Nuremberg: The Translator's Tale

The compelling story of the only German-Jewish translator to work with the psychiatrists in Nuremberg prison 

The Nuremberg Trials laid bare the atrocities of the Nazi regime to the world. As they awaited trial, the twenty-two surviving leaders of Hitler’s government were visited by American psychiatrists Drs Kelley and Goldensohn. Their only method of communication with the defendants was through translator Howard Triest, a German Jew who had fled Munich and fought as an American soldier in Normandy. Unbeknownst to the defendants, Triest’s parents had perished at Auschwitz. 

Helen Fry traces the events that took place in Nuremberg prison through the eyes of Triest. Combining meticulous research with intimate interviews, Fry offers a rare glimpse of life among Hitler’s inner circle during their final year and reveals candid conversations and psychological evaluations. This powerful account uncovers a story of resilience and justice—and presents a unique insight into the events behind bars whilst the world waited for justice to be played out in the courtroom.