The Nuremberg Trial in Yad Vashem Studies, Volume V

The Nuremberg Trial

Marion Mushkat’s The Nuremberg Trial and the Judgment of the International Military Tribunal (Hebrew) relates to the first trial and deals with the persecution of Jews by the Nazis. The book also contains the London Agreement concerning the establishment of the military tribunal. The introduction by Nehemiah Robinson is important and comprehensive. The legality of the punishment for murderous crimes has long been established in the civilized world. The defense claimed there was no precedent for punishing aggression against another state. However, the Germans defied accepted international principles by attacking other states despite non-aggression pacts. The problem of state and individual responsibility for war crimes is discussed and in general agrees with the article by Bergman (see abstract above and his article p. 7ff. in this volume). The rules of humanity must be respected under all circumstances. Individuals cannot hide behind antique laws holding that requirements of his sovereign state override such considerations.