Trials open at Nuremberg
The International Military Tribunal for the Prosecution of Major War Criminals of the European Axis begins trying German war criminals at Nuremberg Germany on this day in 1945.Following Germanys defeat in World War II Winston Churchill planned to shoot top German and Nazi military leaders without a trial but Henry Stimson the U.S.Secretary of War pushed President Roosevelt to consider holding an international court trial.
Since the trial did not begin until after the death of President Roosevelt President Harry S.Truman appointed Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson to head the prosecution team.The four countries pressing charges were Great Britain the United States Russia and France.In his thoughtful opening remarks Robert Jackson eloquently summarized the significance of the trial.
That four great nations flushed with victory and stung with injury stay the hand of vengeance and voluntarily submit their captive enemies to the judgment of law said Jackson is one of the significant tributes that power has ever paid to reason.The trials attempted to hold Nazi and German military officials accountable for atrocities including the massacre of 30000 Russians during the German invasion and the massacre ofthousands of others in the Warsaw Ghetto.Twenty-four defendants were tried including Hermann Goering the designated successor to Hitler and Rudolf Hess Hitlers personal secretary.All defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
When one of the defendants demanded that an anti-Semitic lawyer represent him an ex-Nazi was assigned to his defense.Because of the mountains of evidence and the many languages spoken by the defendants and prosecutors the trial was beset with logistical problems.During the proceedings Rudolf Hess feigned amnesia to escape responsibility.Though many expected the most excitement to arise from the cross-examination of Hermann Goering his testimony was a letdown he was even attacked by his fellow defendants for refusing to take responsibility for anything.Nineteendefendants were convicted 12 were sentenced to hang and the rest were sent to prison.
One man escaped the hanging by remaining at large while Goering escaped by committing suicide first.On October 16 1946 10 Nazi officials were hanged.
