A former Auschwitz guard accused of deciding which of the 425,000 people who arrived at the concentration camp by train would be killed is set to face trial.

Oskar Gröning, 93, has admitted he witnessed many atrocities during World War II, but insists he never committed any himself.

Prosecutors have now ruled he is fit to stand trial, with a German court to decide if he is telling the truth at a trial early next year, The Mirror reports.

Gröning reportedly admits he collated possessions of people murdered in the gas chambers and sent them to Berlin, but prosecutors claim he helped select which of the people arriving at Auschwitz would die in the gas chambers.

“Down the years I have heard the cries of the dead in my dreams,” Gröning said.

“This guilt will never leave me.”

In the past two years, cases have been brought against 11 other former camp personnel, but all were dropped because of their age, health or a lack of evidence.

Dr Efraim Zuroff from human rights group the Wiesenthal Centre said every prosecution was a reminder that justice can still be served for the victims.

“Old age should not afford a refuge for merciless killers,” he said.

The group is also trying to track down others who were involved.

“Time is running out,” said Dr Zuroff.

“There is no reason to ignore these people just because they are elderly.

“They don’t deserve sympathy since they obviously had none for their victims.”

news.yahoo.com