Germany has reopened an inquiry into a massacre by SS soldiers in a village in France.
The troops killed 642 civilians in Oradour-sur-Glane, a village in occupied France, in June 1944.
60 soldiers stood trial in the 1950s, but all of the 20 convicted were later released.
Stasi files have now shown that around 6 former soldiers, who were aged 18 or 19 at the time, are still alive. Germany has sent investigators to the village to take witness testimonies.
Most victims of the massacre were women and children, who were herded into a church. Hand grenades were thrown into the building and it was then set alight. Men were locked into a barn, before their legs were shot with machine guns. They were then doused in petrol was and set on fire.
A survivor told the BBC that the inquiry should have happened earlier.
"Lots of the people concerned are now old men like me, who may well have lost their memories. Nonetheless, it is good that Germany is taking responsibility for Oradour and remain concerned by it." said Robert Hebras.
