Telford Taylor delivers the prosecution's opening statement.

The Ministries Trial (or, officially, The United States of America vs. Ernst von Weizsäcker, et. al.) was the eleventh of the twelve trials for war crimes the U.S. authorities held in their occupation zone in Germany in Nuremberg after the end of World War II. These twelve trials were all held before U.S. military courts, not before the International Military Tribunal, but took place in the same rooms. The twelve U.S. trials are collectively known as the "Subsequent Nuremberg Trials" or, more formally, as the "Trials of War Criminals before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals" (NMT). Telford Taylor Telford Taylor (February 24, 1908 - May 22, 1998) was a U.S. lawyer best known for his role in the Counsel for the Prosecution at the Nuremberg Trials after World War II, his opposition against Senator McCarthy in the 1950s, and his outspoken criticism of the U.S... A war crime is a punishable offense, under international law, for violations of the law of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. ... For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ... The Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is one of the worlds leading industrialised countries, located in the heart of Europe. ... This article is about the city in Germany. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... The Nuremberg Trials is the general name for two sets of trials of Nazis involved in World War II and the Holocaust. ... Chief prosecutor Telford Taylor opens the prosecution case in the Krupp Trial The Subsequent Nuremberg Trials (or, more formally, the Trials of War Criminals before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals (NMT)) were a series of twelve U.S. military trials for war crimes against surviving members of the military, political, and...

This case is also known as the Wilhelmstrasse Trial, so-named because the German Foreign Office was located at the Wilhelmstrasse in Berlin. The defendants in this case were officials of various Reich ministries, facing various charges for their roles in Nazi Germany and thus their participation in or responsibility for the numerous atrocities committed both in Germany and in occupied countries during the war. Berlin (pronounced: , German ) is the capital of Germany and its largest city, with 3,387,404 inhabitants (as of September 2004); down from 4. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ...

The judges in this case, heard before Military Tribunal IV, were William C. Christianson (presiding judge) from Minnesota, Robert F. Maguire from Oregon, and Leon W. Powers from Iowa. The Chief of Counsel for the Prosecution was Telford Taylor; the chief prosecutor was Robert M. W. Kempner. The indictment was filed on November 15, 1947; the hearings lasted form January 6, 1948 until November 18 that year, and then the judges took a whole five months to compile their 833-page judgment, which they presented on April 11, 1949. The sentences were handed down on April 13, 1949. Of all the twelve trials, this was the one that lasted longest and ended last. Of the 21 defendants arraigned, two were acquitted, the others were found guilty on at least one count of the indictment and received prison sentences ranging from three years including time served to 25 years' imprisonment. State nickname: North Star State Other U.S. States Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Governor Tim Pawlenty Official languages None Area 225,365 km² (12th)  - Land 206,375 km²  - Water 18,990 km² (8. ... State nickname: Beaver State Other U.S. States Capital Salem Largest city Portland Governor Ted Kulongoski Official languages None Area 255,026 km² (9th)  - Land 248,849 km²  - Water 6,177 km² (2. ... State nickname: The Hawkeye State Other U.S. States Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Governor Thomas Vilsack Official languages English Area 145,743 km² (26th)  - Land 144,701 km²  - Water 1,042 km² (0. ... Telford Taylor Telford Taylor (February 24, 1908 - May 22, 1998) was a U.S. lawyer best known for his role in the Counsel for the Prosecution at the Nuremberg Trials after World War II, his opposition against Senator McCarthy in the 1950s, and his outspoken criticism of the U.S... In the common law legal system, an indictment is a formal charge of having committed a serious criminal offense. ... November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. ... 1947 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... January 6 is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... November 18 is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years), with 43 remaining. ... April 11 is the 101st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (102nd in leap years). ... 1949 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... April 13 is the 103rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (104th in leap years). ... 1949 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... Arraignment is a common law term for the formal reading of a criminal complaint, in the presence of the defendant, to inform him of the charges against him. ...

Indictment

The accused faced eight charges:

1. Crimes against peace by planning and waging aggressive war against other nations and violating international treaties;
2. Participating and organizing the formulations and execution of a common plan and conspiracy to commit aformentioned crimes against peace;
3. War crimes by being responsible for murder, ill-treatment and other crimes against prisoners of war and enemy belligerents;
4. Crimes against humanity: atrocities and crimes committed against Germans on the grounds of political, racial, or religious discrimination from 1933 to 1939;
5. War crimes and crimes against humanity by participating in or being resposible for atrocities and crimes committed against civilians in occupied countries;
6. War crimes and crimes against humanity through plundering and spoliation of occupied territories;
7. War crimes and crimes against humanity through participation in the ensalvement, deportation for slave labor, and ill-treatment of civilians in both Germany and occupied countries, as well as of prisoners of war;
8. Membership in criminal organizations (the SS or the NSDAP leadership corps)

All defendants pleaded "not guilty" on the counts they were indicted. A crime against peace, in international law, consists of illegally starting a war. ... A war crime is a punishable offense, under international law, for violations of the law of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. ... This article is in need of attention. ... 1933 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1939 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... SS or ss or Ss may be: The Schutzstaffel, a Nazi paramilitary force Steamship (SS) (ship prefix) The United States Secret Service A submarine not powered by nuclear energy (SS) (United States Navy designator), see SSN A Soviet/Russian surface-to-surface missile, as listed by NATO reporting name Shortstop... The Nazi swastika The National Socialist German Workers Party (German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei), better known as the NSDAP or the Nazi Party was a political party that was led to power in Germany by Adolf Hitler in 1933. ...

The tribunal dismissed count 2 due to lack of evidence, and also count 4, stating that this was beyond its jurisdiction because it concerned events prior to the war.

Defendants

Note 1: Stuckart was tried again in 1950 before a denazification court and sentenced as a Mitläufer (follower) a fine of DM 50'000. Ernst Freiherr von Weizsäcker (1882 - 1951) was a German diplomat. ... United Kingdom In the United Kingdom, a Secretary of State is a senior Cabinet Minister in charge of a Government Department. ... Joachim von Ribbentrop Joachim von Ribbentrop (born Joachim Ribbentrop) (April 30, 1893–October 16, 1946) was the Foreign Minister of Nazi Germany from 1938 until 1945. ... 1943 is a common year starting on Friday. ... For other uses, see Ambassador (disambiguation). ... The coat of arms of the Holy See The term Holy See (Latin: Sancta Sedes, lit. ... SS or ss or Ss may be: The Schutzstaffel, a Nazi paramilitary force Steamship (SS) (ship prefix) The United States Secret Service A submarine not powered by nuclear energy (SS) (United States Navy designator), see SSN A Soviet/Russian surface-to-surface missile, as listed by NATO reporting name Shortstop... Brigadeführer was an SS rank that was used in Nazi Germany between the years of 1932 and 1945. ... December 12 is the 346th day (347th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1949 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945), a German politician who was the founder of the Third Reich (1933-1945), is widely regarded as one of the most significant and reviled leaders in world history. ... 1951 was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... The Nazi swastika The National Socialist German Workers Party (German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei), better known as the NSDAP or the Nazi Party was a political party that was led to power in Germany by Adolf Hitler in 1933. ... A Gauleiter was a leader of a local branch of the NSDAP (more commonly known as the Nazi Party) or the head of a Reichsgau (an administrative division of the state). ... The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht or OKW (Wehrmacht High Command, Armed Forces High Command) was part of the command structure of the Nazi armed forces during World War II. In theory, it served as the military general staff for Adolf Hitlers Third Reich, coordinating the efforts of the German Army... The Republic of Hungary (Magyar Köztársaság) or Hungary (Magyarország) is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. ... December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Dr. Wilhelm Stuckart (1902 - 1953) was a Nazi Party lawyer and official and member of the Interior Ministry. ... Otto Dietrich was the Third Reichs Press Chief, and Hitlers confidante. ... The Nazi swastika The National Socialist German Workers Party (German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei), better known as the NSDAP or the Nazi Party was a political party that was led to power in Germany by Adolf Hitler in 1933. ... The Propagandaministerium (Reichsministerium für Volksaufklärung und Propaganda) was the ministry for propaganda in Nazi Germany. ... Gottlob Berger (July 16, 1896 - 1975) was a German SS general during World War II. From 1940, he was Chief of Staff for the military SS and head of the SS main leadership office. ... SS-Obergruppenführer patch SA-Obergruppenführer insignia Obergruppenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in 1932 as a rank of the SA. Translated as Senior Group Leader, the rank of SA-Obergruppenführer was held by members of the Oberste SA-Führerung (Supreme SA Command) and also by... Correctly: Walther Schellenberg (January 16, 1910-March 21, 1952) was a German Nazi and second-in-command of the Gestapo. ... Gestapo is a portmanteau contraction of the name of the official secret police force of Nazi Germany, Geheime Staatspolizei, (German for secret state police). During the reign of Nazi Germany, the Gestapo was the central intelligence agency of Germany, under the overall administration of the SS. It was administrated by... SD may stand for: Secure Digital memory card. ... The Abwehr was the common name for the German military foreign information and counterintelligence department, during both World War I and World War II. Abwehr is a German word, which is commonly translated to the English defence. The head of the Abwehr during World War II was Admiral Wilhelm Canaris. ... This article is about the 20th-century German military officer. ... A 100 Mark banknote issued by the German Reichsbank in 1908 (http://www. ... Dresdner Bank is one of Germanys largest banking corporations and is located in Frankfurt. ... Hermann Göring Hermann Wilhelm Göring (also Goering or Goring in English) (January 12, 1893 – October 15, 1946) was a prominent and early member of the Nazi party, founder of the Gestapo, and one of the main architects of Nazi Germany. ... 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Denazification (German: Entnazifizierung) was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society, culture, press, economy, judiciary and politics of any remnants of the Nazi regime. ... A 10 Deutsche Mark banknote from Germany 1993 showing Carl Friedrich Gauss (http://www. ...

Herbert Ernst Backe, the former minister for agriculture who should also have been tried, committed suicide on April 6, 1947 while in custody awaiting the trial. April 6 is the 96th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (97th in leap years). ... 1947 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

References

• Description  (http://www.ushmm.org/uia-cgi/uia_doc/photos/1697?hr=null) from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
• Another description (http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/genocide/cntrl10_trials.htm#Ministries)
• Transcript  (http://www.annette-wilmes.de/50jahren/wilhelmstr.htm) of a German radio broadcast from 1999 (in German).