Helmut Oberlander was a member of a Nazi mobile killing unit (Einsatzkommando 10a) responsible for murdering more than 90,000 Jews during the Holocaust.
When he applied for entry to Canada in 1954, he lied about his wartime past and fraudulently gained Canadian citizenship. He returns to Canada's Federal Court on Wednesday.
Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) CEO Shimon Koffler Fogel said, “The facts of this case are not in dispute. Mr. Oberlander was a member of a Nazi unit that murdered 90,000 Jews during the Holocaust. He lied about his past and gained his Canadian citizenship fraudulently.”
“For years, he and his lawyers have cynically exploited Canada’s legal system to avoid prosecution in Germany. The Government of Canada should be applauded for their tireless efforts to have him deported and to bring some justice for his many victims and their families. Now it is time for the Federal Court to act. Justice must be done.”
Canadian Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants (CJHSD) Co-President Sidney Zoltak added, “Mr. Oberlander served in a Nazi death squad and gained citizenship to Canada by fraudulent means. As a Holocaust survivor, I am offended that he has never been held to account for his crimes.”
“As a Canadian, I am deeply concerned that he has been allowed to exploit Canada’s justice system. And as a human being, I find the delays reprehensible. This must stop. He should be deported immediately.”