Rudenko’s Opening Statement

In Russian, this is a vignette of the opening statement presented by General Roman Rudenko, Chief Russian Prosecutor. The case was presented on Feb,. 8, 1946 to a packed courtroom. He opened by stating “for the first time in the history of mankind is justice confronted with crimes committed on so vast a scale, with crimes which entailed such grave consequences. It is the first time that criminals who have seized an entire state and made this state an instrument of their monstruous crimes appear before a court of justice.”

Produced by US Army Signal Corps 1945-1956, housed in National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Digitized and provided by The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; Steven Spielberg Film and Video Archive.

In Russian, this is a vignette of the opening statement presented by General Roman Rudenko, Chief Russian Prosecutor. The case was presented on Feb,. 8, 1946 to a packed courtroom. He opened by stating "for the first time in the history of mankind is justice confronted with crimes committed on so vast a scale, with crimes which entailed such grave consequences. It is the first time that criminals who have seized an entire state and made this state an instrument of their monstruous crimes appear before a court of justice."

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