Historian: Germany's wartime reckoning earned world's respect

German historians say the Nuremberg Trials, which were established 80 years ago, on November 20, 1945, not only brought Nazi leaders to justice but also opened the door for Germany's long-term reckoning with its wartime crimes. By confronting its history of aggression and acknowledging its responsibility over the past eight decades, they added, Germany has regained international respect.

The United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and France established the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg, Bavaria, to prosecute leading Nazi war criminals. The Nuremberg Trials set a historic precedent for addressing war crimes through international legal procedures.

The Museum Berlin-Karlshorst stands at the site where Nazi Germany signed the act of unconditional surrender, marking victory in the European theater of World War II.

Museum director Jörg Morré said that although 80 years have passed, Germany still bears a historical responsibility toward all victims. It is precisely because German society remembers the suffering caused by the war and clearly recognizes the crimes of Nazi Germany that the country has been accepted again by Europe and the wider world.

"As a historian, I believe that reflection on history must never end. Since 1945, Germany has been engaged in continuous reflection on the crimes committed across Europe. Without this, Germany could not have been welcomed back by Europe and the world," said Morré.

Gurgen Petrossian, a research fellow at the International Nuremberg Principles Academy, noted that the Nuremberg Trials should serve as a model for other countries confronting their own history.

He said that the punishment of war criminals is an important warning to the world and sent a signal to the world. "It should be seen as an example of how countries can responsibly address their guilt and historical responsibilities."