Ark Valley News - Nuremberg guard sees evil

Jim Sharp with some of his great-grandchildren. The 94-year-old Manhattan man will speak in Valley Center Nov. 4.

Nuremberg guard sees evil
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: October 11, 2018

Jim Sharp looked into the eyes of some of the most despicable men in history, and he eventually saw their humanity.

"In basic infantry training, that's where you learn to hate the enemy," Sharp said. "Initially, you treated them like an enemy. Eventually, you soon learn that these guys are fathers and grandpas and had a family and you begin to realize, they're kind of a human being, too. You really weren't ever supposed to feel that way."

Sharp, 94, a World War II veteran, was sergeant of the guard at the military tribunal at Nuremberg at the close of the war in 1946, when 22 Nazi leaders went on trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Sharp, who wrote two books about his experiences, will be a guest speaker at 2 p.m. Nov. 4 at the Valley Center Library & Community Center. His appearance is sponsored by the library and the Valley Center Historical Museum.

"Since World War II, war has not solved any of our problems," said Sharp, who lives in Manhattan and whose daughter, Janet Robinson, is a longtime Valley Center resident. "It's just exacerbated them. Mankind needs to find a better way to solve problems other than bomb and kill each other. Otherwise we will destroy ourselves."

Sharp's presentation will focus on his 2012 book "Sgt. Of the Guard at Nuremberg." In it, Sharp gives a detailed account of the 4-Power International Military Tribunal, after which 11 Nazi leaders were executed. Twelve were found guilty, but Hermann Goering killed himself with a cyanide pill moments before being taken to the gallows, Sharp described in the book.

Sharp, who is from Morris County, joined the Army in 1944. He was a replacement during the Battle of the Bulge, where he was witness to some of the bloodiest fighting of the war. He earned three battle stars and was wounded near Uslar, Germany.

After Germany surrendered, he was part of the military police assigned to round up Nazi leaders for questioning.

Sharp was then chosen as one of the select guards at the tribunal.

Through the process, Sharp obtained the autographs of nine Nazi leaders who were on trial. He said he recognized the historical significance of the moment as he carried out his duties.

"I have always been a sort of a miniature history buff," Sharp said. "When I was a little kid, like eighth grade, I remember reading when Hitler started his rampage across Europe. I could not believe I was chosen guard duty for those guys just a few years later."

Sharp said he and other guards often escorted the defendants to and from meetings with their attorneys. On several occasions, he said, he was alone with defendants. That's when he got their autographs.

Sharp said that for decades following the war, he rarely talked about his experiences.

When he agreed to speak to a group of school children on Veterans Day about 20 years ago, he was surprised to discover that the young students were interested and eager to learn about what he experienced.

"I ended up writing a couple of books about it," Sharp said. "Once you start talking about it, it becomes a little bit easier each time. … Action at the front line is legalized violence, to put it mildly."

Sharp also wrote "Diary of a Combat Infantryman" in 2010 and "Black Settlers on the Kaw Indian Reservation" in 2008.

For more information about the Nov. 4 event, call 755-7350.