Trial of the Major War Criminals Before the International Military Tribunal, Nuremburg, 14 November 1945-1 October 1946, Volume 14

The audio captures a single day of the historic Nuremberg trial, where the Allied judges and prosecutors sift through the meticulous paperwork left by the Nazi war machine. Listeners hear the measured exchanges between the tribunal’s president, defense counsel, and Admiral Erich Raeder as they dissect a lengthy inventory of artillery shells, rifles, and gas masks. The dialogue is punctuated by careful references to documents, dates, and the legal standards that governed what was deemed permissible.

The proceedings reveal how the defense tries to explain discrepancies in ammunition stockpiles, attributing overages to leftover war material and the ongoing production of new weaponry. Raeder’s admissions are modest, stressing that the excesses were “very insignificant” and often the result of logistical quirks rather than deliberate intent. The lawyers’ back‑and‑forth showcases the painstaking effort to turn bureaucratic records into evidence.

Beyond the numbers, the recording offers a vivid sense of courtroom atmosphere—formal, inquisitive, and oddly human—allowing listeners to experience a pivotal moment when the world held those responsible for unprecedented aggression to account.