Winfield B. Hale Papers
This collection houses documents that Winfield B. Hale accumulated during his service as a judge at the High Command Trial held in Nuremberg, Germany between 1947 and 1948. Although the majority of the material documents the High Command Case, all of the cases except the Major War Criminals Case are represented.
The fourteen defendants in the High Command Case were charged with committing crimes against peace by waging aggressive war, conspiring to commit crimes against peace, and committing war crimes and crimes against humanity against foreign combatants and civilians. All of the accused had held high rank in the Nazi armed forces. The trial ended with thirteen defendants (Johannes Blaskowitz died by suicide on the first day of the proceedings), and all but two were found guilty of perpetrating war crimes and crimes against humanity. All, however, were exonerated of the charge of committing and conspiring to commit crimes against peace.
Dates
- circa 1946-1948
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Conditions Governing Use
The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Extent
20 Linear Feet (20 record boxes)
Abstract
This collection houses documents that Winfield B. Hale accumulated during his service as a judge at the High Command Trial held in Nuremberg, Germany between 1947 and 1948. Although the majority of the material documents the High Command Case, all of the cases except the Major War Criminals Case are represented.
Biographical/Historical Note
Winfield Berry Hale was born to Winfield Berry and Sarah Sallie Matilda (Phipps) Hale in Rogersville, Tennessee on June 25, 1890. He graduated from Cumberland Law School in 1913 and settled in Kingsport, Tennessee to practice law. Hale married Alma Brooks Phillips on November 9, 1916 in Hawkins County, Tennessee, and the couple had two children, Winfield Berry Hap Hale and Sarah Nannette (Hale) Dayton. In addition to his private practice, Hale served on the Court of Appeals from 1942 to 1958, attended the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, and served five terms on the State Democratic Executive Committee. He was also selected to serve as a judge in the High Command Trial held in Nuremberg, Germany between 1947 and 1948. Winfield Hale died on August 13, 1964 in a hospital in Roanoke, Virginia.
Arrangement
This collection consists of twenty boxes divided into two series:
- Series I: War Crimes Trials at Nuremberg other than the High Command Case
- Series II: High Command Case
Acquisition Note
Winfield B. Hale donated these records to the University of Tennessee's Special Collections in 1950.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository