The Ministries Trial (or, officially, the United States of America vs. Ernst von Weizsäcker, et al.) was the eleventh of the twelve trials for war crimes the U.S. authorities held in their occupation zone in Germany in Nuremberg after the end of World War II. These twelve trials were all held before U.S. military courts, not before the International Military Tribunal, but took place in the same rooms at the Palace of Justice. The twelve U.S. trials are collectively known as the "Subsequent Nuremberg Trials" or, more formally, as the "Trials of War Criminals before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals" (NMT).
Theodor von Hornbostel testifies for the prosecution during the Ministries Trial
This case is also known as the Wilhelmstrasse Trial, so-named because both the Reich Chancellery and the German Foreign Office were located at the Wilhelmstrasse, a street in Berlin that was often used as a metonym for overall German governmental administration. The defendants in this case were officials of various Reich ministries, facing various charges for their roles in Nazi Germany and thus their participation in or responsibility for the numerous atrocities committed both in Germany and in occupied countries during the war.
The judges in this case, heard before Military Tribunal VI, were William C. Christianson (presiding judge) from Minnesota, Robert F. Maguire from Oregon and Leon W. Powers from Iowa. The Chief of Counsel for the Prosecution was Telford Taylor; the chief prosecutor was Robert Kempner. The indictment was filed on 15 November 1947; the hearings lasted from 6 January 1948 until 18 November that year. Five months later, on 11 April 1949, the judges presented their 833-page judgment. Sentences were handed down on 13 April 1949. Of all the twelve trials, this was the one that lasted longest and ended last. Of the 21 defendants arraigned, two were acquitted, and 18 others were found guilty on at least one count of their indictments and received prison sentences ranging from three years to 25 years. In addition, one defendant, Ernst Wilhelm Bohle, pleaded guilty, becoming the only defendant to do so in the Subsequent Nuremberg Trials.
Indictmentedit
Telford Taylor delivers the prosecution's opening statement.
The defendants were all indicted on at least one of seven counts:
Count 4: Crimes against humanity through atrocities against German nationals on political, racial, and religious grounds between 1933 and 1939 (count dropped)
Count 5: War crimes and crimes against humanity through atrocities against civilian population
Count 6: War crimes and crimes against humanity through the plundering and spoliation of the occupied territories
Count 7: War crimes and crimes against humanity through the enslavement and deportation of concentration camp prisoners and civilians in the occupied countries for slave labor
Count 8: Membership in a criminal organization, the NSDAP and the SS
7 years for counts 1 and 5; count 1 overturned and reduced to 5 years on 12 December 1949; commuted to served and released in October 1950; died in 1951
Second-in-command of the Gestapo, head of the SD and the Abwehr, and successor of Wilhelm Canaris as the head of the Combined Secret Services; SS-Brigadeführer.
6 years for counts 5 and 8; released in December 1950; died in 1952
7 years for counts 6 and 8; released in August 1950; died in 1951
^1 Stuckart was tried again in 1950 before a denazification court and sentenced as a Mitläufer (follower) a fine of DM 50,000.
Herbert Backe, the former minister for agriculture who should also have been tried, committed suicide on 6 April 1947 while in custody awaiting the trial.
Referencesedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ministries trial.
Description from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Transcript of a German radio broadcast from 1999 (in German).
Heller, Kevin Jon (2011). The Nuremberg Military Tribunals and the Origins of International Criminal Law. Oxford University Press. ISBN978-0-19-955431-7.
April 12, 2024
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This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations February 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Ministries Trial or officially the United States of America vs Ernst von Weizsacker et al was the eleventh of the twelve trials for war crimes the U S authorities held in their occupation zone in Germany in Nuremberg after the end of World War II These twelve trials were all held before U S military courts not before the International Military Tribunal but took place in the same rooms at the Palace of Justice The twelve U S trials are collectively known as the Subsequent Nuremberg Trials or more formally as the Trials of War Criminals before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals NMT Theodor von Hornbostel testifies for the prosecution during the Ministries TrialThis case is also known as the Wilhelmstrasse Trial so named because both the Reich Chancellery and the German Foreign Office were located at the Wilhelmstrasse a street in Berlin that was often used as a metonym for overall German governmental administration The defendants in this case were officials of various Reich ministries facing various charges for their roles in Nazi Germany and thus their participation in or responsibility for the numerous atrocities committed both in Germany and in occupied countries during the war The judges in this case heard before Military Tribunal VI were William C Christianson presiding judge from Minnesota Robert F Maguire from Oregon and Leon W Powers from Iowa The Chief of Counsel for the Prosecution was Telford Taylor the chief prosecutor was Robert Kempner The indictment was filed on 15 November 1947 the hearings lasted from 6 January 1948 until 18 November that year Five months later on 11 April 1949 the judges presented their 833 page judgment Sentences were handed down on 13 April 1949 Of all the twelve trials this was the one that lasted longest and ended last Of the 21 defendants arraigned two were acquitted and 18 others were found guilty on at least one count of their indictments and received prison sentences ranging from three years to 25 years In addition one defendant Ernst Wilhelm Bohle pleaded guilty becoming the only defendant to do so in the Subsequent Nuremberg Trials Indictment edit nbsp Telford Taylor delivers the prosecution s opening statement The defendants were all indicted on at least one of seven counts Count 1 Crime against peaceCount 2 Taking part in a common plan or conspiracy to commit the aforementioned crimes later dropped by the NMT in all trials Count 3 War crimes against prisoners of warCount 4 Crimes against humanity through atrocities against German nationals on political racial and religious grounds between 1933 and 1939 count dropped Count 5 War crimes and crimes against humanity through atrocities against civilian populationCount 6 War crimes and crimes against humanity through the plundering and spoliation of the occupied territoriesCount 7 War crimes and crimes against humanity through the enslavement and deportation of concentration camp prisoners and civilians in the occupied countries for slave laborCount 8 Membership in a criminal organization the NSDAP and the SSDefendants editName Photo Function Verdict and sentenceErnst von Weizsacker nbsp Permanent Secretary of State in the Auswartiges Amt Foreign Ministry under Ribbentrop until 1943 then ambassador to the Holy See SS Brigadefuhrer 7 years for counts 1 and 5 count 1 overturned and reduced to 5 years on 12 December 1949 commuted to served and released in October 1950 died in 1951Gustav Adolf Steengracht von Moyland nbsp Successor of von Weizsacker as Secretary of State in the Foreign Ministry until 1945 7 years for counts 3 and 5 count 3 overturned and reduced to 5 years on 12 December 1949 released in January 1950 died in 1969Wilhelm Keppler nbsp Secretary of State Hitler s advisor for economy 10 years for counts 1 5 6 and 8 commuted to time served and released in February 1951Ernst Wilhelm Bohle nbsp NS Gauleiter Secretary of State in the Foreign Ministry head of the Auslandorganisation foreign organization of the NSDAP 5 years for count 8 released in December 1949 died in 1960Ernst Wormann Secretary in the Foreign Ministry head of the political division German Ambassador to China Wang Jingwei regime 7 years for counts 1 and 5 count 1 overturned and reduced to 5 years on 12 December 1949 released in January 1950 died in 1979Karl Ritter Liaison between Foreign Office and the High Command of the German armed forces 4 years for count 3 released after the judgment died in 1968Otto von Erdmannsdorff Secretary in the Foreign Ministry deputy to Wormann Acquitted died in 1978Edmund Veesenmayer nbsp Plenipotentiary in Hungary 20 years for counts 5 7 and 8 commuted to 10 years in January 1951 released in December 1951 died in 1977Hans Heinrich Lammers nbsp Head of the Reich Chancellery Indicted on all counts 20 years for counts 1 3 5 7 and 8 commuted to 10 years in January 1951 released in December 1951 died in 1962Wilhelm Stuckart nbsp Secretary of State in the Interior Ministry Time served 3 years and 10 months for counts 5 6 and 8 Died in a car crash in 1953 1Richard Walther Darre nbsp Minister for Food and Agriculture 7 years for counts 5 6 and 8 released in August 1950 died in 1953Otto Meissner nbsp Head of the Presidential Chancellery Acquitted died in 1953Otto Dietrich nbsp Reich Press Chief of the NSDAP and Secretary of State in the Propagandaministerium 7 years for counts 5 and 8 released in 1950 died in 1952Gottlob Berger nbsp Head of the SS Hauptamt SS Obergruppenfuhrer 25 years imprisonment for counts 3 5 7 and 8 commuted to 10 years in January 1951 released in December 1951Walter Schellenberg nbsp Second in command of the Gestapo head of the SD and the Abwehr and successor of Wilhelm Canaris as the head of the Combined Secret Services SS Brigadefuhrer 6 years for counts 5 and 8 released in December 1950 died in 1952Lutz Graf Schwerin von Krosigk nbsp Minister of Finance de facto Chancellor of Germany officially titled Leading Minister in May 1945 after the death of Joseph Goebbels 10 years for counts 5 and 6 commuted to time served and released in February 1951Emil Puhl nbsp Vice president of the Reichsbank 5 years for count 5 released in December 1949 died in 1962Paul Korner nbsp Secretary of State and deputy to Goring in the Four Year Plan SS Obergruppenfuhrer 15 years for counts 1 6 7 and 8 commuted to 10 years in January 1951 released in December 1951 died in 1957Paul Pleiger Head of the Reichswerke Hermann Goring confiscated steel plants employing slave laborers 15 years for counts 6 and 7 commuted to 10 years in January 1951 released in December 1951Hans Kehrl de nbsp Secretary in the Ministry of Armament head of the planning office 15 years for counts 5 8 commuted to time served and released in February 1951Karl Rasche nbsp Director of the Dresdner Bank 7 years for counts 6 and 8 released in August 1950 died in 1951 1 Stuckart was tried again in 1950 before a denazification court and sentenced as a Mitlaufer follower a fine of DM 50 000 Herbert Backe the former minister for agriculture who should also have been tried committed suicide on 6 April 1947 while in custody awaiting the trial References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ministries trial Description from the U S Holocaust Memorial Museum Another description Transcript of a German radio broadcast from 1999 in German Heller Kevin Jon 2011 The Nuremberg Military Tribunals and the Origins of International Criminal Law Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 955431 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ministries Trial amp oldid 1158439520, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
