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The last surviving prosecutor of the Nuremberg trials passed away on April 7, 2023 at the age of 103. It was Ben Ferencz' first case after he learned of the Ea
by amsully 3y ago
The last surviving prosecutor of the Nuremberg trials passed away on April 7, 2023 at the age of 103. It was Ben Ferencz' first case after he learned of the Eastern fronts 'Nazi death squad' (Einsatzgruppen). All other tribunal prosecutors were committed to other cases when he described the atrocities to his superior, so he took the case on himself. It both validates the top comment of allies not seeing eye to eye, but also how understaffed and underprepared the tribunal was.
He later helped start the Hague and dedicated his life acting as a voice for the voiceless due to war crimes and genocides.
Despite the horrors he witnessed, Ben was a beam of light for all around him. I highly recommend his works. Especially "Parting Words: 9 Lessons for a Remarkable Life"
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Ferencz https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Ferencz
- netsharc 3y agoHis sort-of blog[1] is also fascinating, documenting stories from childhood until retirement and beyond. He travelled through Switzerland by bartering sugar (a rare commodity after war, but he had bags of them from the US army mess halls) for Swiss francs ... and missed his boat home[2]! [1] https://benferencz.org/stories/ https://benferencz.org/stories/ [2] https://benferencz.org/stories/1943-1946/getting-home-as-a-stowaway/ https://benferencz.org/stories/1943-1946/getting-home-as-a-s...
- pyuser583 3y agoHe was a prosecutor for the “American Trials at Nuremberg” which is a different thing. The Nuremberg trials were international. Judges came from all occupying powers. When they were done, America rented out the courthouse and used it for America-only trials. The initial trials were for top-tier Nazis. The subsequent trials were for mid-tier Nazis who committed especially heinous crimes.