By Mia Hasenson-Gross
On 20 November 1945, the world witnessed a historic event: the opening of the Nuremberg Trials, where leading figures of the Nazi regime were prosecuted for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes against peace. The trials marked a turning point in history and laid the foundation for international law, where for the first time, individuals (not just states) were held accountable for atrocities on such a scale.
The Nuremberg Trials: The tribunal during the pronouncement of judgement; from left to right: Alexander F. Wolchkow and Iola T. Nikitschenko (USSR), Norman Birkett and the president of the IMT, Geoffrey Lawrence (Great Britain), Francis Biddle and John J. Parker (USA), and Henri Donnedieu de Vabres and Robert Falco (France). Picture credit: National Archives, College Park, MD, USA
The Trials were a direct response to the horrors of the Holocaust and the devastation of World War II. They took place nearly exactly ten years after the introduction of the Nuremberg Laws – a chilling legal framework that institutionalised antisemitism and laid the groundwork for the Holocaust – and they represented a profound shift: from unchecked brutality to a legal framework that sought justice and reaffirmed human dignity.
Nuremberg Moment
This shift, from laws that dehumanised to trials that upheld human dignity, marks what we might call the “Nuremberg moment”: the birth of modern international human rights law – a turning point that continues to shape our world today. At the time, they were described as ‘the most significant tribute power has ever paid to reason’.
This development was deeply Jewish—not only in its origins but in its moral vision. Jewish lawyers played a pivotal role in shaping the legal architecture that emerged from Nuremberg:
- Hersch Lauterpacht, a Polish-Jewish jurist, introduced the concept of crimes against humanity, placing individual rights and responsibilities at the heart of international law.
- Raphael Lemkin, a Polish-Jewish lawyer, coined the term genocide and spearheaded the campaign for the Genocide Convention (1948), ensuring the protection of groups from annihilation.
- Monsieur René Cassin, a French-Jewish jurist, co-authored the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the cornerstone of modern human rights law. Cassin believed that human rights were not only a legal framework but a moral imperative rooted in Jewish tradition. He once said:
“Human rights are an integral part of the faith and tradition of Judaism. The belief that man was created in the divine image, that the human family is one, and that every person is obliged to deal justly with every other person are basic sources of the Jewish commitment to human rights.”
These Jewish human rights pioneers transformed the legacy of suffering into a blueprint for justice. They turned the machinery of hate into a system of accountability, replacing impunity with responsibility and despair with hope.
Legacy and René Cassin
René Cassin, the UK-based Jewish human rights organisation, honours their legacy by continuing to advocate for the rights of the marginalised and vulnerable. Whether promoting a fairer and more compassionate asylum system, campaigning for equal access to housing and healthcare, or challenging discrimination against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, we carry forward the spirit of Nuremberg.
80 Years On
As we mark 80 years since the start of the Nuremberg Trials, we are reminded that law can serve very different purposes: it can be used to oppress and destroy, or to uphold rights and protect individuals. The Jewish experience illustrates how human rights frameworks often emerge not from ideal circumstances, but in response to profound injustice. These frameworks are shaped by resilience, thoughtful advocacy, and a commitment to fairness.
Let this anniversary be a moment of remembrance and a reaffirmation of our shared responsibility to uphold human rights, challenge injustice, and ensure that the lessons of history continue to guide our actions today.
Mia Hasenson-Gross is the Executive Director of René Cassin, the Jewish voice for human rights in the UK, which works to promote universal human rights drawing on Jewish teachings, values and experience. www.renecassin.org
