Minnesota man exposed as commander of Nazi-led unit dies
January 22, 2020 5:07AM CST
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota man exposed as a former commander of a Nazi-led unit during World War II has died.
Cemetery and public records show Michael Karkoc died Dec. 14. He was 100.
An Associated Press review of Ukrainian and U.S. records in 2013 showed Karkoc was a commander of the SS-led Ukrainian Self Defense Legion, and that he lied about his past to American authorities. Karkoc’s son has said his father was never a Nazi.
The AP stories prompted Germany and Poland to investigate. German prosecutors shelved their case in 2015, saying the then-96-year-old Karkoc wasn’t fit for trial.