I just rewatched an amazing movie--"Trial at Nuremburg" filmed in 1961--13 years after the original trial took place and 16 years after World War II ended. Some of Hollywood's finest starred in the movie for less than their usual salary because they felt it was such an important film to make. In 2008 it was declared by the American Institute of film #10 best film of all time in Courtroom Drama.
"This trial is about 4 Judges who used their offices to conduct Nazi sterilization and cleansing policies. Retired American Judge, Judge Dan Haywood has a daunting task ahead of him. The Cold War is heating up and no one wants any more trials as Germany, and allied Governments, want to forget the past. But is that the right thing to do is the question that the tribunal must decide."
One of the most important quotes from the film is by Ernst Janning, one of the judges on trial trying to explain why they were willing to go along with Adolf Hitler.
"There was a fever over the land. A fever of disgrace, of indignity, of hunger. We had a democracy, yes, but it was torn by elements within. Above all, there was fear. Fear of today, fear of tomorrow, fear of our neighbors, and fear of ourselves. Only when you understand that - can you understand what Hitler meant to us. Because he said to us: 'Lift your heads! Be proud to be German! There are devils among us. Communists, Liberals, Jews, Gypsies! Once these devils will be destroyed, your misery will be destroyed.' It was the old, old story of the sacrifical lamb. What about those of us who knew better? We who knew the words were lies and worse than lies? Why did we sit silent? Why did we take part? Because we loved our country! What difference does it make if a few political extremists lose their rights? What difference does it make if a few racial minorities lose their rights? It is only a passing phase. It is only a stage we are going through. It will be discarded sooner or later. Hitler himself will be discarded... sooner or later. The country is in danger. We will march out of the shadows. We will go forward. Forward is the great password. And history tells how well we succeeded, your honor. We succeeded beyond our wildest dreams. The very elements of hate and power about Hitler that mesmerized Germany, mesmerized the world! We found ourselves with sudden powerful allies. Things that had been denied to us as a democracy were open to us now. The world said 'go ahead, take it, take it! Take Sudetenland, take the Rhineland - remilitarize it - take all of Austria, take it! And then one day we looked around and found that we were in an even more terrible danger. The ritual began in this courtoom swept over the land like a raging, roaring disease. What was going to be a passing phase had become the way of life...Once more it was being done for love of country. It is not easy to tell the truth; but if there is to be any salvation for Germany, we who know our guilt must admit it... whatever the pain and humiliation."
It was interesting that they brought out that if these men are guilty you must also place guilt upon Russia, Britain, United States, the Vatican etc. because they had heard Adolf Hitler speak, he had already written "Mien Kampf" -- they knew what he was about and supported him in the 1930s.
If you have never seen this film, it is a must see in your lifetime, and the message is very timely of what ordinary, decent men will do in extraordinary times.
