“The greatest trial in history.” This is how the First Nuremberg War Crimes Trial was described by one of the trial's two British judges, Sir Norman Birkett. But Harlan Fiske Stone, Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, dismissed it as nothing more than “a high-grade lynching party”. Who was right? In this course we will answer that question and consider whether it is true that, for all the trial's faults and failings, the world is a better place because of it.
Course aim
In this course we will study the background to, and conduct of, the first and most famous of the thirteen war crimes trials that were held at Nuremberg between 1945 and 1949, with a view to better understanding its significance.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- This course is for beginners and improvers
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- describe in outline four key features of the First Nuremberg War Crimes Trial.
- identify at least one thing that the trial did badly and one thing that it did well.
- assess whether the world is a better place for the trial having taken place.
What else do I need to know?
Although this course will be taught face-to-face, it will be very helpful if you have a computer with an internet connection, in order that you can do the recommended reading and research after the course.
View full course information sheet
Day School: Evil on Trial - The First Nuremberg War Crimes Trial, 1945 - 46
