As I’m sure you know, Speer was a very clever guy. He admitted just enough at Nuremberg to appear sincere, but not enough to get the death penalty.
At least he was forced to serve his entire 20 year sentence.
It really amazes me (and not in a good way) how many of Nazi criminals were released early for “ill health”. Then they went on to live many more years.
Disgraceful.
The one that I think should not have been hanged was Julius Streicher. He was killed for his words, not his actions, even though he may have been the most despicable of the lot.
The Soviets wanted Speer dead and were not happy that his life was spared to serve out a sentence.
There was a general amnesty by the Bonn government around 1954 I think and a lot of mid and low level Nazis and SS thugs got off scot free.
And, strangely a lot of high and mid level Wehrmacht officers and generals died between 1951 , ‘54 and ‘55.