James Vanderbilt’s film Nuremberg, released in UK cinemas on 14 November, centers on Hermann Göring, Hitler’s second-in-command, and his interactions with US army psychiatrist Douglas M. Kelley. The movie draws on the real-life dialogue of prosecutors and defendants, as well as archival footage from concentration camps presented during the original trials between 1945 and 1946. Russell Crowe portrays Göring, Rami Malek plays Kelley, Michael Shannon appears as American chief prosecutor Robert H. Jackson, and Richard E. Grant depicts British prosecutor Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe. Independent UK notes that the film combines historical accuracy with a psychological lens, highlighting the intense scrutiny of the Nazi leaders’ mental states.
Courtroom 600 at the Nuremberg Palace of Justice, where the trials were held, now forms part of the Memorium Nuremberg Trials information centre. Visitors can experience digital reconstructions of the trials, including original audio recordings and footage, five times a day. Exhibitions in the attic provide deeper context, detailing subsequent trials, courtroom experiences, and the challenges faced by interpreters, journalists, and staff during the proceedings. Guides tell of interpreters confronting the atrocities firsthand and of the tensions among those who wished to prolong the trial versus those eager to conclude it.
The city of Nuremberg itself carries symbolic significance. It hosted Nazi rallies and introduced the 1935 Race Laws, making it a deliberate choice for the tribunal. Practical considerations, including a relatively intact courthouse and proximity to a prison, also influenced the decision. Visitors to the former rally grounds can see remnants of grandstands, the Große Straße, and the Congress Hall, which provide a stark reminder of the city’s history. Independent UK highlights that while the new film dramatizes the story, visiting Nuremberg offers a more complete understanding of the trials, balancing historical education with the narrative’s emotional intensity.
