Courtroom 600. Witnesses of Nuremberg - Instytut Pileckiego

Eighty years after the beginning of the landmark Nuremberg Trials (November 1945), a documentary audio series “Courtroom 600. Witnesses of Nuremberg” restores the voices of those who stood on the margins of great history.

Rather than focus on the criminals or reconstruct the proceedings, the series lends the microphone to the “invisible” participants: witnesses, interpreters, reporters, psychologists and stenographers. It tells the story of the price paid for witnessing evil and of justice that lingers in language and memory many years after the verdict is delivered.

Concept and production

The project was coproduced by the Pilecki Institute and the Reportage Studio of the Polish Radio. The audio series consists of six episodes (25–30 minutes each) available in both Polish and English. The sound design goes beyond simply illustrating the script. The narrator, Danuta Stenka, is “the voice of the space” – Courtroom 600 itself, which “remembers every word”. The music composed by the cellist Dobrawa Czocher and subtle audio details (breathing, footsteps, the rustle of paper) create an intimate sense of proximity and moral tension. The production also features unique archival materials held by the Polish Radio and contemporary interviews with staff of the Nuremberg archives.

Six perspectives on Nuremberg: series structure

Each episode focuses on one person, exploring the impact of the trial on their professional and moral lives:

1. Observer – Prof. Tadeusz Cyprian (Poland): A lawyer and photographer, a member of the Polish delegation. He fought for the Polish cause to be presented with dignity. For him, Nuremberg marked the moment when war ceased to be a matter of politics and became a crime.
2. Witness – Seweryna Szmaglewska (Poland): A writer and Auschwitz survivor. Her testimony gave the proceedings a more human dimension in juxtaposition to the dry facts. The episode analyses the difficulty of speaking about trauma, contrasting it with a rich social life behind the scenes of the trial.
3. Psychologist – Douglas Kelley (USA): A psychiatrist who examined the Nazis and arrived at the terrifying conclusion that they were “normal”. His findings were deeply unsettling, as they showed that the line between good and evil lies within the heart of every single person.
4. Reporter – the voice of the world: The perspective of a reporter covering the trial for an international audience. The episode focuses on the challenge of translating the language of hatred and mass atrocities into everyday press reports, which had to reach the conscience of people all over the world.
5. Interpreter – the voice of justice: At Nuremberg, simultaneous interpreting was born. The heroine of the episode faces a dilemma: how to retain professional impartiality and composure while becoming the literal “voice” of the criminals whose words have to be interpreted in real time?
6. Stenographer – a record of memory: The silent presence in Courtroom 600. Her job was to record every word, pause and emotion accompanying the trial. The episode explores the physical and psychological costs of becoming a “live recorder” documenting the darkest chapter of the 20th century.

Historical context and present-day relevance

The Nuremberg Trials were a milestone in the development of international law, laying the foundations for the prosecution of crimes against humanity. However, as Dr. Joanna Nikel from the Pilecki Institute observed, “The trials had their limitations – the crimes of the second aggressor, the Soviet Union, remained unpunished, and the country served as one of the prosecuting states at Nuremberg.”

For Martyna Wojtkowska, the author of the script, the project seeks to answer questions about historical justice in the face of contemporary conflicts. In a world shaken by disputes over accountability, “Courtroom 600” asks how language and interpretation shape the truth and who really bears the burden of justice.

“Courtroom 600. Witnesses of Nuremberg” audio series

• Author of the script: Martyna Wojtkowska
• Narration: Danuta Stenka
• Music: Dobrawa Czocher
• Sound design: Michał Czajkowski
• Editing: Alicja Głów
• Creative producer: Bartosz Panek
• Executive producer: Katarzyna Lesisz
• Cooperation: Pilecki Institute, Reportage Studio of the Polish Radio