National Socialist Military Justice and the Suppression of Resistance in Europe
Founded in 1936, the Reichskriegsgericht handed down more than 1,300 death sentences in almost 4,000 trials, most of them during the Second World War. These figures highlight the exceptional role of the highest Wehrmacht court, as a central instrument of persecution under the Nazi regime and a key player in enforcing its policies of conquest and destruction through the judiciary.
Image gallery
VISUAL ZUR AUSSTELLUNG Das Reichskriegsgericht 1936–1945
Its rulings were by no means limited to Germans or members of the Wehrmacht itself: large numbers of citizens from the countries invaded by Germany stood before the Reichskriegsgericht from 1940 onwards. They were generally people who had put up resistance to the occupation, either individually or as members of resistance organisations in their home countries. Key offences frequently tried by the court’s senates included high treason, state treason and so-called “war treason”, as well as “aiding the enemy” and espionage.
The exhibition sheds light on the legal framework, structure and personnel of the Reichskriegsgericht, but more than anything it is a tribute to the biographies of the court´s victims. Primarily based in Berlin and Torgau, the court also conducted trials at more than 40 other venues, while its sentences were enforced at execution sites, penitentiaries and camps across the entire continent.
The exhibition is on display at the German Resistance Memorial Center in the special exhibition area on the first floor from September 1, 2025, to January 10, 2026.
Touring exhibition by the ROTER OCHSE Memorial Halle (Saale) with partners in Belgium, France, Norway, Poland and the Czech Republic
Additional information
Opening Hours
Free admission
- Monday to Friday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- Saturday, Sunday
- and public holidays 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- Closed: December 24th to 26th,
- December 31st, and January 1st
Free admission
