Gregor Formanek, a former guard at the Nazi concentration camp Sachsenhausen, will stand trial for aiding in the murder of 3,322 prisoners between 1943 and 1945.
Located in Oranienburg, Germany, Sachsenhausen was notorious for its horrific conditions, gas chambers, and medical experiments that served as prototypes for Auschwitz.
Formanek was previously deemed unfit for trial due to his age and health, but the decision was overturned after an appeal by the prosecution. The case has now been sent back to the Hanau court for a new ruling.
Formanek, who lived quietly in West Germany for decades, was identified by journalists in 2022. Archival documents confirm his service in the SS, and witnesses, including former prisoners, have detailed his involvement in the camp’s crimes.
Built in 1936, Sachsenhausen was used to detain political prisoners, Jews, Roma, and other victims of the Nazi regime. During its operation, over 200,000 people were imprisoned there, tens of thousands of whom perished.
