Nazi Oskar Groening, Auschwitz death camp guard, dies at age 96 before starting prison sentence

Oskar Groening, the death camp guard known as the “bookkeeper of Auschwitz,” died on Friday — before he was able to start his four-year prison sentence, according to multiple reports Monday. He was 96.

Groening, a former SS sergeant, was convicted in July 2015 of being an accessory to the murder of 300,000 Jews. He was expected to start his four-year prison sentence, but died at a hospital, the Jerusalem Post reported, citing Germany’s Der Spiegel. 

German prosecutors deemed Groening to be fit enough to go to prison as long as there was appropriate medical care. A federal court rejected Groening’s appeal in November.

The 96-year-old’s lawyer had argued Groening was too frail to go to prison. He submitted a request for clemency in early March. 

It was unclear when Groening would have begun his prison sentence.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.