The palace of justice in nuremberg. After the 2nd world war, nearly 200. 00 defendants were brought here to be held accountable for 12 years of dictatorship, military aggression, tara, and mass murder. At the heart of proceedings was the International Military tribunals, which tried to kill war criminals from germany. The 4 victorious powers responded to the nazis once in a millennium crimes. With a once in a millennium trial, on nov 20th, 194520 high ranking nazi leaders were brought by elevator to the court in room 600. The form a wry smile shall hammon good ring willingly took on the role of most senior nazi. He was followed by grand admiral col du needs whom hitler had appointed as president of the rice in his will. And rudolf hess, hitlers former deputy. The defendants never showed the slightest remorse. It was part of their goals prior to insist that they were right all the time and would do it again. They stood accused of conspiracy to carrying out wars of aggression, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The defendants were ruthless ministers, and fanatical ideologues, merciless military commanders and barbaric in forces of hitlers maniacal will have was the nuremberg palace of justice was a quipped with what was then state of beyond technology. On nov, 29th, 1945, the prosecution had a giant screen in stoled. The court was shown document 243, o. P. S, an authenticated one hour film about the atrocities in nazi concentration camps. The film showed that a system of terror had been instituted across europe. It all began in 1933. In a camp north of munich, this footage was taken after the camp was liberated. From that car factory of our act, our new invention. One of the articles are not if they havent got it now and after 941, can i write it all right after any of our been able to rant at one time and counting, present time, there are carrying my back and reading are Strong Enough to travel more profit back after an outlying crime. But right back in by the allied at back there are a lot on iraq. As soon as they saw all the pictures they filmed of the concentration camps, again, no weather them to him. As a matter of fact, several of them cried. They were crying. I dont think for the jewish people who are lost, theyre crying because they knew that the and what those pictures were seen in the world. They had no way to escape because fusion, a british camera crew shown these scenes in a liberated camp near the town of sela when i was nagging doubt that the accused previously so selfassured was shaken by the images. Some briefed heavily, others lowered, their heads minister of economics of utter fool, cried yulia strike here, claims not to believe what he saw. Even hammon goerings nonchalance seemed to vanish. It was such a pleasant afternoon. He said, until that film was shown. Our infrastructure, and these were scenes where you could see indescribable things happening. And of course you had to ask yourself, what was it possible that the senior figures didnt know about . It was just but sinister was i turned around and asked, getting done it. And it has really did no one know what hes getting remarked well, you know how it is at the top. You dont hear about muscle as you just never does as if it numbers on israel. The next morning, the prosecution called its 1st witness general evin law hosen. It was hoped, his evidence would help prove the defendants individual guilt. The former department, head under espionage and sabotage chief vilhelm canaris, told how the Resistance Movement tried in vain to hamper hitlers war plans. Above all, last hosen incriminated going title and yodel. Not only had they planned the murder of polish elites and the jewish population, they had also knowingly accepted the deaths of millions of soviet prisoners of war during the russian campaign. And enraged grr in cold glass, who was in the traitor, lamenting that he had escaped notice in the aftermath of a failed plot to assassinate hitler. No wonder we lost the war going said our own Intelligence Service was betrayed to the enemy. The title and the courtroom. Yes. Next topic. Now to the best of your knowledge and recollection. Please explain and as much detail as possible to the tribe you know exactly what was said and what took place at this conference and hear it train. Hosen recalled a conversation during the september 19th 39. 00, Poland Campaign in which the destruction of warsaw was discussed. Hitler and personally decided to have the capital bombed. Hosen also said that kind all and yodel, had approved of the murder of prisoners of war in the campaign against the soviet union. You know, the execution. I didnt read the order itself, according to discussions in our circle at the time the idea. But i cant say who was involved in transforming that idea into an order. If you have come with me, american judge Francis Biddle followed up. I should like to ask what this honest to kill the russians. And connection with equipment of the prisoners were in writing. And monica is not the best of my knowledge. Yes, i have not seen or read it myself. Believe to where they are special order of god, the son of the killer. Yes. These were official orders, of course, the actual meaning was paraphrased almost word. In the afternoon, the case of rudolf hess was discussed. His lawyer had filed a motion to declare the defendant unfit to stand trial, has seemed unable to follow the proceedings hed been diagnosed with amnesia. The prosecutors argued against that their psychiatric experts did not consider him mentally ill. Faced with the threat of exclusion from further proceedings has surprisingly took the stand himself im sure its a boy. If youre in order to avoid being declared into passage, he says, despite my wish to participate in the trial in an enchanted scene with a verdict together with my comrades, i make the following statement to the court when i allegedly intended to meet it at a later stage of the trial verdict, we were going to end it on 3 and i was on my memory will also be available to the im so i world also didnt get up to the people. The reasons for feeling memory loss were tactical. In fact, one that only my concentration is somewhat impaired shot topic yesterday degree humanity big cat, give it another of the defendants had been previously unable to stand trial. Prosecutors believed that in answer to cult and bruna, they had found a fully fledged replacement for s. S. Leader heinrich himmler. They accused the 42 year old lawyer of involvement in the genocide of millions. On december 10th, 1945, he entered the court for the 1st time. American court psychologist Gustaf Gilbert would later recall, a coldness whipped the prisoners dog as if a freezing glassed had come in through the open door cult and burn. His codefendants received him coldly and trying to ignore him pretty much now either guilty or not guilty. I believe im not guilty cult and bruna denied the charges, claiming he was a scapegoat for the crimes of others. Him and gurning was annoyed by the attention the newcomer was getting from the press. He suspected cult and his appearance meant the unpleasant topic of the murdering of jews would come to dominate proceedings. Court psychologist Gustaf Gilbert was able to eavesdrop on the defendants conversations, especially during breaks. He also had unhindered access to the cells. Gilberts diary published in 1947 still shapes how the nuremberg trials the scene today. On january 3rd, 946 gilbert describes the 26th day of the trial in room 600. He wrote the effect on the defendants was generally depressing as the eunice capable reality and shame of mass murder was driven home by the unquestionable reliability of a german official who admitted participating in it. After all, in all. And i was the one that this covered out all aboard and i said, all rough weather to do during the war. He said, well, during the war i was the head of the r. S. Ha. Except for the year 940 watt, i said what do you do that youre a share while i was ahead of line to screw up your day. So i asked all for it all and our harmony men, women, and children, did you kill that . You responded 90000 group killed 90000, other witnesses. We were able to there were 4 of these tours with a mission of another, and one person gypsies show on killing them in the open field just murdering them with striking evidence. And just lawyers luck the game a s. S. Brigade leader patiently explained the murderous actions of the death squads to the court. He gave detailed answers to questions about the involvement of cults and bruna, gestapo, chief, and holocaust organizer, adult men that he was head of the Security Police and the s. D. Intelligence agency. As such. He was also head of the right security main office, held that position iseman worked on the jewish problems in office for under him and gehring deliberately tried to ignore such statements. What does the p. D. Expect to gain from this . He said about ohlendorf testimony. Hes going to hang anyway. The same day, s. S. Functionary. D to visit saini, an assistant to adult iseman, also testified on the genocide of the jews. Among other things. He was questioned about the deportation of 450000, hungary and jews. He carried out the jews to work on you are already preparing their backs. My daughter to grow nicely about 400, soon as they were all taken to auschwitz and brought to the final solution. Did you mean they were, you know . Yeah, i was not. Yes. Except about 25 to 30 percent and who were put to work, but have been ignored. Grainne responded angrily. It makes me sick, he said, when i see germans selling their souls to the enemy. Day after day, the prosecutors of the 4 victorious powers presented their incriminating evidence that it is. But for the 1st time the world saw film footage from auschwitz presented as evidence by soviet prosecutors. But out of the pictures were taken when the red army reached the extermination camp. In late january 945, who, due to its official, the fleeing germans, had forced most of the surviving prisoners on death marches to the west. With those left in the camp where the sick and those physically unable to manage it, she is young, pretty good. And so is its unit beauty. City just puts you on the list, the words in the city. This time, not all the accused seemed affected by the film and during pretended to read, yawned, and now and then made sarcastic remarks to hess and ribbentrop to him. It was all just soviet propaganda. The last one was out, ill be like the owners that i saved our heads. Tatted the entry number on our left for hours. Then we were taken to a large trees out to have, a steam bath and an ice cold shower. It was all done in front of s. S. , men, women, and even there we had to strip naked if im sure i think theres any of that was how one witness described the arrival procedures that auschwitz maariv a young cooter. E. A. A. Was a communist resistance fighter from france. On january 28th, 1946, she gave a detailed account of the daily horrors in the concentration camp. Separation based on fitness for work, forced labor and the gas chambers. When the judge called for the defense to question the witness, the only response was shamefaced silence. There in the courtroom at nuremberg, the holocaust had become an undeniable fact into which the spirit are faced with harrowing testimony like that. The defendants united front began to waver during a lunch break. During its declared at 1st i was angry about being dragged into court because i knew nothing of these atrocities. Now im satisfied because there was good reason to get to the bottom of things you know, in march, 946, after 76 days of hearings, the prosecution concluded the evidentiary proceedings. For weeks, the Defense Attorneys had followed the prosecutions arguments occasionally making comments or crossexamining witnesses. Now it was their clients turn to either confess or to refute the evidence. In room 57 of the palace of justice, lawyers for the defense had the opportunity to talk to their clients. One in particular had been waiting for months for his moment in the spotlight. On march 13th, 1946 hammond during presented his version of the story, showing no remorse on the witness stand. He used the trial to convey his personal mythology to the german people. The rights marshall had overcome his drug addiction and lost a lot of weight. If theyre needed, i mean, i look personally to speak for myself. I have done everything in my personal power to strengthen and expand the National Socialist movement. No matter the circumstances i have worked and then see seemly to bring to it. And its a loon. Jackson is not very worried about carrying his burden of proof on the crimes charge. He doesnt need confessions from her. They have an extensive documentary record, including many things growing had signed the jacksons, very concerned about not letting gurrey turn this examination into a platform from which shell be able to rally the german people to a renewed enthusiasm for nazi is a robot. Jackson was an accomplished prosecutor. He knew exactly how to reduce the mass of evidence down to the essentials house, a separate important facts from an important ones in order to establish the crucial point. After 3 days of unrestrained self promotion from gurning, the american lead prosecutor began hes awaited crossexamination of manhood. Jackson was determined not to give gurning any more opportunity for grandstanding that you set up in germany and concentration camps. Was one of the things you found immediately necessary on coming to parlors and you set them up as a matter of necessity. You saw it on the translations. It was a bit too quick for me. But i still think i understood the meaning of the statement. Youre asking me whether im to consider it necessary to immediately censor to eliminate the opposition or dark. That is correct. Especially as jackson pressed him hearing saw what was going on and he became very wordy in the face. And his answers were along explanation, and he would say, well, you do the same thing in the United States in great britain. And so for theres no difference. And so are all of these things were necessary things as i understood you to protect the editing of venues . Yes, these things became necessary because of the existing opposition. When we got caring into the matter of the specific crimes that he committed, searches, persecution of the jews. Well then he collapsed. Then he fell and he was because we had him so, so devastated on the jewish issue that he in the interests of jackson had achieved his goal during didnt step off the stage. Is the new furor. Instead, hes own words had condemned him. Regarding the crossexamination during said, i had the best lawyers against me. Just on march 28th 146, it was hitlers Foreign Ministers turn. Your phone ribbentrop was despised by his codefendants as a pathetic weakling. The prosecution primarily charged him with war crimes and ordering deportations. Rybin trumps main defense was that he always unconditionally placed his own opinions below those of adult hitler. To prove his innocence, ribbentrop sent his secretary margaret a blank to the witness stand. But on the field. With the evil i have, the fear is trust was the greatest satisfaction for him. And his greatest goal was to justify that trust through his attitude. He was completely devoted to that goal. No effort was too great for him to achieve it. He was ruthlessly and unsparingly hard on himself when it came to carrying out the tasks the futurist sets him up to his subordinates. He spoke about at all fit with the greatest veneration than on what was in the dock. There was unanimous agreement that the Foreign Ministers fate was sealed, said simply, ribbentrop is finished. They got here today, but they can get that beat up. Wont get ever get down to the bottom, but theyll be kept down. But in the context of the Foreign Ministers questioning rudolf hess is defense counsel. Trying to introduce the secret german soviet nonaggression pact. The invasion of poland was part of the trial and introducing the pact would show that military aggression against poland had, in fact, been jointly planned by germany and the soviet union. The soviet delegation tried everything to prevent the embarrassing document from being read out. But in the end, zydeco had his way. Vilhelm keitel stood before the tribunals, the highest ranking officer of the van marked unsurprisingly, he was of the opinion that he shouldnt be called to account. Nevertheless, michael didnt hide behind the defense, that he was just following orders. Although he said he had protested against unlawful orders, he would now bear responsibility for carrying them out. By god, i was a soldier that i was not a growth because of my aptitude for it. And my belief in it either, i believe, gave him, let me explain, very slim. Both nonspecialists and professional officers found hitlers studying of staff reports, military literature, and tactical operational and strategic studies. Incredible to behold, your corrupt. He possessed a military knowledge that can only be described as astonishing what i just dont get. The general found great that i already told the court, he had no authority, said goering mockingly. Of keitel statement. I guess he had to say it himself to the poor devil really had nothing to say. Many people simply dont belong here. Bruno wouldnt be here if in low way he carried out, was ordered by the actually curating a man are presented with his signature on countless documents and helton burner. Either trying to play down the fact or he denied their authenticity. Hes stubborn denials, true admiration from some one defender called him the man without a signature film shown by american cameramen during the liberation of the mauthausen concentration. Camp near linz, was still fresh in the memory of those in the courtroom. The prosecution accused, among other things of having taken part in executions. During his visits there ordered the construction of the gas chambers and in 1945, forwarded him order to eliminate the surviving prisoners. To make a profit, they have to feed us to me who gave the order to kill the prisoners at the end of the war amounts housing, given how i reply that i dont know of any such order like if it is finished, because if you have it i dont think i gave one single order to mauthausen. You know, how that the entire camp and all prisoners were to be handed over to the end. I mean without any maltreatment, only you to mishandle them. And it to you leo strike had been editor of the n. T. Semitic hate magazine dish duma. He stood accused of inciting the murder of jews. Strong. His defense was that as a newspaper man, he had nothing to do with murders for he in the trial was an outrageous injustice. And if a patron here complained in the courtroom that the prosecution had refused him an anti semitic defense counsel, the shambolic did make him good if thats because i wish to make the following