Nazi war criminals executed
At Nuremberg Germany 10 high-ranking Nazi officials are executed by hanging for their crimes against humanity crimes against peace and war crimes during World War II.Two weeks earlier the 10 were found guilty by the International War Crimes Tribunal and sentenced to death along with two other Nazi officials.Among those condemned to die by hanging were Joachim von Ribbentrop Nazi minister of foreign affairs Hermann Goering founder of the Gestapo and chief of the German air force and Wilhelm Frick minister of the interior.Seven others including Rudolf Hess Adolf Hitlers former deputy were given prison sentences ranging from 10 years to life.
Three others were acquitted.The trial which had lasted nearly 10 months was conducted by an international tribunal made up of representatives from the United States the USSR France and Great Britain.It was the first trial of its kind in history and the defendants faced charges ranging from crimes against peace to crimes of war and crimes against humanity.On October 16 10 of the architects of Nazi policy were hanged one by one.
Hermann Goering who at sentencing was called the leading war aggressor and creator of the oppressive program against the Jews committed suicide by poison on the eve of his scheduled execution.Nazi Party leader Martin Bormann was condemned to death in absentia he is now known to have died in Berlin at the end of the war.
