o f I In wa rd Tri

Reality TV?

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Television movie leaves real-life
participant comparing memories.

"We had three or four active psychiatrists
who worked at Nuremberg during the course of
the trial. They were much more important than
Gilbert, who in real life wasn't very Jewish look-
s an eyewitness to the world-famous
ing, either," Triest said. 'According to the
trial of Nazi war criminals at the end of
movie, Gilbert encompassed the whole thing as
World War II, perhaps no one was a
the key contact person between the prisoners."
closer observer of Nuremberg, TNT's
The movie also stressed the tenuous relation-
four-hour television special, aired July 16-17, than
ship between Jackson and the American judge,
Howard Triest.
Francis Biddle, but Triest didn't notice it.
Triest, 77, formerly of Oak Park, worked with the
"If there was friction, it may have been
prisoners and U.S. military personnel at Nuremberg,
behind the scenes," he said. "The trial went on
Germany, as a civilian interpreter.
for a year, and I didn't attend every session."
Discharged after a two-year stint in military intel-
Triest lauded actor Brian Cox for his accurate
ligence, he had been assigned to Nuremberg on a
portrayal of a fat and boastful Hermann Goering
temporary basis for two or three weeks "because I
(Hitler's second in command), and said Tex
needed a few more points to go home," he said from
Wheelin, Goering's personal guard, did become
his Delray Beach, Fla., home.
enthralled with his prisoner, but he wasn't alone.
"Col. Burton Andrus, who was. in charge of the
Capt. Howard Triest in Nuremberg, . 1946
"There were a lot of people enthralled with
prisoners, liked what I was doing and asked me to
Goering," said Triest. 'And if you get a little
take the discharge in Nuremberg and work as a civil-
cell she would dangle a little paper doll on a string
souvenir out of it [Nazi trinkets from the prisoner],
ian for the War Department," he said. Triest became
in front of his window," Triest said. "He hated her
you were even more enthralled." Goering ultimately
one of the chief interpreters for the psychiatrists, a
guts.
He even disrobed once to show her what he
was found dead from ingesting cyanide just before
job that lasted through the yearlong trial.
thought
of her."
his scheduled execution.
Given free access to the prison, he interpreted for
All
in
all, Triest thought the movie was a good
The sets were fairly accurate, Triest said, showing
Col. Andrus, who was played by Michael Ironside in
effort.
"If
you show it to a younger generation and it
a
stairway
to
an
upper
layer
of
cells
in
the
prison,
Nuremberg. Once the trial started, he translated for
brings across a message, I think it's good," he said.
and a walkway that led from the courthouse.
Major Douglas M. Kelley, Major Leon Goldenson
"No one will question if the actors looked like the
Triest wasn't sure about the Ten Commandments
and other psychiatrists, all of them missing from the
real people involved." ❑
plaque found on the courthouse wall that was used in
TV movie.
the movie for dramatic effect.
Nuremberg was "pretty good,
Nuremberg will air again on the TNT network noon
"I doubt that in a German
for someone who doesn't really
Saturday, July 29.
courthouse in Nuremberg, one
know that much about it or has-
of the most antisemitic cities;
n't been there," Triest said. As one
thanks to Mr. [Julius] Streicher,
who had, however, he noticed
that there would be a plaque of
some "little discrepancies."
• The final paragraph of "Opening their Arms,"
the Ten Commandments," he
While the sets were mostly
(July 21, page 16), about helping the orphaned
said. Streicher was publisher of
accurate, Triest said the pro-
Michalson
brothers, should read: "I'm very
the antisemetic newspaper Der
duction crew took its fair share
proud
of
the
Jewish community," Richard Berg
Sturmer, and one of the 22
of dramatic liberties, in plot as
said.
"For
great
causes, the community really
defendants.
well as character development.
steps
forward.
And
this is certainly a great cause."
A rabid Jew-hater until the
The movie featured a
day he was hung, Streicher
romance between chief prose-,
• After the Arts & Entertainment section went
wouldn't speak to anyone who
to press, the dates for the Counting Crows con-
cutor Robert H. Jackson (Alec
was Jewish, yet he spoke to
Baldwin) and his secretary,
certs at. Pine Knob, listed
Triest, who had blond hair.
in "Out & About," were
Elsie Douglas (Jill Hennessy)
Brian Cox, as Hermann Goering in a
"He thought I came from a
changed to Wednesday and
— "a little romantic scene in
scene from "Nuremberg."
family from Norway," Triest said.
there that I wasn't aware of,"
Thursday, Aug. 2-3.
"He told me, 'I can smell a Jew
Triest said. In real life, Jackson
• One of the photographs
from a mile away, I can see how they walk and talk. I
was in his mid 50s and died about nine years after
in "Making Music Again"
can see you come from a very Nordic race.' I just
the trial.
(July 21, page 37), shown
smiled at him and left it at that."
"We had eight judges on the bench all the time, but
at right, was misidentified.
Not everyone smiled at Streicher.
the alternate judges weren't in the movie," Triest con-
The person is violinist Bill
"We had a female prison lieutenant, very short,
tinued. The movie's characterization of Capt. Gustav
Margolin of Southfield.
little woman, not too beautiful, but very effective,
Gilbert, the Jewish psychologist played by Matt
who made it a habit that whenever she passed his
Craven, was also quite a reach.

HARRY KIRSBAUM
Staff Writer

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Pho to by Jan Thijs

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Corrections

IN-
- 7/28

2000

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