Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Kira Wright
Mr. Hawkins
Modern World History P-3
April 8 2016
Inquiry Question #2
After six long, excruciating years, WWII is finally over. The way the Jews were treated was
horrible and against humanity. The Nazis had to pay a price considering not only what they did to the
Jews and, everyone else who didnt meet their Nazi expectations. Things such as Nazi human
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1945 and 1946. (WebMaster1) There were many put on trial then. Many had contributed to
Hitlers ideas of a perfect society. His definition of perfect is unbelievable and just not possible.
After the war, the Nazis (who were still left) were put on trial. That trial was the
Nuremberg trials. It consisted of 13 different trials proceeding in Nuremberg, Germany from
1945-1949. There was also a declaration called The Nuremberg Laws. The so-called
"Nuremberg Laws" a crucial step in Nazi racial laws that led to the marginalization of
German Jews and ultimately to their segregation, confinement, and exterminationwere
key pieces of evidence in the trials, which resulted in 12 death sentences and life or long
sentences for other Third Reich leaders. (Bradsher1) These laws were very important in
these trials. The Nazis made this declaration so that they could exclude the Germans from their
natural rights. Although the trials have begun, the Nazis are missing their most prominent leader.
The Nazis' highest authority, the person most to blame for the Holocaust, was missing at
the trials. Adolf Hitler had committed suicide in the final days of the war, as had several of
his closest aides. (Memorialmuseum1) Because of that there were many people who did not
get their own consequences for their actions. Some didnt even commit suicide; they didnt want
the consequences and still believed in Hitlers idea.
Some fled Germany to live abroad, including hundreds who came to the United States.
(Memorialmuseum1) With many of the Nazis not being tried, there were many who had to be
caught for those who fled.
The Judges in the trial werent just random people. They were Judges from around the
world to make sure there are perspectives from every point of view possible. The International
Military Tribunal (IMT) is composed of judges from the United States, Great Britain,
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France and the Soviet Union. (Bradsher1) In order to get a fair vote and get different
opinions, the way that they did it was needed. If just judges from Germany had been in the trials
it would have not been fair. The judges probably would have been followers to the group of
Nazis and Hitler. Some of the many pieces the Nazis were prosecuted from were describes as and
defined as violations of the internationally agreed upon rules for waging war; and (4)
crimes against humanitynamely, murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, and
other inhumane acts committed against any civilian population, before or during the war;
or persecution on political, racial, or religious grounds in execution of or in connection with
any crime within the jurisdiction of the Tribunal, whether or not in violation of domestic
law of the country where perpetrated." (WebMaster1) The Jews were scared from this period
time after WWII. The things they were put through were just unimaginable and a lot of people
were unable to see the real damage and comprehend what actually happened to the Jews and
many others during that period of time, although not everyone got a huge sentence and time in
Jail. Other people who played key roles in the Holocaust, including high-level government
officials, and business executives who used concentration camp inmates as forced laborers
received short prison sentences or no penalty at all. (WebMaster1) It may have seemed like
it at the time that every German had a part to play in the holocaust. There were many who had
helped the Jews and others to get away from the Nazis and they were put on their own trials
before or used as witnesses.
Some of the things that were done to the Jews were also used in the Nuremberg trial.
There was a doctor whose name was Dr. Eduard Wirths. There was more to add then just crazy
experiments on healthy, innocent Jews. The human subject was a minor or not competent
for other reasons or if the subject had not given his or her unambiguous consent after a
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organization, it was never a pretty sight. Thankfully, the war ended finally and was brought to a
conclusion with the Nuremberg Trials and brought justice to many Germans around the world.