Latest news with #Formanek
Scottish Sun
30-04-2025
- Scottish Sun
SS guard ‘The Last Nazi' dies aged 100 after being unmasked by The Sun as he dodged justice to end over 3k camp victims
AN SS guard unmasked by The Sun last as the 'last Nazi' has died - bringing to an end the historic hunt for Holocaust war criminals. Gregor Formanek, 100, was dubbed "cruel and treacherous" for supporting the killing of 3,300 prisoners at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp in Germany, according to damning evidence. 7 Gregor Formanek - believed to be the last Nazi after being tracked down by The Sun - has died aged 100 Credit: Simon Jones - Commissioned by The Sun 7 Formanek, pictured with wife, was a guard at a concentration camp during the Holocaust Credit: SIMON JONES 7 He was accused of helping to murder 3,300 people at the notorious WW2 prison Sachsenhausen Credit: Bundesarchiv 7 Prisoners in striped uniforms at the Sachsenhausen camp near Berlin, in December 1938 Credit: Getty He was identified as the last remaining source of a conviction by officials in Germany, who ruled last year he was fit enough to face trial. But a court has now confirmed the Final Solution suspect has passed away before he could be put in the dock. His death makes him the final SS accomplice to be revealed to the world. He takes with him all hopes of one final conviction. The death marks a poignant moment for Nazi hunters, who have spent decades tracking down WWII war criminals and bringing them to justice. Formanek joined the SS late in the war, becoming a part of the infamous Nazi squad in July 1943 at Sachsenhausen, which was set up in 1936. More than 200,000 prisoners passed through Sachsenhausen, notorious for its gaschambers and horrifying medical experiments. At the end of the war, Formanek was captured by Russia's Red Army and spent just ten years behind bars before being released to find work as a porter. In later life, Formanek lived in comfort with his wife in a £400,000 apartment near Frankfurt. 'The last Nazi' accused of 'cruel killings' of 3,300 at sick death camp may NEVER face justice after trial is scrapped Formanek was ruled unfit to stand trial back in June before a court rowed back on the ruling in December. Carmen Whitmore, 68, of Market Harborough, Leics., whose uncle, Great Escape pilot Jimmy James, was at Sachsenhausen - previously blasted: 'Nazis need to be held accountable.' Formanek, born in Romania, as the son of a German-speaking master tailor, was first tracked down by The Sun in 2023 after an extensive investigation into surviving Nazi suspects. He was discovered living openly under his real name in a leafy Frankfurt suburb, his past unknown to most locals. Neighbours believed the pensioner was simply a retired manager - unaware of his chilling SS record. 7 Prisoners clear snow at the Sachsenhausen camp in 1941 Credit: Paul Popper 7 It is estimated that a total of 100,000 people were killed at Sachsenhausen Credit: UKTV- Abandoned Engineering When confronted by The Sun about his wartime role, Formanek cryptically replied: 'First, tell me who you are.' His wife, clearly unsettled, added: 'Don't say he was an SS man so loudly. People will wonder what's going on.' It later emerged that Formanek had been officially indicated by German prosecutors for his role in the "insidious killing" of prisoners between July 1943 and February 1945. Three other former guards under investigation were deemed too ill to stand trial — making Formanek the last viable case. Rosalyn Peake, 66, whose father Leslie Kleinman survived the camp by lying about his age, told The Sun: 'It's justice for me that Formanek was named. And it's vital for teaching future generations.'
The Sun
30-04-2025
- The Sun
SS guard ‘The Last Nazi' dies aged 100 after being unmasked by The Sun as he dodged justice to end over 3k camp victims
AN SS guard unmasked by The Sun last as the 'last Nazi' has died - bringing to an end the historic hunt for Holocaust war criminals. Gregor Formanek, 100, was dubbed "cruel and treacherous" for supporting the killing of 3,300 prisoners at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp in Germany, according to damning evidence. 7 7 7 7 He was identified as the last remaining source of a conviction by officials in Germany, who ruled last year he was fit enough to face trial. But a court has now confirmed the Final Solution suspect has passed away before he could be put in the dock. His death makes him the final SS accomplice to be revealed to the world. He takes with him all hopes of one final conviction. The death marks a poignant moment for Nazi hunters, who have spent decades tracking down WWII war criminals and bringing them to justice. Formanek joined the SS late in the war, becoming a part of the infamous Nazi squad in July 1943 at Sachsenhausen, which was set up in 1936. More than 200,000 prisoners passed through Sachsenhausen, notorious for its gaschambers and horrifying medical experiments. At the end of the war, Formanek was captured by Russia's Red Army and spent just ten years behind bars before being released to find work as a porter. In later life, Formanek lived in comfort with his wife in a £400,000 apartment near Frankfurt. Formanek was ruled unfit to stand trial back in June before a court rowed back on the ruling in December. Carmen Whitmore, 68, of Market Harborough, Leics., whose uncle, Great Escape pilot Jimmy James, was at Sachsenhausen - previously blasted: 'Nazis need to be held accountable.' Formanek, born in Romania, as the son of a German-speaking master tailor, was first tracked down by The Sun in 2023 after an extensive investigation into surviving Nazi suspects. He was discovered living openly under his real name in a leafy Frankfurt suburb, his past unknown to most locals. Neighbours believed the pensioner was simply a retired manager - unaware of his chilling SS record. 7 7 When confronted by The Sun about his wartime role, Formanek cryptically replied: 'First, tell me who you are.' His wife, clearly unsettled, added: 'Don't say he was an SS man so loudly. People will wonder what's going on.' It later emerged that Formanek had been officially indicated by German prosecutors for his role in the "insidious killing" of prisoners between July 1943 and February 1945. Three other former guards under investigation were deemed too ill to stand trial — making Formanek the last viable case. Rosalyn Peake, 66, whose father Leslie Kleinman survived the camp by lying about his age, told The Sun: 'It's justice for me that Formanek was named. And it's vital for teaching future generations.' 7
The Irish Sun
30-04-2025
- The Irish Sun
SS guard ‘The Last Nazi' dies aged 100 after being unmasked by The Sun as he dodged justice to end over 3k camp victims
AN SS guard unmasked by The Sun last as the 'last Nazi' has died - bringing to an end the historic hunt for Holocaust war criminals. Gregor Formanek, 100, was dubbed "cruel and treacherous" for supporting the killing of 3,300 prisoners at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp in Germany, according to damning evidence. Advertisement 7 Gregor Formanek - believed to be the last Nazi after being tracked down by The Sun - has died aged 100 Credit: Simon Jones - Commissioned by The Sun 7 Formanek, pictured with wife, was a guard at a concentration camp during the Holocaust Credit: SIMON JONES 7 He was accused of helping to murder 3,300 people at the notorious WW2 prison Sachsenhausen Credit: Bundesarchiv 7 Prisoners in striped uniforms at the Sachsenhausen camp near Berlin, in December 1938 Credit: Getty He was identified as the last remaining source of a conviction by officials in Germany, who ruled last year he was fit enough to face trial. But a court has now confirmed the Final Solution suspect has passed away His death makes him the final SS accomplice to be revealed to the world. He takes with him all hopes of one final conviction. Advertisement Read more WW2 news The death marks a poignant moment for Nazi hunters, who have spent decades tracking down WWII war criminals and bringing them to justice. Formanek joined the SS late in the war, becoming a part of the infamous Nazi squad in July 1943 at Sachsenhausen, which was set up in 1936. More than 200,000 prisoners passed through Sachsenhausen, notorious for its gaschambers and horrifying medical experiments. At the end of the war, Formanek was captured by Russia's Red Army and spent just ten years behind bars before being released to find work as a porter. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Breaking Exclusive In later life, Formanek lived in comfort with his wife in a £400,000 apartment near Frankfurt. 'The last Nazi' accused of 'cruel killings' of 3,300 at sick death camp may NEVER face justice after trial is scrapped Formanek was Carmen Whitmore, 68, of Market Harborough, Leics., whose uncle, Great Escape pilot Jimmy James, was at Sachsenhausen - previously blasted: 'Nazis need to be held accountable.' Formanek, born in Romania, as the son of a German-speaking master tailor, was Advertisement He was discovered living openly under his real name in a leafy Frankfurt suburb, his past unknown to most locals. Neighbours believed the pensioner was simply a retired manager - unaware of his chilling SS record. 7 Prisoners clear snow at the Sachsenhausen camp in 1941 Credit: Paul Popper 7 It is estimated that a total of 100,000 people were killed at Sachsenhausen Credit: UKTV- Abandoned Engineering Advertisement When confronted by The Sun about his wartime role, Formanek cryptically replied: 'First, tell me who you are.' His wife, clearly unsettled, added: 'Don't say he was an SS man so loudly. People will wonder what's going on.' It later emerged that Formanek had been officially indicated by German prosecutors for his role in the "insidious killing" of prisoners between July 1943 and February 1945. Three other former guards under investigation were deemed too ill to stand trial — making Formanek the last viable case. Advertisement Rosalyn Peake, 66, whose father Leslie Kleinman survived the camp by lying about his age, told The Sun: 'It's justice for me that Formanek was named. And it's vital for teaching future generations.' 7 Sachsenhausen was notorious as a training ground for Hitler's mass extermination Credit: Getty
Daily Mail
30-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Last-known Nazi death camp guard takes his secrets to the grave: 100-year-old former SS officer dies before he could face trial over helping to kill thousands of WWII prisoners
The last-known Nazi concentration camp guard due to face trial in Germany has died — just before he could be held to account for his alleged role in one of the Third Reich's most horrific killing machines. Gregor Formanek, a former SS guard at Sachsenhausen concentration camp, was accused of aiding and abetting the murder of 3,322 people, including prisoners of war, Jews, and political detainees. But on April 2, 2025, aged 100, he died — ending the case before it ever reached court. His death was confirmed by the Hanau Regional Court this week, which had been preparing to retry the case after a higher court overturned an earlier decision declaring him unfit to stand trial. The Frankfurt Higher Regional Court had slammed the original medical assessment as inadequate and ordered fresh investigations into Formanek's health, demanding that the Hanau Youth Chamber re-examine the evidence. Formanek, who was a teenager during his time at the camp, was to be tried under juvenile law, but his advanced age had complicated proceedings. Critics say those delays played right into the hands of old men avoiding justice. 'He helped kill thousands,' said one co-plaintiff. 'He lived free for 80 years. The victims never had that chance.' The case had been closely watched as possibly the last major Nazi war crimes trial in German history. Formanek's death now means no one will answer for these 3,322 murders. Sachsenhausen, located near Berlin, was the site of mass executions, forced labour, starvation, torture, and medical experiments. At least 100,000 people died there between 1936 and 1945. Formanek was accused of actively supporting the operation of the killing system — but avoided prosecution for decades. In 2023 the Hanau court refused to open the trial, citing a medical expert's opinion that Formanek was too frail. The case was revived only after recent legal shifts allowed Germany to pursue anyone involved in the functioning of a death camp, regardless of direct action. But like many before him, Formanek took the truth to the grave. With his death, prosecutors must now drop the case. The Hanau court called it an 'irreversible procedural obstacle.' Formanek had lived undetected for decades in a modest flat near Frankfurt, until reporters tracked him down last year - but the former camp guard remained silent on the allegations against him. Born in September 1924 in Romania to a German-speaking tailor, Formanek joined the SS on July 4, 1943, and became part of the Sachsenhausen guard battalion in Brandenburg. One Stasi document chillingly notes that Formanek 'continued to kill prisoners'. Holocaust survivor Jurek Szarf, 90, vividly recounted the brutal treatment prisoners endured at Sachsenhausen. Deported at age ten to Ravensbrueck with his aunt and mother, Jurek was later transferred to Koenigs Wusterhausen and then Sachsenhausen. His mother starved to death in the Wusterhausen concentration camp in February 1945. 'I was in the hospital block in Sachsenhausen with my father and my uncle and was supposed to be shot. We waited for hours for the execution, then we were freed,' Mr Szarf told German newspaper Bild about being freed in April 1945 aged 12. He was deported to Sachsenhausen from the other concentration camp where he was held just days before he was freed. The infamous 'Work Sets You Free' sign at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp gates, picture on the memorial service in January 2019 Built in 1936 to house high-ranking political prisoners, Sachsenhausen is the camp where the Nazis perfected killing methods that were scaled up and used to murder millions at larger and more notorious camps such as Auschwitz (pictured: prisoners at Sachsenhausen) Mr Szarf said: 'The SS drove the prisoners from Sachsenhausen on a long march to escape the approaching Red Army. My father, my uncle and I were too weak to march. 'Two other uncles went with us. One was shot by SS guards, the other was beaten to death.' After the war, Formanek was arrested by the Red Army and sentenced by a Soviet military tribunal to 25 years in prison for espionage and crimes against humanity. Released after ten years, he moved to West Germany and lived quietly as a porter. Germany has been scrambling to bring the last surviving former Nazi war criminals to justice since a 2011 landmark ruling paved the way for several trials.
