An Introduction to The Nuremberg Trials

In November 1945 the victors of World War 2 commenced the historic "Nuremberg Trials" - in which a number of defendants including high ranking Nazi officials like Hermann Goering (commander of the German air force or "luftwaffe") and Rudolph Hess (the deputy fuhrer) were tried for crimes against the peace, crimes against humanity and war crimes. In 1948, the U.S. conducted a second set of trials ("the subsequent Nuremberg trials") in which judges, doctors and businessmen were tried. In this show, we will focus on the trial of the judges - the "Alstotter trial" or "Justice" case - on which the award winning film "Judgement at Nuremberg" is based. By focusing on the Justice case, our aim is to have the listener appreciate the philosophical, moral and legal significance of the Nuremberg trials.