OBERLANDER'S DAUGHTER RESPONDS

Yesterday's Waterloo Region Record carrys the following opinion piece from Irene Rooney titled "Don't hold my father responsible for Nazi crimes". It is an excellent article more inclined towards the factual and less towards the emotional. All things considered that is quite amazing considering her relationship to Helmut Oberlander. Mr. Oberlander's affidavit to the Judge I believe makes for compelling reading unless of course one's mind has been made up long ago. That seems to be the case for many of those who's friends and family perished at the hands of the Nazis. That said painting everybody with the same brush is not justified. There were lots of true believers undoubtedly and many more who were just trying to get through the war alive. Read Irene rooney's article slowly and carefully and see if you still think a 17 year old conscript, without authority is a war criminal by any stretch of the imagination.