The photos and documents presented here were selected from the files of Paul M. Hebert, who served as Dean of the Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center from 1937 until his death in 1977. Between 1947 and 1948, Hebert was appointed as a judge for the United States Military Tribunals in Nuremberg. As judge for the Tribunals, Hebert most famously presided over the I.G. Farben trial (Case Six), concerning the use of slave labor, and is well-known for his lone dissenting opinion, in which he disagreed with the majority’s acquittal of fifteen of the twenty-three named defendants who were members of the Vorstand, the principle governing corporate board of I.G. Farben.
Hebert’s Nuremberg files, as well as many of his professional and personal papers, now reside in the Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center Library.
-
Procedural errors
Paul M. Hebert
This letter describes a major procedural error made in the trials. The Tribunal set procedures for the admissibility of evidence from affidavits based on technical rules of evidence, rather than basing their procedures on provisions stated in Military Government Ordinance No. 7.
-
Scheduling Memo
Paul M. Hebert
In this memo Paul M. Hebert sets forth a proposed schedule for Tribunal meetings to ensure that they finish their business before 1 August, 1948. Tribunal VI faced one of the most difficulty cases before the Tribunals and there was great pressure to get things over with.
-
Schneider note
Paul M. Hebert
Notes on the testimony of defendant Schneider. He claims to have had no responsibility for acts performed by his subordinates.
-
Slave labor
Paul M. Hebert
This document is a set of notes on various aspects of Fritz ter Meer's testimony before the tribunal. The first and longest section deals with the issue of slave labor at Auschwitz and summerizes ter Meer's two visits to the camp. The second section deals with ter Meer's knowledge about Farben's production of Cyclon B (Zyklon B). Third section deals with the degree of complicity of the various members of the Vorstand in conspiring to aid the German war plans.
-
Standards for judgement
Paul M. Hebert
This document is an outline establishing the criteria by which the defendants are to be judged under the counts filed against them. These counts include conspiracy to prepare for and wage aggressive wars, both militarily and economically; involvement in plans to profit from the acquisition of plants and raw materials; and participation in the enslavement and mass extermination of foreign nationals.
-
Suggested by Buetefisch testimony
Paul M. Hebert
In this document Paul M. Hebert attempts to define exactly how much exposure to information about criminal acts individual members of the Vorstand would have recieved. The individual members could be expected to be cognizant of the the activities of Farben that were under their immediate control but, he argues, their detailed knowledge of the activities of other parts of the organization probably would not have been that great.
-
Unanswered questions
Paul M. Hebert
This document brings up points of law that were not addressed by the International Military Tribunals that could have bearing on the I.G. Farben case. The first dealt with the issue of conspiracy to wage aggressive war. The second deals with the nature of the war between Germany and France and the United Kingdom. The third deals with the question as to whether propaganda activities could be considered to be an act of aggression.
-
War materials
Paul M. Hebert
This document summarizes Paul M. Hebert's thoughts as to what can be inferred from the testimony of Fritz ter Meer when it comes to Farben's knowledge of and complicity in German rearmament plans in the 1930's. Hebert believed that they knew full well what the ultimate goals were and worked to position themselves to profit from these plans.
-
Response to Hebert Memo (Morris)
James Morris
This memo is a response to Judge Hebert's memo concerning accelerating the business of the tribunal so that they may be finished before August 1, 1948.
-
Response to Hebert Memo (Shake)
Curtiss G. Shake
This memo is a response to Judge Hebert's memo concerning accelerating the business of the tribunal so that they may be finished before August 1, 1948.
-
Conspiracy
Paul M. Hebert
In this document Paul M. Hebert defines the term "conspiracy" then outlines the early financial support given to Hitler by Farben.
-
Contributions
Paul M. Hebert
This document links the Farben officials to the German war plans as far back as 1935. Paul M. Hebert also notes that Farben gave financial aid to groups that were key to the German annexation of Czechoslovakia.
-
Crimes against peace
Paul M. Hebert
Note written by Judge Hebert outlining the factors defining the charge of "crimes against peace".
-
Duerrfeld testimony
Paul M. Hebert
These are notes made during the testimony of the defendant Walter Duerrfeld, Director of Construction at the I.G. Auschwitz facility. This set of notes is incomplete and only mentions his activities at Auschwitz until the end of 1942. Duerrfeld's membership in the Nazi party is also touched on and his impressions of the town and environs of Auschwitz are mentioned.
-
Economic support
Paul M. Hebert
This document points out that the military plans of government officials are just idle dreams with out the support of the industrial base of the country.