Sándor Képíró

Who was Sándor Képíró?

Sándor Képíró was a gendarmerie captain during World War II accused of war crimes committed by Hungarian forces, and found not guilty.

In September 2006, Efraim Zuroff of the Wiesenthal Center made public copies of a 1944 court verdict finding Képíró and 14 other Hungarian Army and police officers of taking part in 1942 raid in Novi Sad. In 1948, the government of Hungary retried him in absentia and sentenced him to 14 years. This verdict was based upon the testimony of János Nagy, a former Hungarian soldier of Képíró's platoon. However, the testimony was given after the communist secret service tortured Nagy. Képíró claimed that he had never ever heard of him. Képíró returned to Budapest in 1996 without being identified until that point.

Responding to the Wiesenthal Center accusations, Képíró said he had been a junior police officer at the time who had been involved in the round up of civilians, but denied taking an active part in the executions, which were carried out by soldiers. Képíró also said he refused orders to take part in anything illegal. "I was the only one who asked for a written command. At the time of the massacre I was reluctant. Prove that I was a war criminal."