German court rules Auschwitz guard fit to serve prison term

BERLIN – A German court has rejected the appeal of a former Auschwitz guard against serving his sentence on 300,000 counts of accessory to murder.

The Celle state court ruled Wednesday that Oskar Groening was in good enough health to serve his four years in prison.

But his attorney said he’d pursue further action to keep the 96-year-old free and the court said it wasn’t clear when he might be jailed.

Groening, an SS sergeant dubbed the “accountant of Auschwitz” for his role overseeing the collection of prisoners’ belongings and sending valuables and cash to Berlin, was convicted in 2015.

His conviction was upheld by a federal court last year.

During his trial, Groening said he felt a “moral guilt” for serving at Auschwitz but wasn’t personally involved in mass murder.