TRIBUNAL ANNOUNCES VERDICTS

Chronicle (Levin), 2 October 1946, Page 5

TRIBUNAL ANNOUNCES VERDICTS

Press Assn.-

END OF GREATEST TRIAL IN HISTORY

By Telegraph

-Copyright

Reeoived Wednesday, .10. a.m. NUREMBERG, Oct. 1. The Tribunal tliis morning aniioimeed its verdicts against all 22 defendants at the War Crimes trial. ' There were four separate chnrges, namely, (1) Particrpation in a eommon plan of conspiracy. (2) Crimes against peace and treaty violations. (3) Commission of war crimes. (4) Crimes against humanity. Goering was found guilty on all four counts. Hess was found guilty on counts one and two. Ribbentrop was found guilty on all counts. Keitel was found g'uilty on all counts. Kaltenbrunner and Frank were found gnilty on counts three and four and innocent on count one. Rosenberg was found guilty on all counts. Frick was found guilty on counts two, three and four and innocent on count one. Streicher was found guilty on count four and innocent on count one. Doenitz was found guilty on counts two and three and innocent on count one. Raeder was found guilty on counts one, two and three. Von Schirach was found guilty on count four and innocent on count one. Saukel was found guilty on counts three and four and innocent on counts one and two. Jodl was found guilty on all counts. Speer was found guilty on counts three and four and innocent on counts one and two. Von Neurath was found guilty on all counts. Bormann was found guilty on counts three and four and innocent on count one. Funk was found guilty on counts two, three and four and innocent on count one. Seyss Inquart was found guilty on counts two, three and four and innocent on count one. Schacht, von Papen and Fritsche were found innocent on all counts. Each of the accused appeared separately in the dock to hear the sentence of the Tribunal, which Lord Justice Lawrence announced as follows: — Goering: Death by hanging. Hess : Imprisonment for life. Ribbentrop: Death by hanging". Keitel: Death by hanging. Kaltenbrunner: Death by hanging. Frank: Death by hanging. Rosenberg: Death by hanging". Frick: Death by hanging. Streicher: Death by hanging. Doenitz: Ten years' imprisonment. Raeder: Imprisonment for life. Von Schiracht: Twenty years' imprisonment. Saukel: Death by hanging. Jodl: Death by hanging. Speer: Twenty years' imprisonment. Von Neurath: Fifteen years' imprisonment. Bormann: Death by hanging. Funk: Imprisonment for life. Seyss Inquart: Death by hanging. Scliadit, von Papen and Fritsche wero aequitted and ordered to bo disoliarged whcn the Tribunal finallv ad.journs. Lord Justice Lawrence stated that appeals for clemeney irmst be lodgcd willi the Tribunal within four days.'

ine Soviet member of the Tribunal, Major-General Nikitchenko, placed on record his dissent from the acquittals of Schacht von Papen and Fritsche. He was of the opinion that they should have been convicted and not aequitted. He also dissented from the sentence on Hess, who he believed should have been sentenced to death. He also • believed that the Reich Cabinet, General Staff and High Command should have been declared illegal organisations. The Chief American Prosecutor Mr. Justice Jackson, later issued a statement saying he regretted thai the Tribunal had aequitted Schacht and von Papen, and that it had also failed to declare the High Command criminal. In his statement, Mr. Justice Jackson said: "In sustaining the application of the principle that , uggressive war is a crime for which statesmen may be individually punished, the judgment is highly gratifying. It is a hopeful sign for world peace that representatives of the great powers all agree with this principle, and are committed to it by this judgment. I regret the acquittal of Schacht and von Papen, and the decision not to declare the General Staff a criminal organisation. The effect of that on the further prosecution of industrialists and militarists will have to be studied. "Personally, I regard the convic-, tion and sentencing of the individuals as of secondary importance compared with the significance oi the commitment by the four nations to the proposition that Wars of aggression and the persecution of conquered minorities on racial, religious and political grounds are criminal. These principles of law will influence future events long after the date the individuals are forgotten."