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The Nazi Defendants in the Major War Criminal Trial in Nuremberg
DOENITZ
JODL
ROSENBERG
IMAGE
(click on image
DEFENDANT
to see larger
Doenitz, Karl
German admiral who
would eventually
command entire navy.
Chosen by Hitler to
succeed him as fuhrer.
Negotiated surrender
following Hitler's
suicide.
Frank, Hans
Governor-general of
Nazi-occupied Poland,
called the "Jew
butcher of Cracow."
Frick, Wilhelm
Minister of the Interior
2 din 8
Defendants in the Major War Figures Trial
FRANK FRICK FRITZSCHE
KALTENBRUNNER KEITEL NEURATH
SAUCKEL SCHACHT SCHIRACH
IN THE
I.Q. DEFENDANT'S
photo) WORDS
"Politicians brought the Nazis
to power and started the war.
They are the ones who brought
138 about these disgusting crimes,
and now we have to sit there in
the dock with them and share
the blame!" (5/27/46)
"Don't let anybody tell you that
they had no idea. Everybody
sensed there was something
horribly wrong with the
system." (11/29/45) "Hitler has
130 disgraced Germany for all
time! He betrayed and
disgraced the people that loved
him!...I will be the first to
admit my guilt." (4/17/46)
"Hitler didn't want to do things
my way. I wanted things done
legally. After all, I am a
lawyer." (4/24/46).... "The
124 mass murders were certainly
not thought of as a consequence
of the Nuremberg Laws,
[though] it may have turned out
that way."
FUNK
PAPEN
SEYSS-INQUART
PROSECUTION
POINTS
On 9/17/42 Doenitz issued
the "Laconia Order" to the
German submarine fleet. The
order forbid rescuing enemy
survivors of sunken ships:
"Be hard. Remember, the
enemy has no regard for
women and children when he
bombs German cities."
"The Jews must be
eliminated. Whenever we
catch one, it is his
end"...."This territory
[Poland] is in its entirety the
booty of the German
Reich"...."I have not been
hesitant in declaring that
when a German is shot, up to
100 Poles shall be shot
too."--from the diary of Hans
Frank.
Frick drafted, signed, and
administered laws that
abolished opposition parties,
and suppressed trade unions
and Jews (including the
infamous Nuremberg Laws).
Frick knew that the insane,
aged, and disabled ("useless
eaters") were being
systematically killed, but did
nothing to stop it.
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GOERING HESS
RAEDER RIBBENTROP
SPEER STREICHER
NOTES IN THE END
Called by Hitler "the Rommel of
the Seas"....Said "I would rather
eat dirt than have my grandson Served 10-year-
grow up in the Jewish spirit and sentence. Died in
faith"...Went on radio after
assassination attempt on Hitler to 1981.
call it "a cowardly attempt at
murder."
In April of 1930, Hitler asked
Frank to secretly investigate a Hanged--wearing a
rumor that he had Jewish blood. beatificsmile--in
Frank reported back that there was Nuremberg on Oct. 16,
a 50-50 chance that Hitler was 1946
one-quarter Jewish.
Frick was one of
eleven defendants
sentenced to death. He
Frick claimed not to be an
said, "Hanging--I
anit-Semite. He said he drafted the
Nuremberg Laws for "scientific
didn't expect anything
different....Well, I
reasons": to protect the purity of
hope they get it over
German blood.
with fast." (10/1/46)
Frick was hanged on
Oct. 16, 1946.
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The Nazi Defendants in the Major War Criminal Trial in Nuremberg
"I have been tricked and
trapped by the Himmler murder
machine, even when I tried to
Fritzsche, Hans put a check on it...Let us
Head of the Radio explain our position to the
Division, one of world, so that at least we won't
130 die under this awful burden of
twelve departments in
Goebbel's Propoganda shame." (11/21/45) "I have the
Ministry feeling I am drowning in
filth....I am choking in
it."--(2/21/46, after watching
film of atrocities).
"I signed the laws for the
aryanization of Jewish
property. Whether that makes
me legally guilty or not, is
another matter. But it makes me
Funk, Walther morally guilty, there is no
124 doubt about that. I should have
Minister of Economics
listened to my wife at the end.
She said we'd be better off
dropping the whole minister
business and moving into a
three-bedroom flat." (7/8/46)
"I joined the Party precisely
because it was revolutionary,
not because of the ideological
stuff." (12/11/45)...."The
whole conspiracy idea is
cockeyed. We had orders to
Goering, obey the head of state. We
Hermann
weren't a band of criminals
Reichsmarschall and
meeting in the woods in the
Luftwaffe (Air Force) 138 dead of night to plan mass
Chief; President of
murders...The four real
Reichstag; Director of
conspirators are missing: The
"Four Year Plan"
Fuhrer, Himmler, Bormann,
and Goebbels."
(1/5/46)..."This is a political
trial by the victors and it will
be a good thing when Germany
realizes that..." (6/13/46)
3 din 8
Fritzsche was one of two
Fritzsche's radio broadcasts
defendants turned over to the IMT even to be sent back to
(he was a popular
commentator) included strong
by Russians.... Fritzsche often
appeared on the verge of a
Nazi propoganda.
breakdown during the trial.
Funk agreed with Himmler to
receive gold from the SS
(including gold teeth and
rings taken from those killed
in concentration camps) and
deposit in the Reichsbank.
Funk told subordinates not to
ask questions about the
shipments. He either knew
or should have known the
source of the gold received.
As Director of the Four Year
Plan, Goering bore
responsibility for the
elimination of Jews from
political life and for the
destruction and takeover of
Jewish businesses and
property....He was quoted as
saying, "I wish you had killed
200 Jews and not destroyed
such valuable property"...He
looted art treasures from
occupied territories and
arranged for use of slave
labor....
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/nuremberg/meetthedefendants.html
Fritzsche was
acquitted by the IMT.
He said, "I am entirely
overwhelmed--to be
set free right here, not
Russia. That was
more than I hoped
for." He was later
tried and convicted by
a German court, then
freed in 1950. He died
in 1953.
Funk said, "The only accusation I
can make to myself is...that I Funk was sentenced to
should have resigned in 1938 when life imprisonment by
I saw how they robbed and the IMT. He was
smashed Jewish property." (12/15 released in 1957
/45)....Funk was often seen crying because of poor
during the presentation of health. He died in
prosecution evidence and needed 1959.
sleeping pills at night.
Goering surrendered to American
officers. The officers offered
Goering drinks and sang songs Goering committed
with him, but the next day were suicide on the day
reprimanded by an outraged before his scheduled
Dwight Eisenhower...Goering was hanging by taking a
the most popular prisoner with the cyanide pill that was
American guards because he smuggled into his
seemed to take an interest in their cell. Goering wrote in
lives....He seemed to wield a great his suicide note, "I
deal of influence with the other would have no
defendants, and prison objection to getting
administrators sought to isolate shot," but he thought
him as much as possible....Goering hanging was
said, "We don't have much to say inappropriate for a
about our fate. The forces of man of his position.
history and politics and economics
are just to big to steer." (3/9/46)
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The Nazi Defendants in the Major War Criminal Trial in Nuremberg http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/nuremberg/meetthedefendants.html

"It is just incomprehensible Jackson called Hess "the During his detention following his
Hess was sentenced to
how those things [atrocities] engineer tending to the Party failed putsch, Hitler dictated Mein
life in prison. He
came about...Every genius has machinery." He maintained Kampf to Hess...Hess mysteriously
remained--lost in his
the demon in him. You can't the organization as a ready flew to England in 1941 in an
Hess, Rudolf blame him [Hitler]--it is just in and loyal instrument of attempt to end the war on his own
own mental fog-- in
Deputy to the Fuhrer 120 him...It is all very tragic. But power. He signed decrees terms. He stayed there until the
Spandau prison (for
and Nazi Party Leader many years as its only
at least I have the satisfaction persecuting Jews and was a war ended....Hess suffered from
prisoner) until he
of knowing that I tried to do willing participant in paranoid delusions, apathy,
committed suicide in
something to end the war." aggression against Austria, amnesia, and was diagnosed as
1987 at age 93.
(12/16/45) Czechoslavakia, and Poland. having a "hysterical personality."
Jodl gave orders for the
"The indictment knocked me on
German army's campaign Jodl signed Germany's
the head. First of all, I hand no Jodl was hanged in
against Holland, Belgium, unconditional surrender on May 7,
idea at all about 90 per cent of Nuremberg on Oct. 16,
Norway, and Poland. He also 1945, ending the war in
the accusations in it. The 1946. Critics have
Jodl, Alfred planned attacks against Europe....He strongly disagreed
crimes are horrible beyond called Jodl's death
Chief of Operations for Greece and with many of Hitler's harsh orders:
127 belief, if they are true. Yugoslavia....Jodl was "The order to kill the escaped
sentence harsh in
the German High Secondly, I don't see how they relation to the
Command quoted as saying, "Terror British fliers--there was absolutely
can fail to recognize a soldier's sentences received by
attacks against English no justification for that. From then
obligation to obey orders. other German officers
centers of population ...will on, I knew what kind of a man
That's the code I've live by all of similar rank.
paralyze the will of the Hitler was." (4/6/46)
my life." (11/1/45)
people to resist."
Kaltenbrunner was described as "a
Kaltenbrunner and RSHA
Nazi out of central casting:"
"When I saw the newspaper bear responsibity for "The
six-foot-six, a huge neck, cruel
Kaltenbrunner, headline 'GAS CHAMBER Final Solution" to the Jewish
mouth, and a scar across his left
Ernst EXPERT CAPTURED' and an question--and the 6 million
cheek...He was shunned by most of
Chief of RSHA (an American lieutenant explained jews killed by
the other defendants...His lawyer
organization which it to me, I was pale in Einsatzgruppen (2 million) Kaltenbrunner was
tried to portray him as a stooge for
includes offices of the 113 amazement. How can they say and in concentration camps Himmler, rather than his right-hand
hanged on Oct. 16,
Gestapo, the SD, and such things about me?" (4 million). Kaltenbrunner 1946 in Nuremberg.
man....Kaltenbrunner believed
the Criminal Police) (4/11/46)..."I have only done ordered prisoners in Dachau
fertile German women had a duty
and Chief of Security my duty as an intelligence and other camps liquidated
to produce babies, and if their
Police organ, and I refuse to serve as just before the camps would
husbands couldn't get them
an ersatz for Himmler." have been liberated by
pregnant, other men ought to be
Allies.
given the job.
"We all believed so much in Keitel signed orders Keitel's sons were killed in the
him [Hitler]--and we stand to authorizing the killing of German attack on the Soviet Union Keitel was one of ten
Keitel, Wilhelm take all the blame--and the captured commandos and that Keitel helped execute...Keitel, defendants hanged in
Chief of Staff of the reprisals against the families on Hitler's orders, sent two the Palace of Justice
129 shame! He gave us the orders. of Allied volunteers...He generals to Rommel (who had in the early morning
German High He kept saying that it was all
Command his responsibility." 912/25 drafted the "Night and Fog" supported attempts to assassinate hours of October 16,
/45)..."I will suffer more agony decree that authorized the Hitler) offering him the the choice 1946.

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The Nazi Defendants in the Major War Criminal Trial in Nuremberg
of conscience and
self-reproach in this cell than
anybody will ever know."
(1/6/46)..."the only thing that is
impossible is for me to there
[in court] like a louse and lie."
(4/6/46)
"Hitler was a liar, of
course--that became more and
Neurath, more clear. He simply had no
Konstantin von respect for the truth. But
Minister of Foreign nobody recognized it at
Affairs (until 1938), 125 first...He must have done his
then Reich Protector conspiring with his little gang
for Bohemia and of henchmen late at night.
Moravia Sometimes he would call at 1,
2, or 3 in the morning."
(12/15/45)
"I think [Hitler] wanted the
best for Germany at the
beginning, but he became an
Papen, Franz von unreasoning evil force with the
Reich Chancellor prior flattery of his followers--
to Hitler, Vice Himmler, Goering, Ribbentrop,
134 etc...I tried to persuade him he
Chancellor under
Hitler, Ambassador to was wrong in his anti-Jewish
Turkey policies many a time. He
seemed to listen at first, but
later on, I had no influence on
him." (10/30/45)
"I have no illusion about this
trial. Naturally, I will be
Raeder advocated attacks by
Raeder, Erich hanged or shot. I flatter myself submarines on neutral ships trial defendants at the insistence of
Commander in Chief of 134 to think that I will be shot; at in violation of international the Soviet Union...Raeder retired
the German Navy least I will request it. I have
law.
no desire to serve a prison
sentence at my age." (5/20/46)
5 din 8
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/nuremberg/meetthedefendants.html
nighttime arrests and secret
killings of suspected
of a court-martial or suicide....In
members of the
prison, Keitel worked on his
resistance..He
autobiography....Prison pyschiatrist
planned attacks on
G. M. Gilbert said Keitel "had no
Czechoslavakia, Poland,
more backbone than a jellyfish."
Belgium, Holland, and other
countries.
While Neurath was Foreign At 73, Neurath was the oldest
Minister, Germany "was only defendant in the Major War
breaking one treaty at a Figures Trial. He seemed to be Neurath was
time."...While serving at showing signs of incipient sentenced to fifteen
Reich Protector of Bohemia senility...When Chamberlain years in prison. He
and Moravia, Neurath offered to come to Germany to was released because
abolished political parties discuss ways of averting war, of poor health in 1954,
and trade unions....He knew Neurath urged Hitler to receive and died two years
war crimes were being him..."I was always against later.
committed under his punishment without the possibility
authority. of a defense."
While the trial was in progress,
Von Papen had many heated
Von Papen helped
consolidate Nazi control in exchanges with Goering....Von
Papen was a moderating force in
1933. He strengthened the
position of Nazis in Austria the early years of the Nazi regime.
to help pave the way for the In 1934, he gave a speech highly
Von Papen was
takeover. He appealed to the critical of restrictions on
individual liberties...Von Papen acquitted.
Pope to support Hitler. Von
said, "I've been portrayed as an
Papen remained in office
intriguing devil. But I can prove I
even after learning of
have always worked for peace....I
political killings and other
am confident in American justice,
crimes.
and am glad to have the truth
brought to light through this trial."
Raeder was one of two defendants
handed over by the Russians, and
Raeder was sentenced
was put on the list of major war
to life in prison. He
served nine years
before his release in
in 1943...He opposed invading
1955. He died in
Russia, but then attacked Russian
1960 at age 84.
submarines six days before the
invasion began.
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The Nazi Defendants in the Major War Criminal Trial in Nuremberg
"We are only living
shadows--the remains of a
Ribbentrop, dead era--an era that died with
Joachim von 129 Hitler. Whether a few of us
Foreign Minister live another 10 or 20 years, it
makes no difference."
(3/27/46)
"I didn't say that the Jews are
inferior. I didn't even maintain
they are a race. I merely saw
Rosenberg, that the mixture of different
Alfred cultures didn't work."
Chief Nazi (1/12/46)..."We let 50,000
Philosopher and 127 Jewish intellectuals get across
Reichminister for the the border. Just as I wanted
Eastern Occupied Lebensraum for Germany, I
Territories thought Jews should have a
Lebensraum for themselves--
outside of Germany."
(12/15/45)
"I was given this assignment
which I could not refuse--and
Sauckel, Fritz besides, I did everything
Chief of Slave Labor 118 possible to treat [the foreign
Recruitment
slave laborers] well."
(2/23/46)
"I have full confidence in the
judges, and I am not afraid of
the outcome. A few of the
Schacht, Hjalmar defendants are not guilty; most
Reichsbank President
and Minister of 143 of them are sheer criminals."
(10/23/45)..."All I wanted was
Economics before the
to build up Germany
War
industrially....The only thing
they can accuse me of is
6 din 8
Rippentrop participated in
aggressive plans against
Czechoslavakia...He helped
plan attacks on Poland and
Russia...Ribbentrop played a
role in the "Final Solution"
when he acted to hasten the
deportation of Jews to
concentration camps in the
East.
Rosenberg helped plan attack
on Norway....Developed
policies of Germanization,
exploitation, and
extermination of opponents of
Nazi rule...His directives
provided for the segregation
of Jews in Ghettos,
facilitating their mass
killing. He set quotas of
laborers to be sent to the
Reich.
Soon after taking office,
Sauckel had the governing
authorities in the occupied
territories establish
compulsory labor service in
Germany...His program
resulted in the deportation for
slave labor of 5 million
people, many of whom had to
endure cruel working
conditions.
Schacht was an early
supporter of the Nazi Pary
and supported the
appointment of Hitler to the
post of Chancellor. Schacht
used the facilities of the
Reichsbank to facilitate the
German rearmament effort
and organize the economy for
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/nuremberg/meetthedefendants.html
In prison, Ribbentrop kept asking
everyone from doctors to cell
guards to barbers for legal
advice....Prison pyschiatrist G. M.
Gilbert saw Rippentrop as "a
Rippentrop was
confused and demoralized
hanged on October 16,
1946.
opportunist.".... Ribbentrop's
erratic behavior caused his lawyer
to complain, "This man is
impossible to defend."
Rosenberg was born in Estonia and
did not move to Germany until he
was 25.....Rosenberg's book
Rosenberg was
promoting the Nazi philosophy was
called The Myth of the Twentieth
hanged on October 16,
1946.
Century....He arranged the theft of
fine art and furniture from Jewish
apartments in Paris.
Sauckel seemed confused during
most of the trial....Historian Joseph
Persico described Sauckel as "the
least imposing figure among the Sauckel was hanged
defendants, a little man with a on October 16, 1946.
shining dome, sad brown eyes, and
a silly mustache patterned after the
Fuhrer's."
Schacht spent 10 months in 1944 in
Schacht was found not
a concentration camp because of
guilty by the IMT.
suspicion he was plotting against
Hitler....Said Schacht of the
Schacht was later
convicted by a
experience, "I could hear the
people being forced to undress and
German court and
sentenced to eight
march out to their death--and the years. He was freed
shooting in the woods. It was
in 1950. He died in
beastly.".....Schacht had the highest
1970 at age 93.
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The Nazi Defendants in the Major War Criminal Trial in Nuremberg
breaking the Versailles
Treaty." (11/1/45)
"I had no reason to be
anti-Semitic...until someone
made me read the American
book, The International Jew, at
the impressionable age of 17.
Schirach, Baldur You have no idea what a great
von 130 influece this book had on the
Hitler Youth Leader thinking of German youth...At
the age of 18, I met Adolf
Hitler. I must admit I was
inspired by him...and became
one of his staunchest
supporters." (10/27/45)
"The southern German has the
imagination and emotionality to
subscribe to a fanatic ideology,
Seyss-Inquart, but he is ordinarily inhibited
Arthur
from excesses by his natural
Austrian Chancellor,
141 humaneness. The Prussian
then Reich does not have the imagination
Commissioner for the
to conceive in terms of abstract
Netherlands
racial and political theories,
but when he is told to do
something, he does it." (4/46)
"I would like to sit down and
write one final blast about the
whole damn Nazi mess and
Speer, Albert mention names and details and
Reichminister of
128 let the German people see once
Armaments and and for all what rotten
Munitions corruption, hypocrisy, and
madness the whole system was
based on!-I would spare no
one, including myself." (2/46)
"The Jews are making a
mistake if they make a martyr
out of me; you will see. I
Streicher, Julius
Anti-Semitic Editor of 106 didn't create the problem; it
Der Sturmer existed for thousands of years."
(12/16/45)...."I am the only one
in the world who clearly saw
7 din 8
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/nuremberg/meetthedefendants.html
war. IQ of any of the defendants.
Schirach began to become
Von Schirach subjected disillusioned with Hitler around Schirach was
German youth to an extensive 1942: "About 1942, I think I first sentenced to 20 years
program of Nazi began to notice that Hitler was in prison by the IMT.
propaganda....He becoming slightly insane...In 1943 He was released from
participated in the we had a serious quarrel [over the Spandau Prison in
deportation of the Jews from treatment of Jews]. He flew at me 1966. He died in
Vienna. in a rage...I fell from grace after 1974 at age 67.
that."
Seyss-Inquart ruthlessly
In Seyss-Inquart's fiefdom of the
suppressed opposition to the
Nazi occupation in the
Netherlands, over 40,000 Dutch
were shot as hostages, and another
Netherlands. He, in Seyss-Inquart was
50,000 died of starvation. In all,
collaboration with the SS,
56% of Dutch Jews died during the
hanged on October 16,
was involved in the shooting 1946.
Nazi occupation....He limped from
or sending to concentration
an injury received in an old
camp of opponents of
mountain-climbing accident.
occupation.
Speer, an architect, was for years
the closest anyone came to being a
Speer transmitted to Sauckel Speer served his
friend of Hitler. Hitler at one time 20-year sentence. He
estimates of numbers of slave
gave Speer a watercolor of a
workers needed, then wrote two books
allocated those workers to
Gothic church....Speer was the about his life. He
leader of the anti-Goering faction
various armaments and died in 1981 at age
of defendants: those willing to
munitions plants.
condemn Nazi policies and accept 76.
some degree of blame.
Streicher was known as "the
number one Jew-baiter." He Streicher, a vulgar man, was
organized a boycott of despised by most of his fellow
defendants...Streicher collected Streicher was hanged
Jewish businesses in 1933
pornography. He said that he on October 16, 1946.
and advocated the
Nuremberg Decrees of 1935. bought it from Jews to show what
In 1938 he arranged for filth they read....
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The Nazi Defendants in the Major War Criminal Trial in Nuremberg http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/nuremberg/meetthedefendants.html

demolition of a synagogue in
the Jewish menace as an
Nuremberg and began to call
historical problem."
for annihilation of the Jewish
(11/14/45)
race.

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