EPISODE · Jan 11, 2022 · 20 MIN
Episode 4 - Only Obeying Orders
from Nuremberg: The Trial of the Nazi War Criminals · host BBC Radio 4
The victorious Allies have agreed to put the ‘top-notch Nazis’ on trial. But it turns out the Americans have one concept of a trial and the Russians another entirely. And what precisely will these men be charged with – exactly what is ‘A Crime Against Humanity’?But it isn’t easy to agree a new trial procedure – Russia and France don’t use cross-examination and America is insisting on a charge of Conspiracy, unknown in France. But procedure is nothing compared to the problem of the Four Indictments: they will have to invent new words – ‘Genocide’ enters the language. Starring Forbes Masson as Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe, the Chief British prosecutor and Henry Goodman as Iona Nikitchenko, Chief Soviet Prosecutor.Cast: The Hon. Diana Ravenscourt - KATE PHILLIPS Robert H Jackson - JOSEPH MYDELL Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe - FORBES MASSON Iona Nikitchenko - HENRY GOODMAN General Clay - NATHAN WILEY Vyacheslav Molotov - JASPER BRITTON Henri Gros - JONATHAN CULLEN American Colonel - JOSEPH ALESSI American Major - CLIVE WOOD American Sergeant - ILAN GOODMAN Titles - LEWIS MACLEODSound Designer - ADAM WOODHAMS Studio Manager - MARK SMITH Casting Director - GINNY SCHILLER Original Score - METAPHOR MUSIC Writer and Director - JONATHAN MYERSON Producer - NICHOLAS NEWTONA Promenade Production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds
What this episode covers
The victorious Allies have agreed to put the ‘top-notch Nazis’ on trial. But it turns out the Americans have one concept of a trial and the Russians another entirely. And what precisely will these men be charged with – exactly what is ‘A Crime Against Humanity’?But it isn’t easy to agree a new trial procedure – Russia and France don’t use cross-examination and America is insisting on a charge of Conspiracy, unknown in France. But procedure is nothing compared to the problem of the Four Indictments: they will have to invent new words – ‘Genocide’ enters the language. Starring Forbes Masson as Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe, the Chief British prosecutor and Henry Goodman as Iona Nikitchenko, Chief Soviet Prosecutor.Cast: The Hon. Diana Ravenscourt - KATE PHILLIPS Robert H Jackson - JOSEPH MYDELL Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe - FORBES MASSON Iona Nikitchenko - HENRY GOODMAN General Clay - NATHAN WILEY Vyacheslav Molotov - JASPER BRITTON Henri Gros - JONATHAN CULLEN American Colonel - JOSEPH ALESSI American Major - CLIVE WOOD American Sergeant - ILAN GOODMAN Titles - LEWIS MACLEODSound Designer - ADAM WOODHAMS Studio Manager - MARK SMITH Casting Director - GINNY SCHILLER Original Score - METAPHOR MUSIC Writer and Director - JONATHAN MYERSON Producer - NICHOLAS NEWTONA Promenade Production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds
NOW PLAYING
Episode 4 - Only Obeying Orders
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
Mar 26, 2026 ·1m
Mar 19, 2026 ·34m
Feb 18, 2026 ·11m
Feb 11, 2026 ·45m