Event Summary Nuremberg Trials

The Nuremberg Trials occurred in 1945 – 1949, during this time men that were

apart of the Nazi were put on trial for the killing of the Jews. Twelve trials were

held, Major war trials were for people like Hitler, Herman Goering, Joseph

Goebbels, and other high-ranking Nazi officials. Justice trials, doctors’ trials,

were also put on these were used for judges and doctors who were apart of the

Nazi Party help or helped the Nazis in anyway. The Nuremberg Trials were held

in Germany it happened here mostly because the Nazi Party originally started

in Germany. The end of World War I led to a group forming called the Nazi

Party. When the German government faced a time after the war when they

couldn’t provide and protect their people like they should have Hitler took

advantage of the fall in government he planned to become a dictator over the

German people but promised to get rid of the democracy, when Hitler was

appointed chancellor he put Jews in Camps then enabled an act stating the that

“Law for terminating the suffering of people and the nation”. All of the laws

against Jews were not enough Hitler had to put the Jews in concentration

camps such as Auschwitz, Buna, and many others that killed Jews in gas

chambers and crematories or starved them to death and worked them to the

breaking point with very little food or water. Six Million Jews dead the end of

World War II lead to the justice of the Jews that had did and reassurance for

those alive. The Nazis would be but on trial for what they had done. The Nazis

that could be captured were put in front of judges and attorneys from all over

the world when it came time for Hitler to be put on trial and executed he shot

himself, Heinrich Himmler, Joseph Goebbels, and Herman Goering had all

committed suicide before being executed. The other Nazis that had not been

put to death were sentenced for 5 – 25 years in prison. The Nuremburg trails

were a way for the Jews to finally have justice and the survivers assurence.

Nurmenberg Trials. Perpetrator

I pased the floor of my tiny prison cell thinking back at all of my memories,

wondering how I ended up in a situation like this I only had one option death, but how I would

die I had a say in that I could either die because of execution or I could commit suicide

like Hitler, Heinrich Himmler, and Joseph Goebbels. I didn’t know what I deserved

more to be killed or kill myself. I thought back to my first day joining the army in 1914

I never had these intentions, I just wanted to be well respected and have great power.

In 1922 I helped create an organization which would later take the lives of millions not

even knowing it to begin with. At the end of my trial I was through in my prison cell. I

had two hours to take it all in I was being executed for crimes against peace, war crimes,

and crimes against humanity. I had all ready smuggled in poison just in case I decide

to commit suicide which I think I might do since Hitler, Heinrich Himmler, and Joseph

Goebbels committed suicide before even being put on trial right when they heard that The

International Military Tribunal was looking for them they fled but they knew that they

couldn’t hide for ever so they killed themselves I being the only Nazi leader left was to

be captured and to be taken in immediately. After I thought about this more I came up

with a theory why should I give everyone the satisfaction of letting them kill me? No,

I will kill myself. I viciously ripped off the cap on the poison bottle and began to let it

enter my body anyway that it could in a few minutes when the guard come to fetch me

there will be nothing for them to take back this was my plan so many wanted me dead

now they will get what they wished for.

Rescuer

We had just taken our seats when we were told to stand for the reading of the

defendants and their accused committed crime. I had not taken pity on any of them,

they had committed serious crimes and should not be taken or treated innocent. Most

of the defendants pleaded “Not guilty” and said that “They were just following orders”

or “They never meant for any of that to happen”. I had created the original charges

against the Nazis, I felt as though they deserved to be put in prison or maybe even

die for their wrongs. I was next to be prosecuting against the Germans in front of the

International Military Tribunal, I stated that “The privilege of opening the first trial in

history for crimes against the peace of the world imposes a grave responsibility. The

wrongs which we seek to condemn and punish have been so calculated, so malignant,

and so devastating, that civilization cannot tolerate their being ignored, because it cannot

survive their being repeated”. This opening statement would make the rest of the court

room agree with me if they didn’t already, I was up at the podium, giving my speech I

paused, and glazed over the crowd to insure attentiveness when I caught a glimpse of the

twenty men who were the accused, they sat there stump and nervous they looked almost

numb, motionless, maybe they were beginning to realize their wrongs, a little to late.

When I was done with my statement I returned to my seat and listened to the rest of the

prosecutors, we all had the general same idea, that the Nazis were guilty. When the end

of the trails were reached we began to exit row by row the defendants were taken away,

and in a couple of months maybe years we would return to our normal lives to remember

these days forever I left with the images of dying Jews in my thoughts, they have finally

gotten justice.

I was awaken with a start from my friend, Aaron lightly touching my

shoulder “Wake up, Mehrlein” he was going around waking people up telling them that

they had to get ready for the big trip in the morning to come, we were going to be

removed from our ghetto and moved to another place none of us could sleep that night

even though we tried to have optimistic conversations in the streets we all knew deep

down in side of us that this was not going to have a good outcome, but what could we do,

we were just Jews, alone, helpless. I was one of ones who were up all night, what would

happen to us we all wanted to have some more information about the situation. When

morning came we were able to take a small bag with a small amount of items but nothing

valuable. We boarded the train cars and were on our way to our unknown destination I

had a really bad feeling about this. One of my newer neighbors asked “How old are

you?” and I lied responded “I am 16 years old” I am only really 14 years old I don’t

know were I am going and don’t know who I should trust. When we arrived a guard

demanded that we got out of the car and who ever didn’t cooperate or tried to run away

would be shot. We were told to form one line but would be sent into two separate lines.

A lot of children were struggling to stay with their families while I wandered alone, I

have no family, and my family had been killed in a fire, so I am homeless and alone.

When my turn came in line I was asked by a guard “Are you healthy?” “Yes” I

responded “Age?” “Um… 16 years old sir.” “Okay, left line” we were walking and I

noticed that the women, old and children were walking towards a large chimney shaped

building with smoke coming out “No” I thought were they really burning women old and

children in these large furnaces other soon came to realize this but know one said a word.

We were led to a large building but it looked more like a prison, we were sent to cells

and told to wait. Why wouldn’t anyone help us?

Nuremberg Trials. Bystander

I was awaken by chilling screams and yells, they seemed to have been coming

from my door step, I recognized the voice it a Jewish neighbor of mine. I have lived in

this neighborhood for all of my life, there had not really been as much tension between

the Germans and Jews growing up as a child but lately my family and I have been woken

up in the middle of the night by screams and riots against the Jews. Widows were getting

broken sidewalks were covered in hateful things this is not the town I had known

growing up as a child but now I was raising a family here with my husband we have four

children, I was only happy that we were not Jewish pure German blood that’s what Hitler

wanted. My neighborhood is a mostly Jewish populated area which I didn’t mind, the

Germans spoke to Germans and Jews to Jews, and this is how it has always been. I don’t

really have anything against the Jews but I wasn’t raised to be friendly with them nor

cruel, they were just there, some thought of Jews as a waste of space. It was my neighbor

knocking on the door my door yelling at me to “please open the door” I had swung it

open, “Hello? Do you know what time it is?” “Hello I was going to ask you if me and my

three boys could stay with you just until the Nazis leave its not safe here right now, last

night someone threw a rock at my five year old sons window” she speaking unclearly she

was in hysterics I could see the tears streaming down her face and her boys looked the

same, one boy I'm guessing the five year old had cuts all over his face, it was probably

caused from the glass of the broken window. I had almost wanted to cry myself but I

knew that I could not allow these people into my home, my family and I could be killed

for protecting a Jew and what if Nazis had asked if I had Jewish residents or if I was I a

Jew couldn’t just lie I had to do the right thing to protect my family. “No sorry I just

can’t” I said sobbing. I wanted to help so bad. I slowly shut the door “Please” she

whispered quit so that the boys would not see her weak. The door was fully shut

now “Please, please” she said louder and louder. I heard her and her boys running away

on the pavement then four loud gunshots fired the running stopped, I just couldn’t bare

open the door to check. I did not see or hear from her again. I climbed back into bed

trying to gather my thoughts I couldn’t believe what I had just done and that I might

regret that decision for the rest of my life if they were killed that night or not.