1. “But, I was just following orders…”
The Nuremberg Trials
“But, I was just following orders…”

2. “I was just following orders…”
The Nuremberg Trials were military tribunals (court cases), held by the Allied forces of WWII, for the prosecution of members of the political, military, and economic leadership of Nazi Germany.
“We must establish incredible events by credible evidence.” —U.S. Chief Prosecutor Robert Jackson
Accusation:
Crimes Against Humanity
War Crimes (War Atrocities)

3. “I was just following orders…”
The Crime
World War II
6 million+ dead Jewish Europeans + thousands of homosexuals, Gypsies, political enemies
Stalin said: “One death is a tragedy. A million deaths is a statistic.”
Poland: 3 million killed (91%)
Romania: 290,000 killed (84%)
France: 290,000 killed (22%)
TOTAL:
66% of Jewish population in Europe was exterminated.
+ gypsies, homosexuals, Communists, enemies, other…

4. “I was just following orders…”
The Accusation:
(summarized here)
Crimes Against Humanity
War Crimes (War Atrocities)

5. “I was just following orders…”
The Charges:
(summarized here)
War Crimes (War Atrocities) [treatment of POWs, use of slave labor, targeting civilians, use of illegal weaponry]
Crimes Against Humanity [genocide, death camps, murder of civilians]

6. Wilhelm Frick Minister of Interior
(in charge of Germany’s internal operations/infrastructure)
Controller of the concentration camps
Helped write the Nuremberg Laws
Helped plan and organize logistics for war in Europe
Attempted to become police commander, but failed
Was largely a ceremonial officer with no real power

7. Hermann Goring (Goering)
Hitler’s Second in Command
Commander of the Luftwaffe
Highest ranking official on trial
Ordered lieutenants to carry out the “Final Solution”
Claimed not to be anti-Semitic

8. Rudolf Hess Personal Aide to Hitler/Party Leader
Prominent in Nazi Party during rise of Hitler
Helped write and carry out Nuremberg Laws
Represented Nazi Germany to foreign leaders
Very educated
In 1941, Hess flew to Scotland hoping to make peace between Germany and Britain- was arrested then (not after the war)
Seen as unstable during the trial, often laughing for no reason or counting on his fingers randomly

9. Hans Fritzsche Propaganda Official
(Head of the radio division of the German propaganda ministry)
propaganda ministry official who had not held a policy-making position
Was an on-air personality for news in Nazi Germany
Was head of German radio prior to Hitler’s rise

10. Baldur von Schirach Head of Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth/“Boy Scouts”)
Joined military cadet troops as ten year old
Moved up the Nazi ranks through fascist years
Helped deport Jews from Vienna
Reports that he also helped Jewish children escape occasionally