328:
KGB to say there was a ghetto. These devils came here with their lies against me." and "I have done no crime whatsoever. My conscience is clear. I killed no one. I would not dream of doing it. I am not a monster I am an ordinary working-class poor man." He also denied having been a member of the German armed forces, stating "I have never been in the German army". In court, he accused a member of the
243:), has been described as Belarusian, though some newspaper reports say that his mother was Polish. Sawoniuk never knew the identity of his father, although townspeople believed him to be Josef Jakubiak, the town's Jewish schoolmaster, because his mother Pelagia had been working as a cleaner at Jakubiak's school and home during the months when Sawoniuk was conceived. Andrei used the
296:, who already suspected him of being a war criminal, intercepted the letter and noted that he was now living in the UK. It was not until the 1980s that the KGB started sharing such information with the UK. However, due to a misspelling of his name, it took until 1994 for authorities to realise that Sawoniuk, then working for
324:. A further two charges of murder were withdrawn by the prosecution due to procedural errors with evidence. However, both of the murders of which Sawoniuk was convicted were individual elements of two group murders: in the first Sawoniuk, according to eyewitnesses, shot 15 Jews; in the second he shot three Jews.
327:
At his trial, Sawoniuk said of his accusers "They are professional liars. They have criminal records. Some of the witnesses at the magistrates court have done 25 years, alcoholics. I was the best friend of the Jews." He also stated that "Everyone is telling lies. They have been told by the
Russian
342:
He was the first and the only person in United
Kingdom to be convicted under the War Crimes Act 1991. From a legal perspective, this case is interesting, as it was also the first time that a British jury had travelled overseas to view the scene of a crime. In 2000, the
1025:
1030:
1015:
286:
604:
950:
1010:
406:
970:
945:
975:
332:
of fabricating a Waffen-SS document which contained his details. He speculated that the
Metropolitan Police had conspired against him with the help of the KGB.
1020:
173:
103:
965:
537:
289:. He deserted from the SS in November 1944 and changed sides, using his Polish birth certificate to join the 10th Hussar Regiment of the Polish II Corps.
990:
254:: a gentile employed by Orthodox Jews to carry out Sabbath tasks that were forbidden to them, such as lighting fires or chopping wood. He learnt basic
1005:
199:. After the war, he settled in Britain, became a British citizen, and became the first (and currently the only) person to be convicted under the UK's
930:
203:, when he was found guilty in 1999 of war crimes for the murder of 18 Jews. Sawoniuk received a life sentence, and died in prison six years later.
955:
940:
250:
The family were poor: his mother worked washing clothes while
Sawoniuk and his half-brother collected firewood to sell. Sawonuik also worked as a
1000:
292:
After the war, Sawoniuk settled in
England in 1946, posing as a Polish patriot. In 1951, he wrote a letter to his half-brother, Nikolai. The
935:
925:
801:
593:
559:
985:
960:
395:
851:
684:
428:
364:
The Ticket
Collector from Belarus - "An extraordinary and true story of the Holocaust and Britain's only war crimes trial
874:
321:
317:
271:
247:"Andreeovich", which does not appear in the Polish language. His mother's former husband also had the name Andrei.
457:
Efraim Zuroff, "Operation Last Chance: One Man's Quest to Bring Nazi
Criminals to Justice", Macmillan, 2009, p. 79
995:
526:
891:
130:
920:
915:
316:
of murder with regard to the murder of Jews in his German-occupied hometown during World War II. The
329:
200:
196:
161:
52:
504:
980:
662:
187:
After taking part in the murder of the Jewish community in his home town, Sawoniuk served in the
725:
569:
141:
809:
654:
313:
212:
177:
75:
639:
285:
advanced towards
Domaczewo and in July 1944 joined the German armed forces, serving in the
895:
856:
599:
564:
532:
401:
192:
351:
344:
336:
274:
and rose to the rank of
Commandant. While serving in the police he participated in the
223:. At that time 90% of the town's population were ethnic Jews, with the remainder being
436:
320:
found him guilty of one charge by unanimous decision and of the other by a ten to one
909:
666:
236:
224:
508:
478:
297:
267:
181:
823:
709:
618:
366:- by Mike Anderson & Neil Hanson - 2021 - Simon & Schuster (publishers)
251:
232:
216:
71:
48:
753:
473:
828:
712:
623:
309:
244:
228:
124:
388:
386:
384:
382:
380:
870:
730:
275:
220:
779:
640:"The trial of Andrei Sawoniuk: Holocaust testimony under cross-examination"
308:
Sawoniuk had, by that time, become a
British citizen. He was tried at the
282:
239:. Sawoniuk, nicknamed "Andrusha" (a Russian and Belarusian diminutive of
888:
339:
recommended that Sawoniuk should spend the rest of his life in prison.
255:
240:
658:
474:"Life for Nazi 'lord' who murdered Jews and then escaped to Britain"
519:
517:
300:, was one of the people on the KGB list. He was then arrested.
899:
293:
1026:
Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by England and Wales
188:
560:"W Wielkiej Brytanii zmarł zbrodniarz wojenny z Białorusi"
594:"Sawoniuk betrayed by letter intercepted by the KGB"
270:, Sawoniuk was a member of the local Nazi-supported
172:; 7 March 1921 – 6 November 2005) was a Belarusian
137:
122:
110:
99:
82:
60:
30:
23:
592:
525:
394:
1031:Prisoners who died in England and Wales detention
754:"I am not a monster, claims war crimes defendant"
335:He was given two life sentences, and trial judge
1016:People convicted of murder by England and Wales
396:"Nazi's hired killer who lay low for 50 years"
8:
568:(in Polish). 7 November 2005. Archived from
191:until November 1944 when he defected to the
951:Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom
619:"War crimes trial could be first and last"
499:
497:
281:In 1944, Sawoniuk fled westwards when the
20:
1011:Polish military personnel of World War II
678:
676:
287:30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS
16:Belarusian Nazi collaborator (1921–2005)
685:"Nazi War Criminal Dies in U.K. Prison"
376:
971:British people convicted of war crimes
946:Polish emigrants to the United Kingdom
467:
465:
463:
429:"Najkrócej - Archiwum Rzeczpospolitej"
976:Belarusian people convicted of murder
726:"Nazi war criminal dies in UK prison"
262:Actions during and after World War II
142:Life imprisonment (whole life tariff)
7:
505:"How the net closed around Sawoniuk"
393:Buncombe, Andrew (4 February 1999).
354:of natural causes in 2005, aged 84.
1021:Police officers convicted of murder
852:"Lords throw out Nazi's legal plea"
966:British people convicted of murder
724:Freeman, Simon (7 November 2005).
347:refused him permission to appeal.
14:
991:Holocaust perpetrators in Belarus
780:"Sawoniuk threatens to storm out"
591:Buncombe, Andrew (2 April 1999).
1006:Nazis who died in prison custody
889:Sawoniuk – a hidden life exposed
607:from the original on 7 May 2022.
527:"Into the evil heart of history"
524:Lebor, Adam (14 February 1999).
931:People from Polesie Voivodeship
638:David Hirsh (1 December 2001).
540:from the original on 7 May 2022
409:from the original on 7 May 2022
956:20th-century British criminals
941:Belarusian Waffen-SS personnel
824:"Sawoniuk guilty of war crime"
808:. 28 June 1999. Archived from
472:Hopkins, Nick (2 April 1999).
219:, Belarus), a spa town on the
1:
1001:Nazis convicted of war crimes
710:Sawoniuk guilty of war crime
211:Andrei Sawoniuk was born in
936:Belarusian Auxiliary Police
272:Belarusian Auxiliary Police
1047:
926:People from Brest District
782:. BBC News. 23 March 1999
312:in London in 1999 on two
165:
147:
118:
873:review 15 January 2021
860:. London. 19 June 2000.
760:. London. 23 March 1999
986:Ex post facto case law
961:British mass murderers
683:AP (7 November 2005).
802:"Scuffle of the week"
507:, at guardian.co.uk;
894:7 April 2009 at the
647:Social Legal Studies
258:from his employers.
689:The Washington Post
330:Metropolitan Police
201:War Crimes Act 1991
197:British Eighth Army
53:Polesie Voivodeship
350:Sawoniuk died in
337:Mr. Justice Potts
176:from the town of
174:Nazi collaborator
151:
150:
104:Nazi collaborator
1038:
996:Holocaust trials
876:
868:
862:
861:
848:
842:
841:
839:
837:
820:
814:
813:
798:
792:
791:
789:
787:
776:
770:
769:
767:
765:
750:
744:
743:
741:
739:
721:
715:
707:
701:
700:
698:
696:
680:
671:
670:
644:
635:
629:
628:
615:
609:
608:
596:
588:
582:
581:
579:
577:
572:on 16 April 2013
556:
550:
549:
547:
545:
529:
521:
512:
501:
492:
491:
489:
487:
469:
458:
455:
449:
448:
446:
444:
439:on 16 April 2013
435:. Archived from
425:
419:
418:
416:
414:
398:
390:
314:specimen charges
167:
154:Anthony Sawoniuk
138:Criminal penalty
127:
106:and war criminal
76:Norwich, England
67:
44:
42:
25:Anthony Sawoniuk
21:
1046:
1045:
1041:
1040:
1039:
1037:
1036:
1035:
906:
905:
896:Wayback Machine
885:
880:
879:
869:
865:
857:The Independent
850:
849:
845:
835:
833:
822:
821:
817:
800:
799:
795:
785:
783:
778:
777:
773:
763:
761:
752:
751:
747:
737:
735:
723:
722:
718:
708:
704:
694:
692:
682:
681:
674:
659:10.1177/a020412
642:
637:
636:
632:
627:. 1 April 1999.
617:
616:
612:
600:The Independent
590:
589:
585:
575:
573:
565:Gazeta Wyborcza
558:
557:
553:
543:
541:
533:The Independent
523:
522:
515:
502:
495:
485:
483:
471:
470:
461:
456:
452:
442:
440:
427:
426:
422:
412:
410:
402:The Independent
392:
391:
378:
373:
360:
306:
264:
209:
193:Polish II Corps
170:Andrej Savaniuk
158:Andrei Sawoniuk
123:
111:Criminal status
95:
78:
69:
65:
64:6 November 2005
56:
46:
40:
38:
37:
36:
35:Andrei Sawoniuk
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1044:
1042:
1034:
1033:
1028:
1023:
1018:
1013:
1008:
1003:
998:
993:
988:
983:
978:
973:
968:
963:
958:
953:
948:
943:
938:
933:
928:
923:
918:
908:
907:
904:
903:
884:
883:External links
881:
878:
877:
863:
843:
832:. 1 April 1999
815:
812:on 7 May 2010.
793:
771:
745:
716:
702:
672:
653:(4): 529–545.
630:
610:
583:
551:
513:
503:Nick Hopkins,
493:
459:
450:
433:new-arch.rp.pl
420:
375:
374:
372:
369:
368:
367:
359:
356:
352:Norwich Prison
345:House of Lords
305:
302:
276:murder of Jews
263:
260:
215:, Poland (now
208:
205:
166:Андрэй Саванюк
149:
148:
145:
144:
139:
135:
134:
128:
120:
119:
116:
115:
112:
108:
107:
101:
100:Known for
97:
96:
94:
93:
90:
86:
84:
80:
79:
70:
68:(aged 84)
62:
58:
57:
47:
34:
32:
28:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1043:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1017:
1014:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
992:
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
969:
967:
964:
962:
959:
957:
954:
952:
949:
947:
944:
942:
939:
937:
934:
932:
929:
927:
924:
922:
919:
917:
914:
913:
911:
901:
897:
893:
890:
887:
886:
882:
875:
872:
867:
864:
859:
858:
853:
847:
844:
831:
830:
825:
819:
816:
811:
807:
803:
797:
794:
781:
775:
772:
759:
755:
749:
746:
733:
732:
727:
720:
717:
714:
711:
706:
703:
690:
686:
679:
677:
673:
668:
664:
660:
656:
652:
648:
641:
634:
631:
626:
625:
620:
614:
611:
606:
602:
601:
595:
587:
584:
571:
567:
566:
561:
555:
552:
539:
535:
534:
528:
520:
518:
514:
510:
506:
500:
498:
494:
481:
480:
475:
468:
466:
464:
460:
454:
451:
438:
434:
430:
424:
421:
408:
404:
403:
397:
389:
387:
385:
383:
381:
377:
370:
365:
362:
361:
357:
355:
353:
348:
346:
340:
338:
333:
331:
325:
323:
319:
315:
311:
303:
301:
299:
295:
290:
288:
284:
279:
277:
273:
269:
261:
259:
257:
253:
248:
246:
242:
238:
237:Volksdeutsche
235:, and German
234:
230:
226:
222:
218:
214:
206:
204:
202:
198:
194:
190:
185:
183:
179:
175:
171:
163:
159:
155:
146:
143:
140:
136:
132:
129:
126:
125:Conviction(s)
121:
117:
113:
109:
105:
102:
98:
91:
88:
87:
85:
81:
77:
73:
63:
59:
54:
50:
33:
29:
22:
19:
866:
855:
846:
834:. Retrieved
827:
818:
810:the original
805:
796:
784:. Retrieved
774:
762:. Retrieved
758:The Guardian
757:
748:
736:. Retrieved
729:
719:
705:
693:. Retrieved
691:. Washington
688:
650:
646:
633:
622:
613:
598:
586:
574:. Retrieved
570:the original
563:
554:
542:. Retrieved
531:
484:. Retrieved
479:The Guardian
477:
453:
441:. Retrieved
437:the original
432:
423:
411:. Retrieved
400:
363:
358:Bibliography
349:
341:
334:
326:
307:
298:British Rail
291:
280:
268:World War II
265:
249:
210:
186:
182:Brest Region
169:
157:
153:
152:
66:(2005-11-06)
45:7 March 1921
18:
921:2005 deaths
916:1921 births
252:sabbath goy
233:Belarusians
133:(18 counts)
83:Nationality
72:HMP Norwich
910:Categories
829:BBC Online
806:The Lawyer
713:BBC Online
624:BBC Online
603:. London.
544:16 October
536:. London.
443:26 January
405:. London.
371:References
310:Old Bailey
245:patronymic
229:Ukrainians
207:Early life
162:Belarusian
89:Belarusian
41:1921-03-07
981:Deserters
871:The Times
836:8 October
764:8 October
738:8 October
731:The Times
667:142719088
576:8 October
486:8 October
413:8 October
221:Bug River
213:Damachava
178:Damachava
892:Archived
786:22 April
734:. London
695:22 April
605:Archived
538:Archived
509:Guardian
482:. London
407:Archived
322:majority
283:Red Army
217:Damačava
114:Deceased
55:, Poland
49:Damačava
266:During
256:Yiddish
195:in the
92:British
665:
241:Andrey
156:(born
131:Murder
663:S2CID
643:(PDF)
304:Trial
225:Poles
838:2010
788:2015
766:2010
740:2010
697:2015
578:2010
546:2016
511:2010
488:2010
445:2022
415:2010
318:jury
61:Died
31:Born
900:BBC
655:doi
294:KGB
180:in
912::
854:.
826:.
804:.
756:.
728:.
687:.
675:^
661:.
651:10
649:.
645:.
621:.
597:.
562:.
530:.
516:^
496:^
476:.
462:^
431:.
399:.
379:^
278:.
231:,
227:,
189:SS
184:.
168:,
164::
160:;
74:,
51:,
902:)
898:(
840:.
790:.
768:.
742:.
699:.
669:.
657::
580:.
548:.
490:.
447:.
417:.
43:)
39:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.