Reparations and Justice in WWII

Photo shows Jewish people arriving in their newfound nation of Israel, from History of Israel

The second world war was costly to many different nations and peoples, and many suffered at the hands of the Nazi regime. This blog will go over how the perpetrators were brought to justice, and how the victims received reparations for the pain and loss they endured.

After World War II was over, the Allied powers began working to help the victims of violence. On October 24, 1945, the United Nations was created in order to front international justice through a united group of countries. The Allies then began to bring major leaders to trial in a series of international military tribunals, known as the Nuremberg Trials.

Photo of Nazi leader Oswald Pohl receiving his sentence for his crimes, linked to a page including transcripts of the trials, from Wikipedia

These trials were focused on the leaders of the Nazi regime, although later trials consisted mostly of people involved in the Holocaust. During these trials, twenty two major Nazi criminals were tried, and twelve were sentenced to death, including Hermann Goering, Hitler's second in command, Wilhelm Keitel, head of the armed forces, and Hans Frank, governor of Poland. Following these trials, the United States, in accordance with international law, began trials of lesser ranking Nazis, in a series of U.S. military tribunals. Years after these trials, Nazi refugees were still being captured, Adolf Eichmann is a prime example. The Adolf Eichmann trial is captured very well in the movie Hannah Arendt, in which a person who was persecuted reacts to the justice taken against a perpetrator.

ThingLink showing more information about the trials undertaken

In conjunction with these trials, Germany was required to pay reparations to multiple countries for the destruction caused by the war. These countries included Israel, Greece, Yugoslavia, and more. Germany not only agreed to pay Israel for the damage done to the Jewish people, but also to pay the World Jewish Congress. In payments to these two entities, Germany has totaled over $89 billion, and they still gather annually to discuss further payments. Germany was not required to pay for the deaths of six million Jewish people, but for the items which they stole from them and the damage inflicted upon their homes and property. To Greece, Germany paid a one time payment of 115 million marks, although Greece still demands payments to this day.

#conflict #postconflict #reparations #transitionaljustice #WWII