Nurnberg

The International Military Tribunal (IMT) held after World War II, also known as the Nuremberg Trials, is one of the most famous war crimes trials in history. It was formally opened on November 20, 1945, in Nuremberg, Germany, just six and a half months after Germany surrendered. This was the first international trial of its kind, where leading German officials were tried for crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other atrocities committed during the war.

The trial drew a massive audience from around the world, including journalists, lawyers, translators, witnesses, and many participants and employees of the process. The event was later dubbed as the “Trial of the Century” due to its historical significance, international coverage, and the magnitude of the atrocities committed by the Nazis during the war.

The IMT was established by the four major Allied nations, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union, to hold accountable those responsible for the atrocities committed during World War II. The tribunal consisted of judges from each of these four nations, and they charged 22 leading Nazi officials with crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

The trial lasted almost a year, from November 1945 to October 1946, during which time the tribunal heard testimony from more than 100 witnesses and reviewed over 1 million documents. The trial was held in the Palace of Justice, a courthouse that had been largely undamaged during the war, and was located in the heart of Nuremberg.

The trial was significant for several reasons. It established the concept of individual criminal responsibility, where individuals can be held accountable for their actions, even if they were acting on behalf of a government or a higher authority. The tribunal also established the principle that “crimes against humanity” are not limited to acts committed during war, but can also be committed during peacetime.

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