What would the trial of Adolf Hitler look like?

[Orko]

Assuming that the Soviets somehow manage to take him alive at Berlin, and he’s subsequently tried at Nuremberg along his best pals, how would his trial unfold? Specifically:
1. What sort of defense (if at all) would he try to make? Since he can’t possibly claim to just be following orders.
2. What would his interactions with the other Nazis on trial be? At this point he’d consider many of them to be traitors, and they would figure it’s best to keep away from him if they want to save their own skin.
3. How would his testimony affect those of the other defendants? He could potentially deny that the other defendants were just following orders and instead confirm their active role in crimes against humanity.

 

[athgtq16129]

Assuming that the Soviets somehow manage to take him alive at Berlin, and he’s subsequently tried at Nuremberg along his best pals, how would his trial unfold? Specifically:

The Soviets would never handle Hitler to the Western Allies at any cost, they would publicly execute him after their own show trial, didn't they even plan to parade him on a cage throughout Moscow, or is this just an urban legend?

And by 1945 Hitler was already mentally dead, severely ill from Parkinson's, stress, and drug addiction, he wouldn't be able to answer anything coherently, and would pretty likely die sooner or later after being captured.

 

[TxAggie]

The Soviets would never handle Hitler to the Western Allies at any cost, they would publicly execute him after their own show trial, didn't they even plan to parade him on a cage throughout Moscow, or is this just an urban legend?

I've heard the same thing. Doesn't really sound like Stalin's style to me - he was more of a shoot 'em in the basement kind of guy - but for a name as big as Hitler, I can see him making a public spectacle out of it.

 

[Peg Leg Pom]

I've heard the same thing. Doesn't really sound like Stalin's style to me - he was more of a shoot 'em in the basement kind of guy - but for a name as big as Hitler, I can see him making a public spectacle out of it.

I can't see Stalin risking putting Hitler on trial giving him a public forum that he might use to expose some of Stalin's own crimes. Hitler would be dead five minutes after Stalin found out he was a prisoner.

 

[mattep74]

If Hitler is put on trial after the western allies got to him and saw to it that he got a real doctor unlike the hack he had OTL he could dictate the trial just like Milosovich did.

 

[Hugo Strange]

The only way Hitler is put on trial is if he tries to escape to South America and the Allied forces capture him in the west of Germany or perhaps in Italy. With Hitler determined to stay in Berlin until the bitter end, if the Soviets somehow capture him alive, he would get at most a quick show trial behind closed doors, ending with a swift execution (think in the way how Beria would meet his end years later). So for any chance of a legimate public trial where testimony will be allowed, you need Hitler falling into the hands of the Western Allies. Only way this would happen is if Hitler makes a run for it and escapes Berlin.

Don’t expect any coherent statements from Hitler during his trial though. By 1945 Hitler was a broken man, suffering from Parkinson’s, still holding on to delusions that Germany would 100% certainly turn the tide and win the war. These kind of delusions would continue on all the way during his trial, with only incoherent ramblings coming from Hitler rather than any insightful testimony for his defense.

 

[Peg Leg Pom]

Don’t expect any coherent statements from Hitler during his trial though. By 1945 Hitler was a broken man, suffering from Parkinson’s, still holding on to delusions that Germany would 100% certainly turn the tide and win the war. These kind of delusions would continue on all the way during his trial, with only incoherent ramblings coming from Hitler rather than any insightful testimony for his defense

There's a very slight chance that could save Hitler's life and see him committed to an asylum for life rather than meet Albert Pierrepoint at 8am one morning.

 

[Abradolf Lincler]

The man spent the last couple years of his life burning through eastern europe, Any russin worth their salt would beat hitler to death the second they laid eyes on him.

 

[Resurgam]

There's a very slight chance that could save Hitler's life and see him committed to an asylum for life rather than meet Albert Pierrepoint at 8am one morning.

Too much blood has been spilled for that, I think.

 

[TastySpam]

I don't think it'd be any different from the other Nuremberg defendants. The Allies had basically agreed on how Nuremberg would operate before they learned of Hitler's suicide. That being said, if Hermann Goring was able to commit suicide before his trial, probably so would Hitler.

 

[Resurgam]

I don't think it'd be any different from the other Nuremberg defendants. The Allies had basically agreed on how Nuremberg would operate before they learned of Hitler's suicide. That being said, if Hermann Goring was able to commit suicide before his trial, probably so would Hitler.

Goring committed suicide before his EXECUTION. The trial went ahead for him, though.

You might be thinking of either Robert Ley or Leonardo Conti; they both took their own lives before they could stand trial.

 

[TastySpam]

Goring committed suicide before his EXECUTION. The trial went ahead for him, though.

You might be thinking of either Robert Ley or Leonardo Conti; they both took their own lives before they could stand trial.

Yes, good point, I misremembered.

 

[oshron]

if the Soviets catch him, he gets Ceaucescu's trial a few decades early if he's lucky

 

[Orcbuster]

He would be trialed at nuremberg. This had already been decided.

 

[James Ricker]

I've heard the same thing. Doesn't really sound like Stalin's style to me - he was more of a shoot 'em in the basement kind of guy - but for a name as big as Hitler, I can see him making a public spectacle out of it.

Stalin had just lost 27 million people in the Great Patriotic War, it would definitely be a trial because the Russians could you answer propaganda to satisfy their people and boast of their accomplishment to the world.
In 1945 the Soviet Union needed to make the world I think it was far stronger than it actually was

 

[James Ricker]

I don't think it'd be any different from the other Nuremberg defendants. The Allies had basically agreed on how Nuremberg would operate before they learned of Hitler's suicide. That being said, if Hermann Goring was able to commit suicide before his trial, probably so would Hitler.

Round boy committed suicide before he could be hung
He already stood trial and was found guilty and sentenced to death

 

[Geon]

First, Hitler needs to fall into the hands of the Allies. Here, assume in a rare moment of lucidity he decides to leave Berlin and go to his beloved Berchtesgaden to await his fate at the Berghof.

He ends up falling into American hands. By now, as is noted he is pretty much a physical and mental wreck. American/British doctors work to try to make him healthy enough to stand trial.

Where the first issued for the defense would come into play would be the question of - is Hitler competent to stand trial? Again the man was in an almost delusional state. You would probably have 6 or 7 psychiatrists give 6 or 7 different verdicts on whether Hitler is competent to stand trial.

That's the first issue. The second is should Hitler be tried with the other defendants or separately?

As far as the trial itself a lot depends on what mental state the former fuehrer is in when it occurs. If he has regained any of his faculties he may put up a very spirited defense arguing that the crimes of the Holocaust and others were a clear breach of his orders.

I am not sure the verdict would be as cut and dried as it might appear. A few years ago I would have said a "guilty" verdict would be a foregone conclusion followed by a swift hanging. However, a lot will depend on the medical/mental condition of Hitler at the trial.

 

[cra0422]

I said this on another thread, but a trial for Hitler depends on who captures him alive.

If the Soviets get him, like it was said in a previous post, Hitler'd probably be paraded through Red Square in a cage before given a massive show trial leading to a predetermined guilty verdict and execution. In fact given Hitler's health at the time, they'd probably play up his Parkinson's as him trembling before the "righteous might and fury" of the Soviet Union.

If the Western Allies get to him, I most likely see this scenario from another website

The Fuhrer in the Dock

 

[Johnrankins]

I can't see Stalin risking putting Hitler on trial giving him a public forum that he might use to expose some of Stalin's own crimes. Hitler would be dead five minutes after Stalin found out he was a prisoner.

What public forum? He would first be brutally tortured and if he survived that and Stalin wanted a trial the whole thing would be filmed and edited, no one would see anything Stalin didn't want anyone to see.

 

[anotherlurker]

If he sobers up like Göring it's going to be like Görings trial.

If his deteriorating health worses more until then i'd guess they would spare everyone the humiliation of putting a vegetable on trial and just cut his medication while he's interned in a military hospital.