The Nuremberg Process

At the end of the war, it became clear that the Nazi leaders would be held accountable. The Nuremberg Trials began in November 1945 and were extensively covered in Swedish newspapers. The charges included war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

Dagens Nyheter described the extent of the crimes:

From Göring down to the propaganda leader Hans Fritsche, the main figures are accused of […] mass murder, persecution, destruction […] whose brutality surpasses everything […] in the history of humanity.

The Swedish press focused on the detailed revelations of the trial and the Nazis’ genocide and crimes. The newspapers also reported on the most remarkable testimonies. After Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss had testified, Svenska Dagbladet wrote:

One’s mind stands still when listening to his account. Höss explained that everyone in the area knew what was happening because of the stench from the burning. The trains arrived at the camp on a special track. Usually, 2,000 people were transported on each train, and often several trains arrived daily. […] Death occurred three to five minutes later, and the screams from the gas chambers ceased.

The trial resulted in death sentences for twelve of the accused. Several expressed loyalty to Hitler or Germany until the very end. Expressen reported on the executions:

Keitel, a soldier to the very end, said: ‘Now I am going to join my sons.’ […] Streicher was the only one to mention the Führer's name. ‘Heil Hitler,’ he proclaimed.

The Nuremberg Trials became a legal response to the systematic violence and genocide, marking the beginning of the international legal concept of 'crimes against humanity'.