Q: A recent AJC included an article about the controversy surrounding a Portland, Ore., man’s placement of plaques, honoring five Nazi-era German soldiers, in a local park. Who were the five soldiers and why were they honored?
—Bob Sullivan, Canton
A: Mark Kruger, a captain with the Portland Police Bureau, placed the plaques on a tree in Portland's Rocky Butte Park in 1999, when he was an officer with the department. He was off duty when he put up plastic plaques honoring Harald von Hirschfeld, Erich Barenfanger, Wolfgang Luth, Walter Nowotny and Michael Wittmann for their military records.
All were decorated German officers who either died or committed suicide during World War II, but Kruger wrote in a 2010 apology letter that he had no admiration for the Nazis, according to the Oregonian newspaper in Portland. Kruger removed the plaques a few years later and his superiors have said he is a history buff, collects military memorabilia and is a World War II re-enactor.
He was suspended in 2010 for putting up the plaques, but last month the city agreed to pay him $5,000 for the 80-hour suspension and removed two disciplinary letters from his file.
Q: We have heard that Emory University Hospital is one of four facilities that have the highest level of isolation units for the most dangerous pathogens. What are the other three facilities?
—Susie Williams, Norcross
A: The National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Mont., and the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha are the other three facilities with high-level biocontainment patient care units.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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