On Monday 27th February our Year 11 Historians joined the jury for Hitler’s trial at The Corn Exchange, Newbury! Delivered by School History Scene, the courtroom drama asked students to imagine that Adolf Hitler was captured by British Special Forces in 1942 and put on trial in a British court, for charges drawn up by the International Military Tribunal: crimes against peace; war crimes; and crimes against humanity.
Dillon reported back, “The trip began with us all getting an informative lecture on how to properly answer exam-style questions. We were then shown a play that showed how a court case might have played out had Hitler not killed himself in 1945. The best thing I took away from Hitler on Trial was the more obscure information from the actors portraying the Nazis who were close to Hitler.”
Whilst the Prosecuting Counsel attempted to prove that Hitler’s main aim from the beginning was to prepare Germany for a war of aggression and conquest, the Counsel for the Defence tried to justify Hitler’s actions by calling witnesses who expressed that rearmament was only one of Hitler’s aims. Calder commented, “I think the best thing about Hitler on Trial was the acting of the people on stage and that the events described were easy to understand and still very detailed.” Anna echoed, “The performance shed a lot of light on the many facets of Nazi Germany.”
Revealing the broader context of the political, economic, social, and cultural govern of Germany in the 20’s and 30’s, the thought-provoking afternoon was complete with a grade-booster workshop with explanation as to the thinking behind exam specifications and how to improve exam performance. “I think it was helpful to learn about what is required in both the content and format of our answers.” reflected Olivia.
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