Philippe Sands’ Diary: In Nuremberg, I’m reminded of how far we have come – and how much further some have to go

When the first international criminal trial began on 20 November 1945, it set the precedent for holding war criminals to account, and an end to impunity for mass crimes.

By Philippe Sands

Nazi defendants sit in the dock under guard in Courtroom 600, during the Nuremberg Trials, 30 September 1946 (Photo By Getty)

On 19 November, I travelled to Nuremberg for the 75th anniversary of the opening day of the famous trials. The commemorations took place in Courtroom 600 of the Palace of Justice, with Germany’s president Frank-Walter Steinmeier. My trip didn’t seem possible when Bavaria adopted a mandatory five-day Covid-19 quarantine for new arrivals. Every rule has an exception, however, and the president’s office determined that I fell into the “absolutely necessary” category, provided I had a negative Covid-19 test – which I did. The journey was swift, with Heathrow largely shuttered, which felt sad. The only flight to Frankfurt was brimming, but I was alone on the train to Nuremberg. The Grand Hotel where I stayed – and also where many prosecutors resided back in 1945 – was empty.