Former Nazi Camp guard charged...

[Deesse23]

Mauthausen was not Auschwitz.

Yes, *only* 100.000 out of 200.000 inmates got killed. It also wasnt a "death camp", whose sole purpose was to kill people, it was the first KZ on german territory intended for "death through labour". I guess the victims didnt note much of a difference tho. It also was the first one to feature a "camp brothel" where female inmates were forced into prostitution, and when they contracted some STD they were used as guinea pigs.  

The guard in question however is charged with quite concrete participation in murder: In February 1945 he is alleged to have taken part in a regular "punishment" for inmates, "bathing to death". This is getting 300 inmates naked, showering them with cold water (in February!) and having them stand on the drill square for one day and one night. If you were alive by then, you were beaten to death by the SS Totenkopf guards.

He is also charged with having taken part in an action to take vengeance for 400 russian PoWs escaping the camp. 300 inmates got killed by participation of all guards according to witnesses.

Since February 1945 there also was a crematorium.

Charging guards with assisted murder reflects a change in practice of law in Germany over the decades. It is assumed that guards in infamous KZs were quite aware of the systematical murder going on there, while not committing murder themselves, hence the *assisted* murde charge.
He is finally accused because it is assumed to be evident that he must have been known of all the (and i didnt even mention the most horrific ones: like injecting mixtures containing fuel into inmates´ hearts) different means of killing, of the intention to kill, and the necessity of his job as a guard to achieve this goal.