Originally written in 1947, this was the first comprehensive account to the trial of the major Nazi leaders after World War II. The desire to create some type of trial (there was no international precedent) in a speedy manner (the beginning of the Cold War and the normal desire of the average citizen to get on with life) were two of the major challenges facing the judges and attorneys who had their own motives and goals. Although the Nazi regime kept efficient records, the sheer volume of those records and the seemingly complex relationships between departments and organizations made errors unavoidable. No one even within the Nazi regime could always explain the power differentials between the State and Party organizations, for example, responsible for the administration of any given area (the SD was a party organization while the Reich Foreign Ministry was a State organ but they each had administrative duties in some of the occupied territories). Add in the duties of the Wehrmacht, the SS, the Todt labor organization, etc., and the judge’s confusion is understandable.
Administrating the court was difficult because, for example, the lead U.S. prosecutor, Robert Jackson was the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and was under pressure to return to his duties at home. As the Christmas season approached, many attorney’s and staff wished to return home which would have delayed the court proceedings. Then you had the Soviet judge who had to be placated regarding the Soviet Unions actions prior too and during the invasion of Poland and the Baltic states. Politics was never far from the courtroom and egos were constantly damaged and had to be repaired.
The key value of this book is that it highlights each of the defendants and puts their actions in context during their time of power. It also shows the weakness and mental problems of many of the defendants. Hans Frank, the Governor-General of Poland attempted to play the repentant born again Christian who was shocked at the crimes committed in his area of control Joachim von Ribbentrop, the Foreign Minister rambled on and was a source of amusement for the other defendants, while Albert Speer was crafty in his Mea Cupas in his desire to escape his being hung. For anyone who is not familiar with the Nazi regime and its crimes, this is an excellent book to get an overview of the stupidity, cruelty, and politics of this totalitarian regime.
Well written, it is not a dry legal document but rather an excellent primer of a corrupt, brutal, and murderous regime.
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