I read a science fiction novel where the individual's genetic material was deposited in an account and on that person's death and subsequent evaluation of his life it was decided, by a board of inquiry, whether or not that person's life merited that his genetic material continue in the world.
This type of system would be useful in complex cases where a careful accounting would be required to make an intelligent determination.
The case of Heinrich Himmler springs to mind. Here is a man who would eliminate a person's entire clan on the basis of loyalty; yet, who, in the end, was guilty of betraying the Fuehrer, the Party, the Reich and the Volk (not to mention the SS itself).
Certainly his years of service should be a mitigating factor in the equation. Especially since we all realize that:
"Well, you see, ...in this war, things get confused out there. Power, ideals, the old morality, and practical military necessity. But out there with these natives, it must be a temptation to be God. Because there's a conflict in every human heart, between the rational and irrational, between good and evil. And good does not always triumph. Sometimes, the dark side overcomes what Lincoln called the better angels of our nature." - General Corman from Apocalypse Now.
Can Heinrich Himmler be rehabilitated?
This is an interesting legal consideration. I would ask that we give these kinds of questions some serious consideration. And, unfortunately, there are more cases at issue than only this one. For instance can Erwin Rommel be rehabilitated? (Late in the war, Rommel was linked to the conspiracy to kill Adolf Hitler. Due to his wide renown, Hitler chose to eliminate him quietly; in trade for the protection of his family, Rommel agreed to commit suicide.) What about Karl Doenitz? (He was the last President of the Third Reich. On 7 May 1945, he ordered Alfred Jodl to sign the instruments of unconditional surrender in Rheims, France.)
Think on these things.
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