LOT #43081 |
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[World War II]. Archive of photographs taken during the International Military Tribunal of the Far East....
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Description
[World War II]. Archive of photographs taken during the International Military Tribunal of the Far East. Including (27) signed photographs of the defendants. The archive was compiled by PFC Leonard Sonenthal, a twenty-year-old assigned to the International Prosecutors Section. The twenty-seven signed photographs are all 7.75 x 9.5 in. (197 x 241 mm.) black and white images that are individually signed by each respective defendant in both English and Japanese. Also includes a scrapbook containing (191) photographs of the individual defendants, the trial, and various scenes throughout Ichigaya Court House where the trial was held. These photos are placed in the scrapbook using mounting corners, so they can be easily removed. Many have notes on the verso, likely written by Sonenthal. 190 of these photographs measure 3.75 x 4.75 inches. The last is a composite photograph of all of the defendants (measuring 4.2 x 9.2 inches), titled at top: "International Military Tribunal, Far East, Defendants." Also present are (18) negatives measuring 2.5 x 3.5 inches and (109) large format negatives each measuring 4 x 5.25 inches. Signed photographs are in fine condition; album photographs vary with minor creasing and handling, but are in overall in near fine condition.Extraordinary archive of (27) signed photographs of the Japanese defendants at the Tokyo War Crimes Trials, plus (191) photographs and (127) negatives taken at the time of the trials.
Like the Nuremberg Trials being held in Germany, the International Military Tribunal of the Far East (aka The Tokyo Trials), was convened on 29 April 1946 under the watchful eye of Supreme Commander Douglas MacArthur. Its purpose was to prosecute high ranking Japanese for three types of war crimes: "Class A" crimes were reserved for those who participated in a joint conspiracy to start or wage war, and were brought against those in the highest decision-making bodies; "Class B" crimes were reserved for those who committed "conventional" atrocities or crimes against humanity; and "Class C" crimes were reserved for those in "the planning, ordering, authorization, or failure to prevent such transgressions at higher levels in the command structure." In all, twenty-eight government officials and military commanders (and one political philosopher) were tried for "Class A" crimes. Seven of the accused were sentenced to death and the remaining defendants were given life sentences with the exception of Mamoru Shigemitsu and Shigenori Togo (Togo was sentenced to twenty years, but died in prison in 1949). The tribunal adjourned on 12 November 1948. The Tokyo Trials were not the only forum for the punishment of Japanese war criminals, but they were certainly the most visible. The Asian countries victimized by the Japanese tried an estimated five thousand, executing as many as 900 and sentencing more than half to life in prison.
The group includes signed photographs of all seven men sentenced to death: Kenji Dohihara, Koki Hirota, Seishiro Itagaki, Heitaro Kimura, Akira Muto, Hideki Tojo (two signed photographs, including one posed alongside Sonenthal), and Iwane Matsui; Nagano Osami (died of natural causes during the trial); and all defendants sentenced to prison: Shunroku Hata, Hiroshi Oshima, Kingoro Hashimoto, Toshio Shiratori, Naoki Hoshino, Kenryo Sato, Sadao Araki, Takazumi Oka, Jiro Minami, Teiichi Suzuki, Okinori Kaya, Shigetaro Shimada, Yoshijiro Umezu, Koichi Kido, Kiichiro Hiranuma, Kuniaki Koiso, Mamoru Shigemitsu, and Shigenori Togo.
Also included in the archive is a newspaper clipping from the June 21, 1946, Newark Star Ledger featuring a photo of Tojo posing with Sonenthal states that he arrived in Tokyo in January 1945. His training as a photographer landed him on the staff of the International Prosecution Section.
While in Japan, he studied languages. Also present in the archive is Sonenthal's building pass allowing him access to the "I.P.S. Photo Section," five miscellaneous business cards, his mess card for meals at Mitsubishi Main, his mess card for meals aboard the Frederick Funston United States army transport (Sonenthal notes on this card that he departed Japan on 23 November 1946), his library card for the Ernie Pyle Library in Tokyo, a court room seating chart (with rules of conduct on the verso), and a sheet listing the "Names and Literal Translations of 28 Japanese War Criminal Suspects Now on Trial at Tokyo, Japan. June 1946."
Although it is not possible to know which of the photographs were taken by Sonenthal, his assignment on the staff presented him a unique opportunity to compile what is certainly one of the most complete collection of images documenting the trial.
Provenance: The Leonard Sonenthal family.
Auction Info
2022 May 7 Treasures from the Melvin "Pete" Mark, Jr. Collection Signature® Auction #6256 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
May, 2022
7th
Saturday
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