Nazi Leaders' Final Words Before Execution at Nuremberg

The final statements attributed to Nazi defendants at Nuremberg have often been repeated apart from the trial that preceded them. Ten men were executed on 16 October 1946 after the International Military Tribunal had examined evidence of aggressive war, persecution, forced labor and mass murder. Their last reported remarks ranged from appeals to religion to continued political defiance. This video places those statements beside the record of responsibility established in court. A final sentence is evidence of what a speaker chose to say, not a reliable summary of that person’s actions or an answer to the charges. Contemporary reporting, translation and later retelling can also produce differences in wording. The tribunal’s judgments are the essential starting point for understanding who was convicted and why. The documentary treats the executions as the aftermath of a major legal proceeding, keeping the crimes and their victims in view rather than allowing memorable quotations to dominate the history. Music: Historium Soundtrack Library Sources and further reading: International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/international-military-tribunal-at-nuremberg International Military Tribunal: The Defendants https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/international-military-tribunal-the-defendants Nuremberg Trial Proceedings Vol. 22 - Judgment https://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/10-01-46.asp Judgment: Sentences https://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/judsent.asp