The Daily Alaska empire., 1945-11-20
CASE OPENS;
 INDICTMENT
 READ TO 20
Recital of PIunder and Horror RetoId 10 6Ium
 Henehmen of Hitler
By DANIEL DE LUCE

NUREMBERG, Nov. 20.--A score of glum, oddly-garbed henchmen of Adolf Hitler went on trial for their lives today before the International War Crimes Tribunal and heard the reading of the lengthy indictment against them a recital of plunder and horror.
 It appeared that completion of the reading of the 35.00o-word document would require the remainder of the day.
 Rudolf Hess, an almost impish grin playing about his sunken mouth. was lined up in the dock with the NaZi defendants--20 in all The 21st, Martin Bormann. Hitlers deputy, is being tried in absentia.
 What disposition the Tribunal would make of the reports of alien ists on Hess mental condition has yet to be announced. But the form- CT Hitler deputy seemed at moments almost privilous as the proceedings got under way.
 British Lord Justive Godfrey Law renee, presiding, announced the trial would continue without the presence of Ernst Kaltenbrunner, former Nazi security police chief, who has suffered cranlel hemorrnage.
 Defenddnts Listed
 The black-gowned defense attor- neys listened intently to every word that was spoken. but their clients. as strangely garDed as cast of beg gars in an opera. exhibited varying emotions.
 From the paunchy prima donna of Nazism. Hermann Goering himself, to the quiet, relatively obscure propaganda ministrys handyman. Hans Fritzsche, the defendants lis- tened with varying emotions as lurid deed after lurid deed of the Third Reich was reconstructed in English prose.
 There were no legal furbelows at the start of the historic case in the small, oak-panelled courtroom whose windows overlook the one-time shrine city of Nazidom.
 Unique Trtal .
 Lord Godfrey Lawrence told the defendants Britain. the United States. the Soviet Union and France had been entrusted with the punisn- ment of war criminals, adding -This trial which is about to begin Is unique in the history of jurispru- dence and in importance to people all over the world"
 Sidney s. Alderman, assistant to Chief U. s. Prosecutor Justice Rob- ert H. Jackson, opened the proceed ings by reading condensed version of the indictment. His voice trcmbled with nervousness
 The defendants stared glumly dur ing the lengthy reading of the in- dictment. Hess, Ribbentrop, Kaitel and Rosenberg listened without us- ing the uransiaJors' esrp.lones pro- vided for each man on trial
 Goering, his own countenance ex- hibiting broad composure, soon re- moved his headphones. Grand Ad- miral Erich Raeder and Walther Funk. former Reicnbank presioent. continued to use the American Jranslating device.
 Goering nodded non -committally when Prosecutor Alderman referred to his overriding control of Ger many economy in preparation tor Armed aggression after i936.
 Prosecutors
 The prosecution tables were crowded Justice Jackson sat at the head of the United States delega- tion. Sir David .Maxwel-Fyfe head ed Britain's delegation while Col. Yuri Pokrovsky and Charges Dubost were sitting as temporary chief prosecutors for Russia and France.
 At Alderman's mention of anti Jewish fulminations during the pre- war period by Alfred Rosenberg. that defendant hurriedly replaced his earphones. and the No. 1 Nazi Jew-baiter sat bolt upright when he was named in the indictment.