Justice at Nuremberg: Leo Alexander and the Nazi Doctors' Trial (St. Antony's Series)

This book traces the history of the Nuremberg Doctors' Trial of 1946-47, through the eyes of the Austrian émigré psychiatrist Leo Alexander, whose investigations helped the US prosecution. Schmidt provides a detailed insight into the origins of human rights in medical science and into the changing role of international law, ethics and politics. 'Finally we have a comprehensive recounting and analysis of one of the most remarkable chapters of World War II and its aftermath: the crimes and trials of the Nazi doctors. With the international tribunal's expert consultant Leo Alexander as the tale's focus, the intrinsically gripping story is rendered even more fascinating through the personality of this complex and flamboyant figure. Ulf Schmidt has crafted a book that is at once sensitive to historical context and unwavering in moral judgment, while drawing from sources never before utilized. Readers will have a hard time putting this book down.' - Jonathan D. Moreno, Kornfeld Professor and Director, Centre for Biomedical Ethics, University of Virginia, USA 'Schmidt has delivered a meticulously researched and beautifully written narrative of one of the most intriguing and colourful physician experts at the Nuremberg Nazi Doctors' Trial. Justice at Nuremberg is part biography and part political, social, and cultural history. It is a vivid and disturbing account of this cornerstone event of modern medical ethics.' - Michael A. Grodin, Professor of Health Law, Bioethics, Human Rights and Psychiatry, Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine, USA '... Justice at Nuremberg is a meticulously researched work that should be required reading for anyone interested in the history of medical ethics, the development of modern research ethics, or the Holocaust.' - Robert Baker, PhD, Director, Center for Bioethics, Graduate College Union University; Chair, History of Medical Ethics Affinity Group, American Society of Bioethics and Humanities, USA ' ... Schmidt has written a disturbing and shocking account of the manner in which Nazi medical experiments were exposed during the Nuremberg Doctors' Trial. The legacy of the Nuremberg Code - a landmark in the history of modern medical ethics - is of interest not only for the light its shed on the process of denazification. This powerfully argued book provides insights into the changing nature of international law and ethics and to contemporary events such truth commissions and attempts at reconciliation between states. As such it will appeal to lawyers, policy makers and historians.' - David Welch, Professor of Modern History and Director of the Centre for the Study of Propaganda at the University of Kent at Canterbury, UK '... Schmidt has produced a fine book, on one of the darkest chapters of European history.' - Robert N. Proctor, Ferree Professor of the History of Science, Pennsylvania State University, USA This book traces the history of the Nuremberg Doctors' Trial of 1946-47, through the eyes of the Austrian emigre psychiatrist Leo Alexander, whose investigations helped the US prosecution. Schmidt provides a detailed insight into the origins of human rights in medical science and into the changing role of international law, ethics and politics. In 1945, after the collapse of the Third Reich, Leo Alexander worked as an Allied investigator and exposed murderous medical experiments and other atrocities of the Nazi regime. His 'top secret' mission, meticulously documented in recently discovered diaries, provided the United States with shocking evidence to prosecute 20 German doctors and three administrators for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Nuremberg Doctors' Trial held in 1946-47. The legacy of Nuremberg was profound. In the Nuremberg Code - a landmark in the history of modern medical ethics - the judges laid down for the first time international guidelines for permissible experiments on humans. One of those who helped to formulate this code was Alexander. Ulf Schmidt's discoveries reveal how modern medicine became the subject of greater accountability. He provides powerful insight into the origins of human rights in medical science and into the changing role of international law, ethics and politics. Schmidt argues that Justice at Nuremberg was replaced by a stream of medical suffering during the Cold War but also concludes that the legacy of Nuremberg is more relevant today than ever - that the protection of the lives, dignity and rights of humans is what really matters "In 1945, after the collapse of the Third Reich, Leo Alexander worked as an Allied investigator and exposed murderous medical experiments and other atrocities of the Nazi regime. His 'top secret' mission, documented in recently discovered diaries, provided the United States with evidence to prosecute 20 German doctors and three administrators for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Nuremberg Doctors' Trial held in 1946-47. The legacy of Nuremberg was profound. In the Nuremberg Code - a landmark in the history of modern medical ethics - the judges laid down for the first time international guidelines for permissible experiments on humans. One of those who helped to formulate this code was Alexander. Ulf Schmidt's discoveries reveal how modern medicine became the subject of greater accountability. He provides insight into the origins of human rights in medical science and into the changing role of international law, ethics and politics. Schmidt argues in Justice at Nuremberg that medical suffering continued throughout the Cold War but also concludes that the legacy of Nuremberg is more relevant today than ever - that the protection of the lives, dignity and rights of humans is what really matters."--BOOK JACKET.

Justice at Nuremberg traces the history of the Nuremberg Doctors' Trial held in 1946-47, as seen through the eyes of the Austrian bliogémigrbliogé psychiatrist Leo Alexander. His investigations helped the United States to prosecute twenty German doctors and three administrators for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The legacy of Nuremberg was profound. In the Nuremberg code--a landmark in the history of modern medical ethics--the judges laid down, for the first time, international guidelines for permissible experiments on humans. One of those who helped to formulate the code was Alexander. Justice at Nuremberg provides a detailed insight into the origins of human rights in medical science and into the changing role of international law, ethics and politics.

Justice at Nurembergtraces the history of the Nuremberg Doctors' Trial held in 1946-47, through the eyes of the Austrian emigre psychiatrist Leo Alexander. His investigations helped the United States to prosecute twenty German doctors and three administrators for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The legacy of Nuremberg was profound. In the Nuremberg code - a landmark in the history of modern medical ethics - the judges laid down, for the first time, international guidelines for permissible experimentson humans. One of those who helped to formulate the code was Alexander. Justice at Nurembergprovides a detailed insight into the origins of human rights in medical science and into the changing role of international law, ethics and politics Front Matter....Pages i-xiv Prologue....Pages 1-18 The Austrian Jew....Pages 19-33 The Émigré....Pages 34-72 The War Crimes Investigator....Pages 73-104 The Road to Nuremberg....Pages 105-159 Constructing the Doctors’ Trial....Pages 160-198 The Nuremberg Code....Pages 199-263 Post-war Medical Ethics....Pages 264-297 Back Matter....Pages 298-386 This volume traces the history of the Nuremberg Doctors' Trial held in 1946-47, through the eyes of the Austrian emigre psychiatrist Leo Alexander. His investigations helped the United States to prosecute 20 German doctors and three administrators for war crimes and crimes against humanity. This volume traces the history of the Nuremberg Doctors' Trial held in 1946-47, through the eyes of the Austrian emigré psychiatrist Leo Alexander. His investigations helped the United States to prosecute 20 German doctors and three administrators for war crimes and crimes against humanity