What was the primary purpose of the Nuremberg Trials?

The Nuremberg Trials (held for the primary purpose of bringing Nazi war criminals to justice) were a series of 13 trials carried out in Nuremberg, Germany (1945/1949). They were trials of the major war criminals which tried the core military and political leaders of Germany for crimes against humanity.

The Allies established the laws and procedures for the Nuremberg Trials with the London Charter of the International Military Tribunal (August 8, 1945). The charter, among other things, defined three categories: crimes against peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The city of Nuremberg in the German state of Bavaria was selected as the location for the trials because its Palace of Justice was relatively undamaged by the war (and included a large prison area).

These were trials that were held for bringing nazi war criminals to trial and for punishent