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Nuremberg Files · 011:52 min

Nuremberg 1945: justice or revenge?

Nuremberg, November 1945. The Nazi leadership stands before an international court. Justice or revenge?

The judges come from the United Kingdom, the United States, France and the Soviet Union. US chief prosecutor Robert H. Jackson says four great nations stay the hand of vengeance. All defence counsel object in a joint motion of 19 November 1945: the penal law was enacted only after the crime, and the judges were appointed only by states of one party to the war.

You hear the original voices from the courtroom, denoised, otherwise unchanged. Every statement is in the transcript, volume and page on screen. What do you think: justice or revenge?

8 documented0 open16 Sources

StatementsSources

Episode 01

Statements

Every on-screen statement of the episode, in order. Red only when the source carries it word for word; open when a check is missing.

  1. 01
    documented

    Nuremberg, November 1945: the Nazi leadership on trial.

    IMT Vol. 2, p. 99IMT Vol. 2, p. 29IMT Vol. 2

    Quote checked verbatim, two AI reviewers: holds
  2. 02
    documented

    Judges from the United Kingdom, the United States, the French Republic and the Soviet Union.

    IMT Vol. 1

    Quote checked verbatim, two AI reviewers: holds
  3. 03
    documented

    The charges include wars of aggression, war crimes, murder and extermination.

    IMT Vol. 2, p. 31IMT Vol. 2, p. 29

    Quote checked verbatim, two AI reviewers: holds
  4. 04
    documented

    Jackson: four great nations stay the hand of vengeance.

    IMT Vol. 2, p. 99IMT Vol. 2, p. 98

    Quote checked verbatim, two AI reviewers: holds
  5. 05
    documented

    Motion of all defence counsel, 19 Nov 1945: a penal law enacted only after the crime.

    IMT Vol. 1, p. 168IMT Vol. 1, p. 169

    Quote checked verbatim, two AI reviewers: holds
  6. 06
    documented

    Defence counsel: the judges were appointed exclusively by states of one party in this war.

    IMT Vol. 1, p. 168IMT Vol. 1, p. 169

    Quote checked verbatim, two AI reviewers: holds
  7. 07
    documented

    All defendants had counsel, mostly of their own choosing.

    IMT Vol. 2, p. 29

    Quote checked verbatim, two AI reviewers: holds
  8. 08
    documented

    Sentences pronounced: 1 October 1946.

    IMT Vol. 22, p. 588IMT Vol. 2

    Quote checked verbatim, two AI reviewers: holds
  9. 09
    question

    Who sat in the dock? Episode 2.

Episode 01

Sources

Trial of the Major War Criminals before the International Military Tribunal (IMT, “Blue Series”), English edition. Page = printed page.

  1. IMT Vol. 2, p. 99

    Document
    IMT Vol. 2 (Eröffnungsrede Jackson, 21.11.1945)
    Volume
    2
    Page
    99 (PDF page 111)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    In the prisoners' dock sit twenty-odd broken men. Reproached by the humiliation of those they have led almost as bitterly as by the desolation of those they have attacked, their personal capacity for evil is forever past. It is hard now to perceive in these men as captives thepower by which as Nazi leaders they once dominated much of the world and terrified most of it.

  2. IMT Vol. 2, p. 29

    Document
    IMT Vol. 2 (transcript 20.11.1945, Eröffnung)
    Volume
    2
    Page
    29 (PDF page 41)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    FIRST DAY Tuesday, 20 November 1945 Morning Session THE PRESIDENT: Before the defendants in this case are called upon to make their pleas

  3. IMT Vol. 2

    Document
    IMT Vol. 2 (title page)
    Volume
    2
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    TRIAL OF THE MAJOR WAR CRIMINALS BEFORE THE INTERNATIONAL MILITARY TRIBUNAL NUREMBERG

  4. IMT Vol. 1

    Document
    IMT Vol. 1 (Mitglieder des Gerichtshofs)
    Volume
    1
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    LORD JUSTICE LAWRENCE, Member for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, President MR. JUSTICE BIRKETT, Alternate Member MR. FRANCIS BIDDLE, Member for the United States of America JUDGE JOHN J. PARKER, Alternate Member M. LE PROFESSEUR DONNEDIEU DE VABRES, Member for the French Republic M. LE CONSEILLER R. FALCO, Alternate Member MAJOR GENERAL I. T. NIKITCHENKO, Member for the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

  5. IMT Vol. 2, p. 31

    Document
    IMT Vol. 2 (Anklageschrift, verlesen 20.11.1945)
    Volume
    2
    Page
    31 (PDF page 43)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    The Common Plan or Conspiracy embraced the commission of Crimes against Peace, in that the defendants planned, prepared, initiated, and waged wars of aggression

  6. IMT Vol. 2, p. 29

    Document
    IMT Vol. 2 (transcript 20.11.1945, Eröffnung)
    Volume
    2
    Page
    29 (PDF page 41)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    in which they are charged with Crimes against Peace, War Crimes, and Crimes against Humanity, and with a Common Plan or Conspiracy to commit those crimes

  7. IMT Vol. 2, p. 31

    Document
    IMT Vol. 2 (Anklageschrift, verlesen 20.11.1945)
    Volume
    2
    Page
    31 (PDF page 43)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    Crimes against Humanity, both within Germany and within occupied territories, including murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, and other inhumane acts

  8. IMT Vol. 2, p. 99

    Document
    IMT Vol. 2
    Volume
    2
    Page
    99 (PDF page 111)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    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 the law is one of the most significant tributes that Power has ever paid to Reason.

  9. IMT Vol. 2, p. 98

    Document
    IMT Vol. 2
    Volume
    2
    Page
    98 (PDF page 110)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    MR. JUSTICE JACKSON: May it please Your Honors: The privilege of opening the first trial in history for crimes against the peace of the world imposes a grave responsibility.

  10. IMT Vol. 1, p. 168

    Document
    IMT Vol. 1 (Antrag aller Verteidiger, 19.11.1945)
    Volume
    1
    Page
    168 (PDF page 184)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    MOTION ADOPTED BY ALL DEFENSE COUNSEL 19 November 1945

  11. IMT Vol. 1, p. 169

    Document
    IMT Vol. 1 (Antrag aller Verteidiger, 19.11.1945)
    Volume
    1
    Page
    169 (PDF page 185)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    it is rather a proceeding pursuant to a new penal law, a penal law enacted only after the crime.

  12. IMT Vol. 1, p. 169

    Document
    IMT Vol. 1 (Antrag aller Verteidiger, 19.11.1945)
    Volume
    1
    Page
    169 (PDF page 185)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    The Judges have been appointed exclusively by States which were the one party in this war.

  13. IMT Vol. 2, p. 29

    Document
    IMT Vol. 2 (transcript 20.11.1945, Eröffnung)
    Volume
    2
    Page
    29 (PDF page 41)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    All the defendants are represented by counsel. In almost all cases the counsel appearing for the defendants have been chosen by the defendants themselves

  14. IMT Vol. 22, p. 588

    Document
    IMT Vol. 22 (transcript 1.10.1946)
    Volume
    22
    Page
    588 (PDF page 598)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    1 Oct. 46

  15. IMT Vol. 22, p. 588

    Document
    IMT Vol. 22 (transcript 1.10.1946)
    Volume
    22
    Page
    588 (PDF page 598)
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    THE PRESIDENT: In accordance with Article 27 of the Charter, the International Military Tribunal will now pronounce the sentences on the defendants convicted on this Indictment

  16. IMT Vol. 2

    Document
    IMT Vol. 2 (title page)
    Volume
    2
    Check
    quote found verbatim on the page

    Wording of the source

    NUREMBERG 14 NOVEMBER 1945 — 1 OCTOBER 1946

Further sources of the episode

audio NARA 238.1B (20 Nov 1945), 238.24B (21 Nov 1945) · IMT Vol. 1, pp. 168 f. (defence motion), members of the Tribunal · Vol. 2, pp. 29 to 31, 99 · Vol. 22, p. 588 · Film NARA 111-ADC-5547, 5562, 5585

How to cite this episode

FUNDSTELLE: „Nuremberg 1945: justice or revenge?“, Nuremberg Files 01. https://fundstelle.online/en/f/01/

Found a mistake? Write to us; every correction is listed with its date on the corrections page. Corrections

Narrator voice partly AI-generated (labelled). Original sound, transcripts and films come from public archives, credited per episode.