7148 - Julius Streicher Document Signed at Nuremberg, Seeking a Hebrew Translator to Defend Der Stürmer Talmud Quotations

Julius Streicher Document Signed at Nuremberg, Seeking a Hebrew Translator to Defend Der Stürmer Talmud Quotations Partly-printed DS, in German, one page, 8 x 12, November 9, 1945. Document headed, "The International Military Tribunal, Defendant's Application for Summons for Witness," made while preparing his defense for the Nuremberg trials. Streicher and his defense lawyer request testimony from "Dr. Lelck," identified as a "translator of Hebrew writings in the Sturmer publishing house," citing his knowledge that "the passages quoted in the Sturmer from the Talmud and other Hebrew writings were translated." Streicher insists that the testimony will refute claims that "the Sturmer slandered the Jews with false material." Signed at the conclusion in pencil by Julius Streicher. Backed by lightweight cardstock and in fine condition, with professional cleaning to the paper. Accompanied by a contemporary copy of a letter from the Tribunal's General Secretary W. L. Mitchell, denying Streicher's request. This application reflects one of the narrower defenses Streicher attempted to construct at Nuremberg. As publisher of the virulently antisemitic Der Stürmer, he sought to answer charges that the paper had fabricated anti-Jewish material by calling Dr. Lelck, a Hebrew translator employed by the publishing house, to attest that quotations from the Talmud and other Jewish texts had in fact been translated from genuine sources. The tribunal rejected the request outright, underscoring the weakness of Streicher’s argument: the central issue was not whether isolated passages had been translated accurately, but how Der Stürmer had used such material in a sustained campaign of hatred. Streicher was ultimately convicted of crimes against humanity and executed on October 16, 1946.