Art: The Nuremberg Trials by Dame Laura Knight

FORUM

Nuremberg and History

Three historians give us their take on James Vanderbilt’s 2025 film Nuremberg. Focusing on absences, choices, errors, and strengths, these scholars give us some sober second thought on a compelling Hollywood picture.

AUTHOR: Anthony Steinhoff

Framing Nuremberg: Choices and their Consequences

The film’s focus on the relationship between Hermann Göring and psychologist Douglas Kelley offers cinematic appeal, but it leads to historical inaccuracies, particularly in its portrayal of the trials’ goals and the United States’ prosecution of Göring. The film emphasizes the Holocaust, overshadowing the trials’ broader scope and the Allies’ evolving understanding of Nazi atrocities.

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AUTHOR: Hilary Earl

What does a mass-murderer look like?

Through the character of Douglas Kelley, the film suggests that even seemingly ordinary people can be capable of heinous acts. This portrayal serves as a cautionary tale, warning against the dangers of fascism and the potential for evil to arise from seemingly normal individuals.

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AUTHOR: Annette Timm

Evil is Not a Thesis

While the film effectively counters simplistic explanations of evil, it inaccurately portrays the trial, particularly the role of Kelley’s translator, Howie Triest. The film’s dramatization of a courtroom showdown undermines its main point about the ubiquity of evil and the need for a nuanced understanding of history.

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