Nuremberg: Tyrants on Trial Part 2 Quiz

Answer: Albert Speer

Speer, the [official] First Architect of the Third Reich and Hitler's Minister for Armaments from 1942 onwards, was one of the few who personally denounced Hitler at the trial. He was found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his use of slave labor, and sentenced to 20 years in Spandau.

The court stated in mitigation that Speer had not only had the courage to tell Hitler that the war was lost, but refused to follow through with Hitler's "scorched earth" policy, which would have left Germany in an even worse state than it already was at the end of the war. (Artur Seyss-Inquart, Reichskommisar for the Netherlands, also refused to follow the "Nero Order"). Some, however, felt that a lot of his newfound sense of "guilt" over his crimes was a smokescreen to save his own skin.

Many have stated that his amazingly quick work in galvanazing the production of armaments prolonged the war for two years, and that he cried upon hearing of Hitler's death. Some have also stated they find it incredible that Fritz Sauckel, the one who merely supplied the slave labor, received the death penalty, yet Speer, the one who put the laborers to work, received a prison sentence. Albert Speer passed away of a cerebral hemmorhage in London on September 1, 1981-42 years to the day after Germany invaded Poland.

Answer: 4

Of the seven men given prison sentences, Karl Doenitz, Albert Speer, Baldur von Schirach and Rudolf Hess were the only ones to fully serve their terms. (Some would dispute whether or not Hess's 1987 suicide would count as truly fulfilling his life sentence, however.) Erich Raeder and Walther Funk, both sentenced to life, were released early for health reasons, as was Constantin von Neurath, who was sentenced to fifteen years. Raeder, Funk, and von Neurath all died within three years of their respective releases.

Answer: Ernst Kaltenbrunner & Wilhelm Frick

Ernst Kaltenbrunner and Wilhelm Frick were 43 and 69 years of age, respectively, when they were hanged. The others were between the ages of 46-64.

Answer: Fritz Sauckel

Sauckel was the eighth man to go to the gallows. Ribbentrop's last words were "My last wish is that Germany realize its destiny and that an understanding be reached between the East and the West. I wish peace to the world." Frank, the only man to go to the gallows with a smile on his face, said "I am thankful for the kind treatment during my captivity and I ask God to accept me with mercy." The final defendant to be hanged, Seyss-Inquart, like Frank, had received Holy Communion and Absolution before his death.

He departed this life after saying "I hope that this execution is the last act of the tragedy of the Second World War and that the lesson taken from this world war will be that peace and understanding should exist between peoples. I believe in Germany."

Answer: "Von Ribbensnob"

Born Ulrich Friedrich Wilhelm Joachim Ribbentrop, Ribbentrop actually convinced his aunt Gertrud von Ribbentrop to adopt him, so that the word "von" could be added to his name. (Her husband had just been knighted) He then went on to marry the daughter of a wealthy champagne merchant.

He was not a well-liked man within the Nazi hierarchy. Joseph Goebbels summed it up by saying that Ribbentrop "Bought his name, married his money, and swindled his way into office." One of the most infamous pranks during the war was pulled on Ribbentrop on the occasion of his 50th birthday.

He was presented with a beautiful casket, which, upon being opened, contained a few sheets of paper. When he asked what it meant, he was told the papers were the few treaties he had made that had yet to be broken.

Answer: 2

According to Leon Goldensohn's book "Nuremberg Interviews", both Alfred Jodl and Walther Funk had no children. No reason was given as to why Jodl had none, but Walther Funk stated that his wife had fibroid problems that resulted in a full hysterectomy. According to others, however, Funk was a homosexual with no wish to father children.

Answer: Wilhelm Frick

Frick decided not to take the stand, much to the disappointment of several other defendants, including Funk, Fritsche, and Speer. Instead, he decided to let his witness, Hans Gisevius, do the talking for him. Rudolf Hess was the only other defendant to not take the stand in his own defence, although considering his mental state, it may have been for the best.

Answer: 3

All three of the defendants, right after being given their letters certifying that they had been freed, were almost immediately arrested again after leaving the prison. Hans Fritszche went so far as to ask prison psychologist Gustave Gilbert to give him a gun, as he couldn't take it anymore. Franz von Papen was reclassified in 1947 by a German court as a "major offender" and sentenced to eight years of hard labor.

He was released after two years and died in 1969. Also in 1947, Fritzsche was given a prison term by a German court who had re-examined his role in the deceit of the German people regarding their true situation during the last years of the war.

He was released in 1950, dying 3 years later. Hjalmar Schacht was also reclassified as "major offender" by a Stuttgart court in 1946 and sentenced to hard labor, though this was overturned on appeal in 1948.

He was definitively cleared of all charges in 1950.

Answer: Hermann Goering

Edda waved happily to her father through the pane of glass that separated them, causing Hermann to sob. "You've grown" were the first words out of his mouth when he saw his now 7-year old daughter. Edda had been told by her mother to try not to cry and to be brave, so Edda recited poetry to her father as her mother watched.

After the trial, Emmy Goering was declared a Nazi in 1948 by a German denazification tribunal, and the former actress was banned from the stage for 5 years. She passed away in 1973. Edda Goering never married, and to the best of my knowledge is still alive.

Answer: He slapped him hard in the face

Although there were some who initially thought the slap was a sign of contempt, the judge was actually checking for any sign of reflexes, to make sure that Goering was truly dead.