Why go
The proceedings show what the tribunal actually did, beyond the fact that verdicts were delivered. Charges covered aggressive war, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Evidence in the Palace of Justice included the Nazi regime's own records and testimony about crimes committed across Europe.
The full story
The main Nuremberg trial began in November 1945 at the Palace of Justice and ended with judgments in October 1946. The prosecution charged leading figures of Nazi Germany with planning and waging aggressive war, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, alongside a charge concerning a common plan or conspiracy. It also asked the tribunal to judge several Nazi organizations. The courtroom record drew on documents, films, and witnesses rather than a simple account of military defeat. Prosecutors presented material about war planning and the concentration camps. Survivors and other witnesses described crimes committed under German occupation. The defendants had the opportunity to answer the charges, and the judges assessed the evidence and individual responsibility. A long list of names or hearing dates can obscure the central point: the court tried to connect decisions made by leaders and institutions to acts of aggression and mass violence. When thinking about the room where the proceedings took place, keep both the scale of the crimes and the careful work of proving specific charges in view.