should be more specific about the credentials of the quoted expert, Adam Gellert. What is his affiliation?

[Martin Musetsky]

04:36 AM on 07/22/2012

He's the lawyer and legal expert who researched the records for Hungarian legislation that was being written. Basically, he's an expert on what would constitute a criminal case.

[Finn123]

06:53 AM on 07/22/2012

That's rather vague. What legislation? What is your source?

[Finn123]

10:07 AM on 07/21/2012

Who is Adam Gellert? What are his credentials, other than being regarded as an expert by the AP?

[F Sz]

12:19 AM on 07/21/2012

Ok, I just browsed around the Hungarian news portals (since the English ones are "convinced" that he is guilty) and Csatary did some commentary. He doesn't understand why they want to charge him, since he was a translator, because he spoke German. The camps were managed by the Germans and he was there about 3-4 times at most. During war time he was ordered by his chain of command to do his duty, and he didn't go overboard. He also mentions, that there were Jews hiding in the nearby rock mine at the mountain and despite many knowing about them, he didn't alert the Germans, since he was only ordered to be at the camp at certain times and that's it. According to his past, he was convicted by the Czechoslovakian court in 10 minutes back in the late 40s, but it had more to do with the Benes decrees coming into effect, which declared that all ethnic Germans and Hungarians must pack up and leave the country, regardless if they were living there for over a thousand years, so the court decision was heavily biased by this law. The Canadian court could not find any evidence of torture or sadistic activity, that's why they never convicted him of anything, they only pulled back his passport and citizenship. He also mentions, that he has saved up a lot of documents over the decades and he will show it to the court to prove his innocence.

[Martin Musetsky]

04:02 AM on 07/22/2012

Just doing his duty... Where have we heard that before...

[NewzFollower]

08:39 PM on 07/22/2012

Thank you F Sz. I would also like to add the Canadians allowed him to leave the country on his own rather than make it a media spectacle. They understood what was happening to him in the media and that he did not deserve the accusations.

[Couldhappentoanyone]

10:36 PM on 08/09/2012

Canadian courts here threw out at least a few dubious cases. The government soon after hiring a nazi hunter, fired him. It was later found this guy witheld very important evidence in USA and was later disbarred in DC for stealing from a fund for holocaust survivors.

[F Sz]

11:51 PM on 07/20/2012

Try not to be biased (being a Hungarian), but even if I am, someone please tell me, that there were no other people after WWII, who did not participate/personally send to death/being accessory to the deaths of at least 15,000 people?
I'm not trying to save him, but let's assume, that we DO know, we have people around living and living very well and there isn't one organization who goes after them.

[Martin Musetsky]

04:02 AM on 07/22/2012

That doesn't let him off the hook.

[Couldhappentoanyone]

10:18 PM on 08/09/2012

How true your last sentance.

[NewzFollower]

04:29 PM on 07/20/2012

Another innocent man dragged through a political process. I expect he will go free for lack of evidence like many others. He has never hidden. He is a political scapegoat, nothing more.

[Martin Musetsky]

04:04 AM on 07/22/2012

Innocent? Wow. You assume that about all Nazis or just this one?

[NewzFollower]

04:45 PM on 07/22/2012

Just this one man. I was was briefed on the evidence while in Canada and I interviewed this man. If the evidence was there he would've been convicted back then. If there is new evidence, I have not seen it. The RCMP knew where he was and what the accusations were and there was no basis for a case. They did not charge him. I would not have charged him either.

[Couldhappentoanyone]

11:37 AM on 07/24/2012

There is a focus on eastern europeans. From countries who resisted Soviet domination. Previously, Soviet Union would conduct show trials. With fabricated evidence and testimonies. For propoganda. There are clear indications.

Look at the fiasco of Demjanjuk. 35 years of hounding the man. Only evidence were two ID cards deemed Soviet forgeries. In Israel, 11 witnesses swore he was 'Ivan the Terrible'. Later Congressman Traficant (who is half Jewish) presented evidence real 'Ivan' died long ago.
Newspapers reported over the years many controversies. But in summary really omitted and twisted facts around.

I don't know about this trial. But reading between the lines there are some questions raised. Being an art dealer, is not laying low. So media reporting is in question. And there must be other versions. He probably had Jewish customers. Why waiting this long? Because an old man is an easier target? Sentenced in absentia? During Soviet block days!
I don't know aboutthis case. But there are a number of other cases - very suspicious.

[patrickhenrylives]

03:48 PM on 07/20/2012

....in the words of Clint Eastwood..." When you hang a man...ya better LOOK AT HIM !!"....
That's right...HANG EM....HANG EM HIGH !!!!....

[Couldhappentoanyone]

11:47 AM on 07/28/2012

Eat yer popcorn and watch the movie.

[NewzFollower]

02:51 PM on 07/20/2012

Another innocent man being used as a scapegoat. I bet this get thrown out for lack of evidence like so many others. This is just politics. If there were true evidence, he would have been convicted long ago. He was never hiding.

[Onofrio Bacigalupo]

02:34 PM on 07/20/2012

The man is 97 years old! Let him live out what remains of his life in peace and quiet.

[ElBruce]

11:39 PM on 07/20/2012

That's a sentencing consideration, not a innocent/guilty one. Putting the truth on the official record is important, so I believe they should prosecute. If he's found guilty though, his age should be considered as a factor for humanitarian release.

[palmspringslife]

01:05 PM on 07/20/2012

SOME THINGS CAN BE FORGIVEN WITH TIME. NOT THIS.
Here's what I say:
Found guilty he would then be given prison garb to wear - the same striped uniform with the "Juden" jewish star sewn on the front.as the Nazis issued to jews in their camps.
That would be the only item of clothing he would get. Let him die wearing the same thing as the countless jews he sent to their death - a reminder of his heinous crimes.

[NewzFollower]

02:53 PM on 07/20/2012

You don't even know if he is guilty.

[gerry978]

04:52 PM on 07/21/2012

"Found guilt he would then be given...." clearly it implies after a trial.........I don't think the writer is stating that guilt is implied without a trial

[Martin Musetsky]

04:05 AM on 07/22/2012

He admitted it and there were witnesses.

[palmspringslife]

01:04 PM on 07/20/2012

Another Nazi down.

[An Engineer]

02:50 PM on 07/20/2012

Is there ANY evidence he was a Nazi? The article says he is "suspected by prosecutors of abusing Jews and helping deport thousands of them in 1944 while he was a police officer in the Slovak city of Kosice". So he was in a German occupied country and was involved in some manner in the local German Army activities in rounding up local Jews. Such activities, although damning do not make him an Adolph Eichmann, who was giving orders and executing the plans to exterminate the Jews. He was a local Police Officer pressed into service with activities he may not even have known was sending them to death camps. So we have everyone rising up to condemn him without even seeing what the evidence is or what he is accused of doing (or what he ACTUALLY did). What pleasure is there to be gained from treating a 97 year old as though he committed these things last week? At this moment in history, the damage his living does is infinitesimal compared to Iran teaching its children that the Holocaust NEVER HAPPENED. If there is an issue to be angry over, it is that one. Society needs some serious calibration in perspective here. A large segment of Islamic youth believe there was no Holocaust all the while they are being taught to commit the next one and exterminate all Jews on the planet.

[davidlugh]

03:45 PM on 07/20/2012

pretty soon everyone involved in any peripheral way with the Holocaust will have died, then can we have closure on this?

[NewzFollower]

04:40 PM on 07/20/2012

No one has shown any evidence. I agree we cannot convict in these forums. Let the legal process deal with the nonsense. This is a parade for politicians to show they are doing something in a area where there is little more they can do. What next? Convict the next clerk in the office? Convict the person who bought the pens? However, I disagree in that if he is guilty of true murder, then the fact that it happened 2 weeks ago or 60 years is irrelevant.

[victorzeller]

12:58 PM on 07/20/2012

War crimes. This guy is 97 years old. How much longer does he have to live. How about the war crimes being committed everyday? And all the war crimes that Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld committed?

[rareearthmetals]

01:35 PM on 07/20/2012

Right and don't forget Obama and Holder too for walking guns into Mexico to be used to kill hundreds or thousands of innocent people and US citizens too!!

[Martin Musetsky]

04:11 AM on 07/22/2012

What is wrong with you?

[Joe Lanzafame]

01:38 PM on 07/20/2012

Not to mention Obama and Biden...

[gerry978]

04:54 PM on 07/21/2012

and DEFINITELY not to mention Dubya for bombing a country because of weapons that never existed

[TomMartin]

12:38 PM on 07/20/2012

I did not even know that Hungary had annexed Košice when they took parts of Slovakia after the Munich Agreement in 1938. Košice is and was after all the second largest city of Slovakia. I wonder it it was predominantly Hungarian.

[Martin Musetsky]

04:13 AM on 07/22/2012

It was a horrible time.

[TomMartin]

05:53 AM on 07/22/2012

Yes, horrible. The Czech people still call the Munich Agreement the Munich betrayal, they did not expect such treatment from France and Britain, who were supposed to be on their side. I was born in what is now the Czech Republic.