“War Criminals in Postwar Germany's Police Forces: The 1969 Case of Border Police Officer Wilhelm Radtke”

“Life’s Uncertain Outcomes” is a history lecture series that considers people’s lived experiences and how historical circumstances and choices made by individuals and the decisions of others shaped the direction of their lives. Lectures will be presented by History Department faculty members and Organization of American Historians Distinguished Lecturers throughout the academic year.

West German border police officer Wilhelm Radtke lied about his date of birth and escaped justice at the end of World War II. His past was discovered in 1969 when he was arrested for his involvement in the SS killing squads, which were responsible for thousands of murders. The West German justice system of the 1970s still failed to confront the Nazi past; the trial eventually was dismissed because of phony medical claims made by the defendant.

The series will continue with:

●       March 14: David Nelson, PhD, “Geisha Dreams, Love and Murder: The Life of Abe Sada”

●       April 4: Chris Kimball, PhD, “The Buck Stops Here: Harry Truman’s Improbable Path to the Presidency”

The event is free.