Nuremberg Trials-Convictions

The Nuremberg Trials (1945–1949)

1. The International Military Tribunal (IMT) – Main Trial (1945–1946)

The first and most famous trial, conducted by the Allied powers (U.S., UK, France, USSR), focused on 24 high-ranking Nazi leaders. Key details:

Defendants

• 24 individuals indicted, including Hermann Göring, Rudolf Hess, and Joachim von Ribbentrop.
• Notable Absences: Hitler, Goebbels, and Himmler died pre-trial; Martin Bormann tried in absentia.
• Suicides: Robert Ley (pre-trial), Hermann Göring (pre-execution).

Charges

• Conspiracy to commit crimes against peace
• Planning/initiating wars of aggression
• War crimes (atrocities against POWs/civilians)
• Crimes against humanity (Holocaust, genocide)

Verdicts (October 1, 1946)

• Death Sentences: 12 (e.g., Hans Frank, Wilhelm Keitel)
• Life Imprisonment: 3 (Rudolf Hess, Walther Funk)
• Prison Terms: 4 (10–20 years, e.g., Albert Speer)
• Acquittals: 3 (Hjalmar Schacht, Franz von Papen)

Executions: 10 hanged on October 16, 1946 (Göring escaped via suicide).

2. Subsequent Nuremberg Trials (1946–1949)

12 additional U.S.-led trials targeting lower-ranking officials:

• Total Defendants: 199
• Convictions: 161 (81% conviction rate)
• Death Sentences: 24 (13 executed)
• Life Imprisonment: 20

Key Trials

• Doctors’ Trial: 23 physicians (7 executed)
• Einsatzgruppen Trial: 24 killing squad leaders (14 death sentences)
• IG Farben Trial: Industrialists using slave labor (13 convicted)

3. Key Outcomes and Legacy

• Established legal precedents for "crimes against humanity"
• Documented Holocaust atrocities via film/evidence
• Mixed success: Many lower-ranking Nazis received leniency
• Foundation for modern international criminal law

Summary Table

Trials	Defendants	Convictions	Death Sentences
IMT (Main Trial)	24	19	12
Subsequent Trials	199	161	24 (13 executed)
Total	223	180	25

For further reading: Memorium Nuremberg Trials | Jewish Virtual Library