Germany Still Pays War Pensions to Former Nazi Perpetrators, Report Reveals

An investigation finds that 80 years after WWII, thousands, including ex-Waffen-SS members, receive state-funded pensions despite a 1998 law intended to prevent such payments.

Over 8,000 individuals currently receive war pensions in Germany, with an estimated 5% identified as former Nazi war criminals, according to experts.
The payments, totaling approximately €5 million annually, include pensions for individuals residing abroad, including ex-Waffen-SS soldiers.
A 1998 law aimed to revoke pensions for those who committed crimes against humanity, but experts argue it has been largely ineffective and rarely enforced.
Critics, including historians and former politicians, highlight a lack of political will to address the issue, calling it a failure in Germany's reckoning with its Nazi past.
The revelation comes as Germany prepares to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz's liberation, drawing attention to ongoing debates about historical accountability.