A former Nazi-era doctor who rose to the top of post-war Austrian society goes on trial today on charges related to the murder of handicapped children in a Third Reich hospital.
Dr Heinrich Gross (84) has been certified fit to stand trial despite a catalogue of illnesses but says he cannot remember details of his time in the top ranks of the Vienna Spiegelgrund hospital.
He told an Austrian magazine News last week: "I can't remember. There are still images in my head. But no details."
Dr Gross is accused of taking part in the Nazis' euthanasia project designed to kill children who were ruled not "worthy of life" because of mental or physically handicaps or behavioural problems.
He allegedly signed reports on their health in full knowledge that these would be used to determine whether the children lived or died. Dr Gross denies having such knowledge, claiming: "I made diagnoses. But there was never any talk of killing anyone. I carried out psychological tests."
Those who have campaigned for the eminent doctor to stand trial fear that the proceedings will not get past their first day because of his poor memory - or the possible deterioration of his health.
"He's a very sick man," says Dr Gross's lawyer, Mr Nikolaus Lehner. "How can I defend him when he can't remember anything? I've tried to go through the files with him, but this doesn't amount to much."
After the war the head of the Spiegelgrund children's clinic was executed for the part he played in the killings and a colleague of Dr Gross was sentenced to 10 years in prison for what she did.
But Dr Gross got off lightly. In 1951 he was sentenced to two years as an accessory to manslaughter in one case but the Supreme Court annulled the verdict.
Three survivors of the clinic are due to appear as witnesses in the trial.