Nuremberg Trials Begin

Setting the scene

After World War II, the Allies faced the question of how to prosecute Nazi leaders for unprecedented crimes. The traditional approach—summary execution—was rejected in favor of a trial to establish a historical record and create international law. The London Charter of August 8, 1945, established the International Military Tribunal, defining three new crimes: crimes against peace (waging aggressive war), war crimes (violating laws of war), and crimes against humanity (systematic murder and persecution of civilians). The trials would be held in Nuremberg, Germany, the symbolic birthplace of Nazism.

What happened

The trial of 24 major Nazi leaders began on November 20, 1945, in the Palace of Justice in Nuremberg. The prosecution, led by American Robert Jackson, British Hartley Shawcross, French François de Menthon, and Soviet Roman Rudenko, presented overwhelming evidence—Nazi documents, films of concentration camps, and witness testimony. The defendants included Hermann Göring (Hitler's deputy), Rudolf Hess, Joachim von Ribbentrop (foreign minister), and other top officials. The trial lasted 11 months, with 403 open sessions. Twelve defendants were sentenced to death (including Göring, who committed suicide the night before execution), three to life imprisonment, and four to prison terms. Three were acquitted.

Why it still matters

The Nuremberg Trials established the principle that individuals, including heads of state, are accountable under international law and cannot claim 'just following orders' as a defense. They created the legal foundations for genocide, crimes against humanity, and the modern human rights framework. The trials documented the Holocaust and Nazi crimes for history, providing irrefutable evidence. Though criticized as 'victor's justice,' Nuremberg laid the groundwork for the International Criminal Court (established 2002) and subsequent war crimes tribunals for Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and others. The Nuremberg Principles, adopted by the UN in 1950, remain the basis of international criminal law.

Background

The proceedings shaped modern international criminal law.