The ethics of commemorating the dead of the Third Reich

From an Australian perspective the commemoration of war has long been wrapped up with our national identity.

Both 20th C world wars have loomed large for many Australians, and we continue to commemorate our war dead - note the Federal Government has just dropped over half a billion taxpayer dollars on a refurb of the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

Everyone deserves a proper and decent burial. Even those who have lived a life of crime or scandal can surely expect some dignity in death. But what if the deceased is a war criminal -- specifically a Nazi? In Germany, an organisation established after World War 1 to help locate and re-bury the remains of some of the millions who died, has found itself in an ethical dilemma. 

A fascinating story called Unburying the Remains of the Third Reich by Nicholas Casey , a journalist and staff writer at The New York Times based in Madrid.