(TargetLiberty.org) – Thousands of Germans who served under Hitler’s Nazi army went into hiding during and after the end of World War II. If anyone discovered their connection to the Holocaust, the courts would force them to answer charges for their participation in the war.
Some soldiers managed to move on, creating new identities and starting new lives in an effort to fly under the radar. Authorities continued to chase them down and capture them decades after the war ended; that effort continues even now, in the present day.
Their most recent catch, a woman who once served as Nazi Commander Paul Werner Hoppe’s secretary, clearly wasn’t interested in taking responsibility for her past.
Authorities Catch Infamous “Secretary of Evil”
Authorities first tracked down 96-year-old Irmgard Furchner of Itzehoe, Germany, years ago while investigating other cases associated with Stutthof concentration camp. In fact, they first searched the woman’s apartment for evidence back in 2017, charging her with over 11,000 counts of accessory to murder a short time later.
Furchner’s case failed to progress in a timely manner; her care team wasn’t convinced she was fit to stand trial. But a doctor working for the courts finally ruled her competent to appear in February 2021. Prosecutors immediately scheduled a date for her trial in Itzehoe’s youth courts as they believe she was underage at the time of her crimes.
Furchner Goes on the Run
The near-centenarian, who now lives in a care home requiring round-the-clock supervision, wrote the courts a note stating she didn’t want to attend her trial. She refused to attend the court date, citing physical limitations and advanced age, and asked lawyers to speak on her behalf instead.
Authorities had no intention of approving the woman’s request. However, they didn’t consider her a flight risk, either. They allowed Furchner to continue living in her nursing home under the supervision of medical professionals until the culmination of her trial.
Fast forward to September 30, 2021. The morning Furchner was set to appear in front of the courts, the 96-year-old woman — who claimed to suffer from significant physical limitations — ran away from her care home.
Captured Secretary Will Still Face Justice
Authorities eventually captured Furchner a short time later on Langenhorner Chaussee Street in Hamburg. They believe she took a taxi to the local train station in hopes of escaping her fate. A judge immediately remanded her to custody, where German police will continue to monitor her until the culmination of her case.
Furchner claims she had no idea the Nazi army was actively participating in the genocide of Jews, homosexuals, disabled citizens, and others deemed lesser-than by Hitler. However, records show she signed off on a number of executions and memos that indicate she had at least some knowledge of the atrocities committed at Stutthof concentration camp.
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