Auschwitz Guard Tells Survivors: I'm Truly Sorry

A former Auschwitz guard on trial in Germany for complicity in 170,000 murders at the Nazi death camp has broken his silence and told survivors he is "truly sorry".

Reinhold Hanning served at the camp in Poland during the Second World War between January 1942 and June 1944.

Sitting in a wheelchair, the 94-year-old told the court that even though he was aware Jews were being gassed and their corpses burned, he did nothing to try to stop it.

He said: "Nobody talked to us about it in the first days there, but if someone, like me, was there for a long time then one learned what was going on.

"People were shot, gassed and burned. I could see how corpses were taken back and forth or moved out. I could smell the burning bodies; I knew corpses were being burned."

He is accused of overseeing the selection of prisoners for labour, and those sent to gas chambers.

:: Auschwitz Survivor Tells Of Death Selections

It is believed Hanning was also aware of the regular mass shootings of inmates, as well as the systematic starvation of prisoners.

"I have been silent all my life," he said.

"I want to tell you that I deeply regret having listened to a criminal organisation that is responsible for the deaths of many innocent people, for the destruction of countless families, for the misery, distress and suffering on the part of victims and their relatives.

"I am ashamed that I let this injustice happen and have done nothing to prevent it.

"I apologise formally for my behaviour. I am truly sorry,"

He looked down as he read his statement - just metres away from survivors of the Holocaust at the hearing.

One witness, Leon Schwarzbaum, had appealed to him to tell the truth at the start of his trial in February.

"I lost 35 family members, how can you apologise for that?" the 95-year-old said.

"I am not angry, I don't want him to go to prison but he should say more for the sake of the young generation today because the historical truth is important."

Hubert Zafke, 95, a former Auschwitz paramedic, is also on trial. Another former guard, Ernst Tremmel, died before his trial aged 93.