7149 - Julius Streicher (2) Documents Signed at Nuremberg, Pleading Innocence in Kristallnacht: "All violence against the Jews was to be strictly avoided"

Julius Streicher (2) Documents Signed at Nuremberg, Pleading Innocence in Kristallnacht: "All violence against the Jews was to be strictly avoided" Two witness applications signed by Julius Streicher while preparing his Nuremberg defense, affixed back-to-back on a single cardstock sheet: - Partly-printed DS, in English, one page, 8 x 12, November 25, 1945. Document headed, "The International Military Tribunal, Defendant's Application for Summons for Witness." Streicher and his defense lawyer request testimony from "Wurzbacher," explaining: "On 31 March 1933 Streicher had a notice printed in the Voelkischer Beobachter...that all violence against the Jews was to be strictly avoided, and gave this order also to Wurzbacher directly...Streicher declined all participation in the Jewish Program of 8/9 November 1938 and showed himself very angry and annoyed that such deeds of violence had taken place. The direct order for the undertaking of this demonstration was given by Obergruppenfuehrer von Obernitz, who claimed to have orders from Berlin." Signed at the conclusion in pencil by Julius Streicher, and countersigned by his defense attorney. - Partly-printed DS, in German, one page, 8 x 12, November 25, 1945. Document headed, "The International Military Tribunal, Defendant's Application for Summons for Witness." Streicher and his defense lawyer request testimony from "Frau Herrwerth," explaining (translated): "I name this witness because her husband, Fritz Herrwerth, told her, on the night of 8 to 9 November 1938 or very soon afterward, of the demonstration against the Jews planned between myself and von Obernitz, and that from this account it could be gathered that I rejected all participation in and all responsibility for the intended action against the Jews." Signed at the conclusion in pencil by Julius Streicher, and countersigned by his defense attorney. Backed by lightweight cardstock and in fine condition, with a small piece of paper affixed to the lower corner of the Wurzbacher document. These applications reflect a central element of Streicher’s Nuremberg defense: an effort to distance himself personally from the violence of Kristallnacht while portraying his earlier public statements as evidence that he opposed physical attacks on Jews. By invoking both a 1933 notice against violence and witnesses who could place responsibility for the November 1938 pogrom on SA leadership acting under orders from Berlin, Streicher sought to separate his own role as a propagandist from the regime’s escalating persecution. The tribunal rejected that distinction, finding that his years of virulent antisemitic agitation in Der Stürmer had helped incite the persecution and murder of Jews; he was convicted of crimes against humanity and executed on October 16, 1946.