What should we do with the Nazis? The road to the Nuremberg Trials

At the end of the Second World War, the victorious Allies had to decide the fates of the surviving leaders of a regime that had initiated the bloodiest conflict in history, and perpetuated the Holocaust

Published: April 21, 2026 at 12:00 PM

Save

At the end of the Second World War, the victorious Allies had to decide the fates of the surviving leaders of a regime that had initiated the bloodiest conflict in history, and perpetuated the Holocaust.

Ad

The answer, beginning just a few months after VE Day, was the world’s first ever international criminal trial, held in the German city of Nuremberg. As we reach the 80th anniversary of these events, David Musgrove is joined by the lawyer and author Philippe Sands to explore how this groundbreaking trial was conceived amid the rubble of the Reich.

Watch the full episode, or listen ad-free at the link below:

Want to know more about the Nuremberg Trials? David Musgrove has curated a selection of essential reading from the HistoryExtra Magazine archive. Go beyond the podcast.

Ad

Philippe Sands is the author of East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2016).

Authors

Dr David Musgrove, FSAContent director

David Musgrove is the content director at HistoryExtra

Ad

Ad

Loading...

Ad

Loading...