“The Ugly Past Is Dying Quickly” – issue of the British weekly Illustrated, dated September 14, 1946 – a major feature article titled “The End of the Nazis”, reporting on the dramatic moments of judgment for the Nazi war criminals in the courtroom. On the cover: a color photograph of war criminal Hermann Göring in the courtroom at Nuremberg. In the center pages: a large color photograph from inside the courtroom during the cross-examination of Nazi war criminal Wilhelm Keitel.
The editorial staff of the magazine proudly states that it is the first to publish color photographs from inside the courtroom: “On these pages and on the cover, Illustrated publishes the first colour pictures of the Nuremberg.”
The reporter describes a great day in human history, as the Allies made the landmark decision to treat “aggression” as a crime against humanity—despite, in his words, the pressures from “a jungle of conflicting legal doctrines.” He expresses satisfaction as the defense arguments fall one after another, first and foremost the claim of “Hitler’s orders, ” behind which most of the Nazi war criminals attempted to hide. He continues with scathing ridicule of the defendants’ disgraceful behavior in court:
“To those who knew them, it came as no surprise when they revealed their true nature—Göring, the cunning opportunist with an irrational personality; Hess, the idealistic schoolboy with a streak of madness; Ribbentrop, the trickster with a gift for evasion; Papen, Schacht, Neurath, maintaining their dignity as old-school statesmen and diplomats; Speer, the detached technician; Frank, whose mind turned to new distortions; Streicher, the merciless fool; Rosenberg, with his pretense of being a philosopher; Fritzsche, the stooge; Jodl, the clever soldier; Seyss-Inquart, Hitler’s loyal assistant; and others—complete nonentities. Hitler’s personality, surprisingly, left little mark on the trial, though his name was frequently—and fruitlessly—invoked.” The reporter also expresses satisfaction at the deaths of Goebbels, Hitler, Bormann, and others, and praises Justice Jackson for his outstanding work. The remaining pages of the issue feature articles on Britain’s return to postwar life.
28 pages. Complete issue. Good condition.
