The International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg prosecuted the leading Nazi war criminals following WWII.
The Nuremberg trial grew out of the Allied Powers’ military victory over Nazi Germany. In spring 1945, Nazi Germany surrendered unconditionally to the Allies—the German government ceased to exist. The Allies militarily occupied what had been Germany, imprisoned many Nazis as their prisoners, and began to prepare to try Nazi leaders as war criminals. In Summer 1945, the Allies created the International Military Tribunal (IMT), the world’s first international criminal court, to adjudicate these cases.
Beginning in Fall 1945, the Allies prosecuted before the IMT twenty-two Nazi leaders and six Nazi organizations. They were charged with four crimes:
The trial was held in Nuremberg, a city located in what had been southeastern Germany and then was located in the U.S. military occupation zone. By appointment of President Truman, U.S, Supreme Court associate justice Robert H. Jackson served as U.S. Chief of Counsel – the U.S. chief prosecutor – at Nuremberg.
The Robert H. Jackson Center is making available and organizing as resources both audio and video recordings of the Nuremberg trial proceedings. This guide, featuring links to those recordings, is organized in chronological order.
