The Betty King Scrapbook: Europe 1946-1947
"The Nurnberg [sic] Trial, the greatest trial in history, drew us to Germany and hence to thrilling and memorable travels in Europe."
These are the first words Betty King wrote on page one of what would become a 92 page scrapbook of memories.
Betty's husband Henry T. King, (whom she called Harry) was one of many lawyers in Germany prosecuting war criminals at Nuremberg. Henry arrived in Germany in the spring of 1946 while Robert Jackson was prosecuting the first of the thirteen trials. Betty joined Henry in the fall as a military dependent.
During the year Betty spent in Europe she was immediately confronted with the struggles of daily life in war-shattered Germany. Betty was heart-sick at the conditions, but was brightened by the nation’s resiliency as theaters, opera houses, and restaurants were re-opened and thriving. In her beloved Jeep, Betty (with Henry) traveled across the occupied zones to explore the rich history and natural beauty of Europe. Of course she also had an invitation to sit in the Palace of Justice gallery. As the whole world watched the Nuremberg Trials in newsreels, Betty was there supporting her husband and witnessing the world’s most heinous war criminals receive justice as the world changing Nuremberg Trials unfolded.
It was a fascinating year of extremes. In this exhibit, you’ll see some of the highlights of the scrapbook Betty kept to remember this remarkable time.
"I Became a Dependent"
In March 1946, Henry received his appointment to join the Office of U.S. Chief of Counsel under Robert H. Jackson, chief U.S. Prosecutor in the trial of the major German war criminals in proceedings before the International Military Tribunal.
In late April, Betty writes that she and Harry "arrived at the 42nd street pier with duffle bag, small radio, briefcase and all official papers. It was rather a quiet group stepping off to an unknown future." She and only three other wives were there to wave goodbye to the ship carrying 3600 troops and 28 civilians, as they watched the USS General Taylor pull out into the river. Betty writes: "It was not very gay."
The Stars and Stripes newspaper reported in August of 1946 that there were 5,054 military dependents living in Europe, while over 16,000 authorized dependents waited for transportation. Betty waited anxiously as the military dealt with the backlog.
Betty wrote "I Became a Dependent" at the top of a page of her scrapbook, and dedicated a few pages to her frustrating ordeal to join her husband. Visit this section for the story of Betty's voyage.
First Impressions
Betty rode a train through the night from Bremerhaven to Nuremberg. She wrote home to her parents and brother about her first sights of the destruction as the sun came up.
"It had a startling effect, for it is so much worse than one can imagine from movies and pictures. As we halted at stations, the Germans stared at us expressionless, or else turned their backs on us. They are so poorly clothed and fed that it is very hard not to feel great pity for them. I rode by a packed streetcar the other day in an American Buick. I was all alone in the back seat with my fur coat on and a blanket over my feet. I found myself looking away from their stoical faces. You wonder what they did or once had."
Explore this section and see the devestation as Betty did, then see how she settled in and established a sense of normalcy in the center of turmoil.
A Dependent's Life
Life in occupied Germany was a life of extremes. "The ruins are so devastating that I find myself unconsciously not looking at them," she writes, and "the smell of dead bodies permiates the atmosphere." She says of Nuremberg, "at night it is more than ever a dead city."
But behind closed doors, in hotels and restaurants that survived the bombings, a vibrant night-life flourished. Operas, plays, orchestras, dinners and parties thrilled Betty. She writes, "We're both awfully happy and I can see no reason for returning to the States - for a long time. Was there ever anything like this?"
Visit this section to see how Betty spent her days and nights as an American in occupied Germany.
Why We're Here
Betty wrote, "Hitler had planned that Nuremberg become the headquarters of Nazism. As a seat of Nazism, it suffered some of the worst bombings of the war and is the second most destroyed city in the country. Fifteen thousand people were killed in its 11 bombings; 30,000 injured. Gauleiter Holtz, an S.S. fanatic, held out in the old city and finally committed suicide in the depths of the old castle. Two years after the war, bodies were still being uncovered in the rubble."
Betty explains that the Palace of Justice was intentionally spared from bombing, so it could be used for the trials. The world's most monstrous criminals were collected inside its walls, and Henry worked there in a second floor office. Betty was proud of her husband's work; she wrote home to tell her parents "at present I can be nothing but pure-enthusiasm - beaming from ear to ear!"
Visit this section to see some of the mementos Betty saved from this experience.
Discovering Europe
Exiting Germany for the first time near the Austrian border, Betty was struck by the beauty of a Europe untouched by bombs.
"Something about the high dry air, the sun and snow - caused Berchtesgaden to become a myriad of colors. Sometimes everything would turn a misty blue, while behind you would all be pink, and then everything would turn a lovely lemon shade. Each snowflake crystalized in the cold and shone like a diamond. One could cry with the beauty." The Kings took several trips in their Jeep and by rail.
Visit this section and see Europe through Betty's eyes as she and Henry discover life beyond the destruction of Nuremberg.
Credits
The Robert H. Jackson Center