With the close of World War II came an international military tribunal which sought the prosecution of 24 of the most prominent German Nazi officials in the areas of military, politics and economics, according to newworldencyclopedia.org. This tribunal, or trial rather, was officially set into motion November 20, 1945, and was held in Nuremberg, Germany at the Palace of Justice. The offenses brought to the court included waging a war of aggression, violating the customs of warfare, and committing crimes against humanity. Though the “Trial of the Major War Criminals”, as it was called, was only one of thirteen to take place during the four years of the “Nuremberg Trials”, it was the most famous due to the importance of the leadership involved. [caption id="attachment_2456" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Defendants in the Dock at Nuremberg"] [/caption] According to the BBC, the court’s judicial bench was composed of the war’s three major wartime powers – those being the United States, Britain and the Soviet Union – with France being awarded a seat as well. Each country also provided an alternate judge as well as comprising the prosecutorial membership. Justice Geoffrey Lawrence, the British representative who presided, opened the trial stating it was “unique in the history of the jurisprudence of the world and of supreme importance to millions of people all over the globe”. The proceedings are unique and relevant in history as they were done under unusual conditions. International wars quite normally end with a peace treaty in which stipulations are placed to allow for the individual states to prosecute their own countrymen. Because Japan and the German Armed Forces surrendered unconditionally, this meant there were no provisions held by the Axis powers that would keep an international body from prosecuting those suspected of war crimes. In all, Nazi Germany egregiously affected the lives of millions across Central and Eastern Europe. This trial was an attempt to bring to justice those who were responsible for the atrocities witnessed throughout WWII and the Holocaust. The symbolism of the trial being held at Nuremberg cannot be overlooked either – the city is considered to be the ceremonial birthplace of the Nazi Party. To learn more about this and the Nuremberg Trials, check out the History Channel documentary "Nuremberg - Tyranny on Trial".