Why the Nuremberg trials still matter

The following article was written by John Geiringer and Kelley Szany and published by the Chicago Sun Times last November 14, 2020. In it, the authors talk about the lessons of the Nuremberg Trials and why it is important to keep learning from Germany’s past mistakes to avoid repeating them.

The authors said, “The [International Military Tribunal or] IMT is a warning from history. it shined sunlight…on how the most enlightened democracy of its time slid into the abyss”. The crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Nazi regime could not have happened if doctors, judges, and industrialists did not join the fray.

They add: “The Nuremberg trials remind us all that each of us can – must – play a role in preventing that slide…Our collective mission is to help people explore the past to understand the present and impact the future, and to teach people to be upstanders, not bystanders.” The authors also say that our democracy is fragile and must be tended and treated with reverence in order for it to thrive.

Editor’s Note: While published last year, it is still super relevant today as draconian measure continue unabated.

The Nuremberg trials matter in this time of COVID because it reminds us that we have to, at all costs, avoid treating our fellow humans as “the other”. All the social distancing and masking have dehumanized our families, friends, and loved ones. The cancel culture and smear campaigns against those who put forth alternative COVID narratives have created a culture of acquiescence. Will this be the end of democracy and the human dignity?

We must remember, democracy is fragile. Without our active protection of our rights and freedoms, it is easy to descend to another age of darkness where disrespect for human dignity will become the norm [China has acted on this descent, see Anal COVID swab now mandatory for all foreign arrivals in China].