The Trial of Wernher von Braun

[Polish Eagle]

Wernher von Braun died in 1977. Less than five years later, his associate, Arthur Rudolph, would be investigated for his role in the use of slave labor to manufacture V-2s during the Second World War. In following years, as a result of these charges, Rudolph left the United States.

What if von Braun lived another ten-fifteen years, and was investigated the same way? What if he stood trial for his activities during the war? Would he be convicted? If so, what would his sentence be, and what effect would this trial have on other German rocket scientists who worked for the United States after the war, and on his legacy?

 

[Mikestone8]

Wernher von Braun died in 1977. Less than five years later, his associate, Arthur Rudolph, would be investigated for his role in the use of slave labor to manufacture V-2s during the Second World War. In following years, as a result of these charges, Rudolph left the United States.

What if von Braun lived another ten-fifteen years, and was investigated the same way? What if he stood trial for his activities during the war? Would he be convicted? If so, what would his sentence be, and what effect would this trial have on other German rocket scientists who worked for the United States after the war, and on his legacy?

The big problem would be that Von Braun wasn't in cahrge.

Peenemunde was a military base, and Von Braun was a civilian scientist. If anyone were to be prosecuted, the obvious choice would be the Kommandant, General Walter Dornberger. About the worst accusation that could be levelled at VB would be knowing it was going on, and failed to register an objection - a failure which would be quite understandable in Nazi Germany. So I'm not sure what precisely he could be convicted of.

 

[LostCosmonaut]

To be fair, I do believe Von Braun was a one point an officer in the SS. Although that was most likely more because it was required in order to get money from the Nazis than for ideological reasons.

 

[MattII]

He was 'urged' to join at the order of Himmler apparently. As with everything else about his life during the war, what exactly went on is debatable.

 

[Faeelin]

To be fair, I do believe Von Braun was a one point an officer in the SS. Although that was most likely more because it was required in order to get money from the Nazis than for ideological reasons.

Yes, it must have been difficult for him to join the SS in order to research how to hurl rockets built with slave labor at British cities.

 

[Bureaucromancer]

As with everything else about his life during the war, what exactly went on is debatable.

I think that this is probably the biggest truth of the whole thing. We just don't know what really happened, and a trial probably would have gone a long way toward clarifying it. The outcome, and it's ramifications depend far too much on what emerges and what the charges actually would be for their to be enough evidence for speculation at this point IMO.

 

[amphibulous]

The big problem would be that Von Braun wasn't in cahrge.

Hundreds of people have been charged who were not in command of camps, so not a viable defense. Braun routinely worked out schedules for working slaves to death as efficiently as possible - to give them enough food to extract the maximum calorific value from their bodies. He never protested, he did the job as competently as possible, he was therefore a mass murderer.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

The one responsible for the slave workers was the SS and thus Himmler. Speer himself tried to make the conditions for them better- to no avail, as Himmler ruled against that.

 

[Vingilótë]

The one responsible for the slave workers was the SS and thus Himmler. Speer himself tried to make the conditions for them better- to no avail, as Himmler ruled against that.

Wasn't it decided at Nuremburg that this excuse wasn't going to cut it?

 

[MattII]

I think that this is probably the biggest truth of the whole thing. We just don't know what really happened, and a trial probably would have gone a long way toward clarifying it. The outcome, and it's ramifications depend far too much on what emerges and what the charges actually would be for their to be enough evidence for speculation at this point IMO.

How many witnesses would be left in 1982 though?

 

[Faeelin]

The one responsible for the slave workers was the SS and thus Himmler. Speer himself tried to make the conditions for them better- to no avail, as Himmler ruled against that.

AAGGGH THIS LIE SHOULD BE DEAD BY NOW.

 

[amphibulous]

The one responsible for the slave workers was the SS and thus Himmler.

No. Anyone who arranges work schedules so that more people die is responsible; anyone who asks for more of them is responsible. WVB did both.

Speer himself tried to make the conditions for them better- to no avail, as Himmler ruled against that.

Speer lied. A lot.

 

[amphibulous]

AAGGGH THIS LIE SHOULD BE DEAD BY NOW.

Yes. A thousand times, yes.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Hey, I didn't want to uphold a lie here. I read about this once. However, does any one has a source?

 

[amphibulous]

Hey, I didn't want to uphold a lie here. I read about this once. However, does any one has a source?

Google will give you lots of stuff:

http://www.holocaust-history.org/speer-know/

 

[Bureaucromancer]

The one responsible for the slave workers was the SS and thus Himmler. Speer himself tried to make the conditions for them better- to no avail, as Himmler ruled against that.

Which also ignores that Von Braun WAS a commissioned SS officer.

 

[Orville_third]

How many witnesses would be left in 1982 though?

There would no doubt still be some. Even OTL, Von Braun's reputation in some circles wasn't as bright as some made him out to be. (One need only read the review of the biopic about him in a British Paper ("I aim for the stars, but sometimes hit London"), or hear Tom Lehrer's song about him.

 

[MattII]

There would no doubt still be some.

Enough to bring about a conviction do you think, or just enough to give people doubts about his assumed innocence?

...or hear Tom Lehrer's song about him.

My parents own the LP, though that number isn't my favourite, that's a toss up between "Pollution" and "New Math".

 

[Imperator Novae Zealandae]

There would no doubt still be some. Even OTL, Von Braun's reputation in some circles wasn't as bright as some made him out to be. (One need only read the review of the biopic about him in a British Paper ("I aim for the stars, but sometimes hit London"), or hear Tom Lehrer's song about him.

Wernher von Braun

 

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

The problem is that the US government had spent way too much effort whitewashing his reputation.

If he was kidnapped by Israeli agents when visiting, say Italy, then yes he could probably be convicted, if the us didnt put enough pressure on israel to get him released, but i cant imagine any other nation having the guts to try puting him on trial.

I rather suspect Tom Lehrer is entirely accurate, im afraid.