The Blame

The cause for a war is something that usually can not be attributed to one man. When it comes to WWII it would be easy to say that Adolf Hitler took civilization to the brink of destruction. It was his voice that rose above the crowd and took him to power. His desire to punish the enemies of his country. His personality that convinced millions to follow him on the path to war. It was he who decided that anyone that was not part of the “Aryan” race were to be considered subhuman and disposable.

One man alone however can not shoulder the entire blame. While many Germans followed because they didn’t have much choice, many more followed because they agreed with the vision of what Germany should be according to Hitler. When the war ended Hitler was not there to take responsibility for his actions, but many of those who served him were.

The Trial

After the war many of these men, civilian and military, were taken into Allied custody. They would stand trial, though many probably did not deserve it. The German town of Nuremburg would become the place for these trials and there the story of the war gained a new dimension. Some simply said they were following orders and were not responsible for the atrocities. Some argued that they were right for what they did. In total 185 Germans stood trial for their actions during the war. Twelve were sentenced to death. Eight life sentences and seventy-seven prison lengths of various terms.

The Prison Door

While they awaited trial the men remained in the jail located at the Palace of Justice. The door in the photo above is from that prison. The men spent their days in a small cell, fed through a slot in the door and taken back and forth to the proceedings under armed guard. While in their cells each door had a soldier assigned to it. Their job was not to prevent escape, but not in they way you may think.

Rather than being worried that the prisoners would break out and make a run for it, they feared that if left alone the prisoners would take their own life. Like Hitler did. Doing this would mean they would avoid responsibility for the crimes they committed. Even so, six men escaped justice via suicide, including Hermann Göring. The prison door above is a reminder that while one man can not start a war. It stands also as a reminder that sometimes there is justice.