John Demjanjuk died on St. Patrick’s Day. He died in a comfortable nursing home. That’s more than can be said about his 28,000 victims. The good die young. Demjanjuk was 91. His death removes another figure in the most horrific event in human history. It makes no difference whether he was a major or minor player on the stage of this shameful event.
The Demjanjuk trial is history. He may not have been the Ivan the Terrible he was accused of being in Israel. But it has been proven that he did work at Sobibor which was a dedicated death camp with no pretense of having any other purpose.
Even if you accept Demjanjuk’s story that he was innocent of the crimes and was an involuntary laborer, he still lied on his immigration form when he came to the United States in 1952. He should have been deported the moment this fact became clear to US Immigration. Why is it that some are willing to extend a welcome to the likes of “Fausto Carmona” and John Demjanjuk but eager to kick out lowly landscapers and waiters at Mexican restaurants?
People have complained that Demjanjuk’s conviction in Germany was a double standard since there were many Germans who were not punished for their actions during the Holocaust. That may be true. The guilt of others doesn’t make Demjanjuk innocent. At least Germany has tried to come clean about the atrocities it caused, which is more than can be said about Japan which cleanses its history. Have they ever apologized for Pearl Harbor? For the Bataan Death March? No, they just whine about the Atomic bombings which were the result of their warmongering.
Some family members have spoken about returning Demjanjuk’s body to our area. What possible good would that accomplish? Any grave bearing Demjanjuk’s name would become a shrine to neo-Nazis or an unintended urinal. The Demjanjuk family would quickly learn that having him here will not bring closure to them or anyone else. No one wants this guy in a cemetery that holds their parents, siblings, or children. The best thing to do is cremate his body and scatter the ashes, or bury him anonymously and outside of the United States.
John Demjanjuk is dead. Good riddance. May we never see his like again.
