Martin Bormann

Bormann apparently died while attempting to flee Berlin in May 1945, but his fate was unknown at Nuremberg. The Tribunal tried him in absentia, acquitted him on count 1, found him guilty on counts 3 and 4 and sentenced him to death. Remains discovered in 1972 were conclusively identified as his through DNA testing in 1998.

The judgment documented the party apparatus's supervision of foreign forced labourers, including a programme involving 500,000 women from the East, as well as Bormann's instructions on the employment and treatment of prisoners of war.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Directly implicated

Bormann prohibited authorities from prosecuting civilians who participated in lynchings of downed Allied airmen. The judgment linked this measure to a Goebbels propaganda campaign encouraging violence against airmen.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Directly implicated

Bormann signed an order removing Jews from the jurisdiction of ordinary courts and placing them under the exclusive authority of Himmler's police.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Bormann participated in discussions with Hitler and Rosenberg concerning forced displacement, economic exploitation and the extermination programme in the East, then placed party structures at the service of Himmler's displacement and denationalisation programme through an order dated 12 August 1942.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Directly implicated

A Party Chancellery directive under Bormann stated that permanent elimination of Jews from the Greater Reich could no longer be achieved through emigration and had to proceed through ruthless force in camps in the East.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Bormann became Rudolf Hess's chief of staff and a Reichsleiter, gaining growing influence over appointments, internal directives and communication of party decisions.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Directly implicated

Bormann circulated directives asserting the incompatibility of National Socialism and Christianity, excluded religious figures from party posts and pushed for the abolition or restriction of theology faculties and religious institutions.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Following Kristallnacht, Bormann transmitted and implemented measures excluding Jews from economic activity. On 31 May 1941, he signed the extension of the Nuremberg Laws to annexed eastern territories.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Directly implicated

Following Hess's flight, Bormann became head of the Party Chancellery. He attended the conference of 16 July 1941 at which permanent domination of Soviet territories, their exploitation and plans to enslave and annihilate populations were discussed.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Directly implicated