Nuremberg Trials

Even before the war ended, in August of 1944, the plan to deal with war criminals was submitted to President Roosevelt by Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau. After Hitler committed suicide (April 30, 1945) and subsequent surrender of (May 6, 1945), the
London
agreement (August 8, 1945) was signed by the Allies, paving way for the prosecution of war criminals. On November 20, 1945 trial for major war criminals began at
Nuremberg,
. The trials lasted for four years, in four different parts. April 13, 1949 the trials finally ended, although the appeals continued till January of 1951.

Charter of the International Military Tribunal was signed on August 8, 1945. The signatories were: Government of the , the Provisional Government of the

French
Republic

, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Government of the . The Tribunal was established to punish the war criminals among the European nations only. There were four members, each had an alternative. Each of the four signatories selected one member and their alternative.

The crimes that were investigated were: crimes against peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The defendants were:

• Doenitz, Karl: He was chosen by Hitler to succeed him as fuhrer. Negotiated ‘s surrender following Hitler’s suicide. Indicted on three counts, (1) Conspiracy to commit Crimes against peace, War crimes, and Crimes against humanity, (2) Planning, initiating and waging wars of aggression, and (3) crimes against the laws of war. Found guilty on count two and three, Doenitz Served 10-year-sentence. After his release he moved to a village in
  Hamburg
  and wrote two autobiographies. He died in 1981.

• Frank, Hans: Governor-general of Nazi-occupied also called the “Jew butcher of
  Cracow
  .” Responsible for killing thousands of Poles, he was captured by the American troops on May 4, 1945 near
  Berchtesgaden
  . Hans was hanged in
  Nuremberg
  on Oct. 16, 1946

• Frick, Wilhelm: Minister of the Interior of then German government. Frick was hanged on Oct. 16, 1946. A lawyer, Wilhelm was he was instrumental in extending the Nazi power base, banning trade unionism and freedom of the press, and encouraging anti-Semitism.

• Fritzsche, Hans : Head of the Radio Division, in Goebbel’s Propaganda Ministry. He was acquitted by the Tribunal. But later a German tried and convicted him. Freed in 1950, he died in 1953

• Funk, Walther : Minister of Economics. Convicted on counts two, three and four of the indictment, he was sentenced to life by the tribunal. But Walther was released in 1957 due to poor health. He died two years later.

• Goering, Hermann :Reichsmarschall and Air Force Chief; President of Reichstag(German Parliament); Director of “Four Year Plan”. Goering committed suicide the he was to be hanged. Part of Hitler’s inner circle,

• Hess, Rudolf: Deputy to Hitler. Sentenced to life, he died in 1987 at the age of 93.

• Jodl, Alfred : Chief of Operations for the German High Command. He was hanged in Nurenmebrg on October 16, 1946. He signed ‘s surrender on May 7,1945. Jodl was found guilty in all four counts but a German arbitration board posthumously acquitted Jodl of all charges in 1953.

• Kaltenbrunner, Ernst: Chief of Security Police. Kaltenbrunner was hanged on Oct. 16, 1946 in
  Nuremberg
  . He was responsible for killing of millions Jews in camps, just before there were to be liberated by the Allied forces.

• Keitel, Wilhelm: Chief of Staff of the German High Command. He was hanged in October 16, 1946. He was instrumental in the deportation of millions of Jews, as well as Catholic and Protestant dissidents, communists, and gypsies to their deaths in concentration camps

• Neurath, Konstantin von :Minister of Foreign Affairs (until 1938), then Reich Protector for Bohemia and Moravia.He was sentenced to 15 years in prison but later released due to poor health.

• Papen, Franz von : Reich Chancellor before Hitler, Vice Chancellor under Hitler, Ambassador to . Papen was acquitted.

• Raeder, Erich :Commander in Chief of the German Navy.He was sentenced to life in prison but was released nine years later.

• Ribbentrop, Joachim von :Foreign Minister. He was hanged on October 16,1946.

• Rosenberg, Alfred : Chief Nazi Philosopher and Reichminister for the Eastern Occupied Territories. He was hanged on October 16,1946.

• Sauckel, Fritz : Chief of Slave Labor Recruitment. He was hanged on October 16,1946.

• Schacht, Hjalmar :Reichsbank President and Minister of Economics before the War. Although he was found not guilty by the Tribunal, a German court found him guilty and sentenced to 8 years in prison. He was freed in 1950 and dies in 1970.

• Schirach, Baldur von :Hitler’s Youth Leader. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison and released in 1966.

• Seyss-Inquart, Arthur: Austrian Chancellor, then Reich Commissioner for the . He was hanged on October 16, 1946.

• Speer, Albert :Reichminister of Armaments and Munitions.He served a 20 year sentence.

• Streicher, Julius: Anti-Semitic Editor of Der Sturmer. He was hanged on October 16.1946.

Sources:

• Karl DÃ?¶nitz. (2006, June 26). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21:16, June 26, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Karl_D%C3%B6nitz&oldid=60651993.
• http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/nuremberg/meetthedefendants.html
• http://www.bigpedia.com/encyclopedia/Hans_Frank
• http://appbio.net/biographies/Kaltenbrunner-%20Ernst-42AD.html