Heinrich Boere, Former Nazi, Dies at 92 While Serving Time in Prison

Heinrich Boere sits on stand in his wheelchair during his sentencing in 2010 for War Crimes committed during WWII
Heinrich Boere sits on stand in his wheelchair during his sentencing in 2010 for War Crimes committed during WWII

The Haaretz reports: Heinrich Boere was once a member of a Nazi death squad who remained unpunished in Germany for many years post WWII. It was only until he was convicted in 2010 at the age of 89 did he pay for any of his war crimes. Boere died at the age of of 92 in his German prison cell.

Boere was ranked pretty high on the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s list of criminals that were most wanted. In 2010, Boere was finally convicted of killing three Dutch civilians in 1944. Boere acted as an Waffen SS squad member who targeted anti-Nazi resistance fighters. He was sentenced to live out the rest of his days in prison.

During the entire six month span of his trial, he remained unrepentant. He said he was only following orders. After WWII ended, he somehow eluded law enforcement and was able to live a quiet life in Germany although he was still considered a wanted man by the Netherlands officials.

United States forces were able to catch Boere in the Netherlands shortly after the war ended. He confessed to killing the Dutch civilians: a chemist from Breda, and two men in Voorschoten, one was a bicycle dealer and the other whose occupation was unknown.

In 1947, Boere was able to escape and he fled to Germany. The Netherlands court still sentenced the man to death in absentia in 1949.

The Dutch court system requested that Germany extradite Boere in 1980, but they eventually indicted him in 2008. Germany has sought to prosecute the last known surviving war crime suspects. The German government hopes to improve its shady post-war record by bringing former known Nazis to justice.

Evette Champion

Evette Champion is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE