Former Nazi could face loss of citizenship, deportation

Canada is considering deporting Helmut Oberlander, 75, who lied about his involvement in a Nazi extermination unit, a spokesman for Immigration Minister Elinor Caplan said Thursday.

Oberlander is a retired developer living in Kitchener, Ontario. He may be stripped of his Canadian citizenship and deported.

He immigrated to Canada in 1954. At that time he didn't reveal that he had been a member of the Einsatzkommando, a notorious mobile Nazi police unit. A Federal Court judgment last year said the unit killed more than 90,000 Jews.

The judgment found that Oberlander was not personally involved in mass executions. He worked as a translator for the unit.

The Immigration Department has offered Oberlander a chance to present his case against deportation.

"The minister insisted that the decision should not be taken lightly and (would) not move forward unless all aspects of the issue were considered," Derik Hodgson, spokesperson for the minister said.

Oberlander's laywer, Eric Hafemann, has been asked to submit a written report within 30 days. That report would be presented to the federal cabinet along with the minister's recommendations.