80 Years Ago: The 'Major War Criminals' Before the International Military Tribunal - Nuremberg Trials at 80: How Courtroom 600 Redefined International Justice Forever
The Nuremberg Palace of Justice has seen significant changes and historic events. Courtroom 600, originally expanded to accommodate hundreds during the Nuremberg Trials, now stands as a memorial. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the trials, with two documentaries, 'Tracing History: The Nuremberg Trials' and 'Nuremberg '45', broadcasting to commemorate the occasion.
The trials, held from November 20, 1945, to October 1, 1946, were the first of their kind, prosecuting politicians, military leaders, and Nazi Party officials for planning a war of aggression and crimes against humanity. The International Military Tribunal, established by the United States, Britain, France, and the Soviet Union, laid the groundwork for the International Criminal Court founded in The Hague in 2002.
The main trial of the major war criminals involved high-ranking Nazi leaders such as Hermann Göring, Rudolf Hess, Ernst Kaltenbrunner, Alfred Rosenberg, and Julius Streicher. Film footage of the liberation of German concentration camps was shown in Courtroom 600 on November 27, 1945, marking a significant milestone in legal history as the first use of film evidence.
Following the main trial, twelve subsequent trials took place, including proceedings against Nazi jurists and doctors before American military courts. The Nuremberg Trials served as a precedent for international criminal law, ensuring accountability for the most serious crimes. Today, Courtroom 600 stands as a reminder of these historic events and the pursuit of justice.
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