Nuremberg Farce Quote: A Trial With The Murdered Victim In Attendance

After Germany’s defeat in WWII, the Nuremberg and later trials were organized primarily for political purposes rather than to dispense impartial justice. Wears War brings to you quotes from the many fine men and women who were openly appalled by the trials. All of these people were highly respected and prominent in their field, at least until they spoke out against the trials.

Nuremberg Farce

An embarrassing example of perjured witness testimony occurred at the Dachau trials. U.S. investigator Joseph Kirschbaum brought a former concentration camp inmate named Einstein into the court to testify that the defendant, Menzel, had murdered Einstein’s brother. Menzel, however, foiled this testimony—he had only to point to Einstein’s brother sitting in the court room listening to the story of his own murder. Kirschbaum thereupon turned to Einstein and exclaimed,

“How can we bring this pig to the gallows, if you are so stupid as to bring your brother into the court?”[1]

Another defendant Wetzel testifying during the Dachau Trials

[1] Halow, Joseph, Innocent at Dachau, Newport Beach, CA: Institute for Historical Review, 1992, pp. 312-313; see also Utley, Freda, The High Cost of Vengeance, Chicago: Henry Regnery Company, 1949, p. 195.

Originally published on 7 November 2017.