From to , Nazi Germany leaders stood trial for crimes against peace, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and conspiracy to commit any of the foregoing crimes.
The indictment against 24 major war criminals and seven organizations was filed on October 18, by the four chief prosecutors of the International Military Tribunal. On November 20, the trial began with 21 defendants appearing before the court.
In all, defendants were tried, were convicted, and 37 were sentenced to death. Jackson helped lead the Allies—American, British, French, and Soviet governments—to an agreement called the London Charter , setting the procedures for the Nuremberg Trials.
The proceedings would be simultaneously translated into English, French, German, and Russian. The trial would make history being the first of its kind with judges from four countries. Hitler was the first dictator of Germany but he was not the last. Nuremberg, Germany was chosen as the location of the trials for being a focal point of Nazi propaganda rallies leading up to the war.
The Allies wanted Nuremberg to symbolize the death of Nazi Germany. The court convened in the Palace of Justice in Nuremberg that was previously expanded by German prisoners to fit up to 1, detainees. The jurisdiction of the Tribunal included crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The IMT defined crimes against humanity as "murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation The indictment was read on November 20, with 21 defendants appearing in court.
