Politics

Nuremberg trials

The trial of the major German war criminals before the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg (November 1945 to October 1946), judged by the United States, Britain, the Soviet Union and France.

The tribunal was established by the London Agreement of 8 August 1945. The trial ran from 20 November 1945 to 1 October 1946. The charges were conspiracy, crimes against peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Twenty-two defendants were tried, Martin Bormann in absentia: twelve were sentenced to death, seven to prison terms and three acquitted. Ten were hanged on 16 October 1946; Göring had killed himself the day before. The SS, the Gestapo and the SD were among the organisations declared criminal.

After the main trial the Americans held twelve further trials at Nuremberg until 1949, among them those of doctors, industrialists and Einsatzgruppen commanders; in the plural, 'the Nuremberg trials' covers the whole series. The judgments laid the foundations of international criminal law.