Download Mr. Trzepinska Holocaust and Genocide Nuremberg Trials

Mr. Trzepinska
Holocaust and Genocide
Nuremberg Trials – Herman Goering vs. Albert Speer
Video for Goering
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTnQX3T0HpU&list=PL5TCKAGtIolaqMIE8N5-oVeCoI4gTscUj
Video for Speer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXf_T_q9VKM&list=PL5TCKAGtIolaqMIE8N5-oVeCoI4gTscUj
Directions: As you watch the videos answer the questions. These will be collected at the end of the movies and graded
Herman Goering
1. Goering’s trial strategy was one where he knew he was going to the executed. What was his plan going into the
trials? What did Goering believe this would lead to? What did he envision the German people would think about
Hitler and himself in 2014?
2. Is Goering valid in his “Don’t look at me, look at yourself” stance, where he compared Germany taking European
land to the United States taking land? Do you think this damaged the prosecutor’s case against him?
3. Compare the treatment of Native Americans and African Americans by the United States to that of the Nazi’s
treatment of the Jews during World War II. Are we no better than the Nazis? How can we justify our actions?
Explain.
4. Explain how Goering acted as a “leader” to his fellow Nuremberg Defendants.
5. Why does Goering continue to have blind loyalty toward Hitler even after he fell out of favor with Hitler?
6. Although both death by hanging and death by firing squad led to the same result, why did Goering ask for a
death by firing squad? Would you have given it to him? Explain.
Albert Speer
1. Describe how Speer was the opposite of Goering during the Nuremberg Trials.
2. Explain what “Collective Responsibility” means to Speer. How does he use that term in his defense? Do you
agree with his defense strategy? Explain.
3. Describe how Speer conducts himself as a witness, is he a useful tool for the prosecution? Explain.
4. To add to his defense Speer told the court he denied Hitler’s orders to destroy Germany at the end of the war
and that he had tried to assassinate Hitler in 1945. Should these two actions effect the court’s decision on him?
5. Fritz Suakel, who worked under Speer was convicted of the same charges as Speer, but sentenced to death. Do
you think that Speer’s willingness to accept guilt and recognize his role helped him avoid being executed? If you
had at the power to sentence Speer, what would you give him? Explain why.
6. Describe Speer’s life after he was released from prison.
7. One historian states that Speer was able to “Pull the wool” over the eyes of everyone at Nuremberg. Do you
belief that Speer was genuine in his position? Or do you believe that he manipulated his way out of a harsher
punishment? Explain.