Behind the curtains of the Nuremberg trials - Occupied Germany, 1945/46
Jan 16, 2017 02:03:56 #
U.S. Army Colonel Telford Taylor, a former Intelligence Officer in London during WW II, became the Chief U.S. Prosecutor for the International War Crimes Tribunal in Nuremberg in 1945 and 1946. His boss was the Tribunal's Chief Prosecutor, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson.
Twenty-five years later, in 1992, Col. Taylor published a fascinating 700-page personal memoir, "The Anatomy of the Nuremberg Trials," including some interesting details about the social life of the international lawyers and their support staffs. I can understand why he waited 25 years.
During the Tribunal's sessions, the Allied staffs had to view many sickening films and photographs, as well as listen to endless shocking testimonies testimonies describing atrocities and mass murders of innocent men, women and children. Little wonder that the staffs sought diversions when the court was in recess.
According to Col. Taylor, "None of the American occupiers, military or civilian, were allowed to bring in their wives, children, or other dependents. Consequently, the war crimes community included very few married couples. Most of the senior personnel, including the lawyers, were married men, while most of the women were single and young and not a few very attractive. This gave the society a relaxed, tolerant, and philanderous ambience which many of us found agreeable."
I'll bet.
There were ten times more Americans -- military and civilians -- than British in Nuremberg. The Russian and French contingents were the smallest. The Russians lived in a compound, but the others were assigned houses or estates, usually clustered. Of course, the German owners had been forcibly evicted. Jackson and his staff moved into seven villas.
The American officers and civilians favored the Nuremberg Grand Hotel as their "watering hole," because of its dining rooms, bar, and Marble Room featuring a dance band. The enlisted men had a nearby EM club as well. The French and British officers and civilians seldom patronized the Grand Hotel; the Soviets never came.
The French contingent wasted no time in establishing an intimate little club --invitation only --with dancing and drinks and French interpreters and secretaries, including "several very attractive young women," noted Col. Taylor. He added that some of the American and French lawyers developed profitable business relationships involving international legal matters.
Attending a Russian party in their compound could be a test of stamina, since they loved to spontaneously propose "bottoms-up" toasts -- lots of toasts in those times shortly after the Nazi surrenders. On November 30, 1945, one Russian host proposed 25 consecutive vodka toasts, according to Col. Taylor. The next morning must have seen some memorable hangovers. But the Soviets were on a short leash from Moscow. Friendships were frowned upon. One Russian interpreter named Tania was returned to Moscow when the contingent's "minder" noticed a strong attraction to an American aide.
The British preferred more formal get-togethers honoring various political, industrial, and literary personages who popped over from London to experience the historic events in Nuremberg. Possibly, they also were looking for a respite from the Labour Party's rationing back home. Col. Taylor mused that the English upper-class (well represented in Nuremberg) seemed more at home in the colonial atmosphere of the military occupation.
During breaks in the Tribunal's proceedings, the staffs were able to do some sightseeing in such nearby Bavarian resorts as Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Berchtesgaden. Nobody monitored who went where with whom.
In the Christmas holidays of 1945, Nuremberg emptied out. Justice Jackson commandeered an army plane to take him, his son, his secretary, his press officer and assistant, and two administrative assisants on a "holiday jaunt." Destinations: Rome, Athens, Cairo, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Luxor, Tunis, and Cannes.
Rank hath its privileges.
Twenty-five years later, in 1992, Col. Taylor published a fascinating 700-page personal memoir, "The Anatomy of the Nuremberg Trials," including some interesting details about the social life of the international lawyers and their support staffs. I can understand why he waited 25 years.
During the Tribunal's sessions, the Allied staffs had to view many sickening films and photographs, as well as listen to endless shocking testimonies testimonies describing atrocities and mass murders of innocent men, women and children. Little wonder that the staffs sought diversions when the court was in recess.
According to Col. Taylor, "None of the American occupiers, military or civilian, were allowed to bring in their wives, children, or other dependents. Consequently, the war crimes community included very few married couples. Most of the senior personnel, including the lawyers, were married men, while most of the women were single and young and not a few very attractive. This gave the society a relaxed, tolerant, and philanderous ambience which many of us found agreeable."
I'll bet.
There were ten times more Americans -- military and civilians -- than British in Nuremberg. The Russian and French contingents were the smallest. The Russians lived in a compound, but the others were assigned houses or estates, usually clustered. Of course, the German owners had been forcibly evicted. Jackson and his staff moved into seven villas.
The American officers and civilians favored the Nuremberg Grand Hotel as their "watering hole," because of its dining rooms, bar, and Marble Room featuring a dance band. The enlisted men had a nearby EM club as well. The French and British officers and civilians seldom patronized the Grand Hotel; the Soviets never came.
The French contingent wasted no time in establishing an intimate little club --invitation only --with dancing and drinks and French interpreters and secretaries, including "several very attractive young women," noted Col. Taylor. He added that some of the American and French lawyers developed profitable business relationships involving international legal matters.
Attending a Russian party in their compound could be a test of stamina, since they loved to spontaneously propose "bottoms-up" toasts -- lots of toasts in those times shortly after the Nazi surrenders. On November 30, 1945, one Russian host proposed 25 consecutive vodka toasts, according to Col. Taylor. The next morning must have seen some memorable hangovers. But the Soviets were on a short leash from Moscow. Friendships were frowned upon. One Russian interpreter named Tania was returned to Moscow when the contingent's "minder" noticed a strong attraction to an American aide.
The British preferred more formal get-togethers honoring various political, industrial, and literary personages who popped over from London to experience the historic events in Nuremberg. Possibly, they also were looking for a respite from the Labour Party's rationing back home. Col. Taylor mused that the English upper-class (well represented in Nuremberg) seemed more at home in the colonial atmosphere of the military occupation.
During breaks in the Tribunal's proceedings, the staffs were able to do some sightseeing in such nearby Bavarian resorts as Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Berchtesgaden. Nobody monitored who went where with whom.
In the Christmas holidays of 1945, Nuremberg emptied out. Justice Jackson commandeered an army plane to take him, his son, his secretary, his press officer and assistant, and two administrative assisants on a "holiday jaunt." Destinations: Rome, Athens, Cairo, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Luxor, Tunis, and Cannes.
Rank hath its privileges.
Nuremberg's Grand Hotel in 1945-46, during repair of bombed section
Col. Telford Taylor in Nuremberg while interrogating Nazi general - 1946
Jan 16, 2017 03:00:55 #
Jan 16, 2017 03:40:55 #
Jan 16, 2017 10:29:35 #
Interesting post .., so many BW photographs exist on this subject ...takes weeks to go through all of them ..
Jan 17, 2017 08:37:46 #
Jan 17, 2017 09:54:59 #
jerryc41 wrote:
Thanks for another good one.
I ditto that for sure....
Jan 17, 2017 09:55:28 #
Very informative post; thank you. I am so amazed how anyone could take 'time out' to celebrate and party during this trial is beyond me. So few of these criminals were even brought to trial. It was a horrible time in our history.
Jan 17, 2017 10:33:28 #
Jan 17, 2017 10:42:15 #
Jan 17, 2017 10:44:31 #
We visited Nuremberg last year, but we weren't able to go into the war trial court room as it was being re-furbished ready for public access
Jan 17, 2017 11:50:19 #
ken hubert wrote:
What about the atrocities of the Germans during the 1930s and '40s and all the homes and property they stole and the people they murdered in Poland, Russia, France, Belgium, etc.? Then I think of how ruthless the Russian army was when they advanced into Germany and especially when they reached Berlin. But then again, the German army was just as ruthless when they were invading Russia. What goes around, comes around.Yep, the American Army was always eager to steal German homes and property
What about the Marshall Plan where the U.S. spent billions of dollars to help rebuild Europe after Germany was hell-bent on destroying it?
Jan 17, 2017 11:52:39 #
A few years ago I visited what is now a museum and was able to have the courtroom all to myself, as nobody else was there. Most interesting and moving experience just sitting there contemplating what took place in that space. Thanks for posting this very informative piece.
Jan 17, 2017 13:11:22 #
ken hubert wrote:
Yep, the American Army was always eager to steal German homes and property
Steal? The US OWNED west germany. Those were American homes. The US could have planted the flag and made w. Germany a US colony. But instead-under the Marshall Plan_ spent a huge amount of money restoring Germany to a democratic country. Russia instead made E.Germeny a slave state. I lost family members in the death camps. I still feel contempt for the ww2 germans, I never bought the "we never knew" bullshit.
Jan 17, 2017 13:13:35 #
boberic wrote:
Steal? The US OWNED west germany. Those were American homes. The US could have planted the flag and made w. Germany a US colony. But instead-under the Marshall Plan_ spent a huge amount of money restoring Germany to a democratic country. Russia instead made E.Germeny a slave state. I lost family members in the death camps. I still feel contempt for the ww2 germans, I never bought the "we never knew" bullshit.
Of course they knew. Just couldn't do anything about it.
Jan 17, 2017 13:28:32 #
blacks2 wrote:
Great historical article Richard. Thank you for posting.
I agree
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