The main Nuremberg trial was the first trial before an international criminal tribunal; the trial also marked the first time that the technique of simultaneous interpretation was used in a broader context. It enabled for the proceedings to be swift, while assuring at the same time fair trial for the defendants as they could follow the proceedings in their mother tongue. Based on an overview of available resources the basic characteristics of simultaneous interpretation at the Nuremberg trials are presented, i.e. the interpreters’ recruitment, organization of the teams, technical aspects of interpretation, quality assurance, coping with psychological strain, reactions from the public, the social situation in the town at the time, etc. Some common characteristics of the interpreters are presented, along with a profile of a typical one, followed by a brief comparison of the elements of the simultaneous interpreting technique at that time and nowadays.
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