Have you ever watched the movie The Reader, where Kate Winslet's character faces a Nazi trial? If you are visiting Nuremberg, you will get to experience the courtroom where many officials from the Nazi regime were actually judged for the crimes committed in the WWII. Whether you have seen the movie or not, you are probably curious enough to stop by the courthouse and experience the whole deal firsthand.
Relive the trials
The Nuremberg Trial Memorial is at the same venue where the actual trials took place at the courtroom 600. It was founded in 2010 to provide knowledge to the public of this important event of history.
When you visit you will be informed about the background, conduct and the effect the trials had all over the world. The exhibits show remains of the original docks where the defendants sat, as well as historical audio and short films for visitors to relive fragments of the trials.The trial lasted 218 days, between November 1945 to October 1946, and had a lot of media repercussion. Mainly on the days, the defendants had the opportunity to give a final statement, as well as when some of the evidence presented was undeniable.The courtroom 600 is still in operation, but it can be visited during days when the court is not in session.
The trials legacy
The city was chosen to hold the trial due to its infrastructure. With 530 offices and 80 courtrooms, the Palace of Justice provided plenty of space to host the staff of the four nations. The prison located closer to it was also a perfect place to house the prisoners. When stopping by the memorial you will also witness an important moment in the history of International Law. After the trials, it was evident that an international criminal law had to be established permanently to deal with crimes of this kind, due to the different conflicts about court methods that came about in the trials. This event led to the development of the international criminal law for as we know it today.
Take a tour
Inside the museum, hire a guided tour up to 20 people. English tours are held every Saturday, and if you visit during the week you can get an audio guide in various languages.
Otherwise, choose the Bus-Video-Tour that takes you from the Nazi party Rally Grounds to the Nuremberg Trials. The tour drives through the different architecture and explains about the rallies. Later, it drives you to the Palace of Justice, where many political and military figures stood to be judged before the International Military tribunal. Several film clips will be screened along the tour.
