Overview
- Description
- Session 27. Witness Abba Kovner, Vilna Ghetto leader. Kovner was commander of the partisan underground organization, founder of the "Bricha" (escape), poet and writer, and activist in Israel's cultural and public life. Abba Kovner is standing in front of microphones, testifying to the court. He is midsentence when the tape begins. He talks of the various efforts to inform the world and the other ghettos of the purpose of their ghetto. He is stopped before he discusses too much.
00:02:01 The court asks him about a German non-commissioned officer named Anton Schmid. Kovner responds that he was a non-fascist officer of the Wehrmacht sympathetic to the resistance. He was the one who first talked of Eichmann, but would not say more than he was the head organizer. Schmid was executed by the Gestapo two months later. Kovner attempted to get this information to Moscow and then the world by using couriers, but they failed. He tells their story, and then describes what various papers from the ghetto are.
00:13:36 Kovner relates that he obviously cannot tell everything he knows, but he wants to relate one story. He tells, at first with difficulty, then with pride, of his wife, who lived outside the ghetto with Aryan papers for a time as a teacher of Catholic kids. She worked with the underground, becoming the first to destroy a train in Lithuania. He tells of the pain it caused to send her out, not knowing if she would ever return. He then explains the meaning behind their watchword of "Liza ruft" (Liza is calling).
00:20:36 Kovner describes his fighting force within the ghetto, especially their elected commander Itzik Wittenberg. Wittenberg was given up by a man named Kozlowski, and the SS came looking for him. They got him, chained him, and began to remove him when resistance fighters ambushed the Gestapo and freed Wittenberg. The Germans decided to retreat to outside the ghetto, and then demanded Wittenberg be brought to them or they would destroy the entire ghetto.
00:26:08 The ghetto erupted into panic at the news. Kovner wrote a leaflet saying that there was no sign that the Nazis would act, which he knew was a lie, and that they must mobilize and fight. Kovner tells the story of the struggle to contain the panic of the ghetto. He has much difficulty in telling this story as it goes on. Wittenberg then decided to turn himself in after appointing Kovner the new commander of the fighting force. He was tortured.
00:34:10 Kovner affirms that everything he has said today is truth, but it is not the "whole truth" considering that he cannot say everything that happened. The Judges explain that it is the "whole truth" with respect to the questions asked, and he did just that. He explains the "three walls" that was discussed at some point in earlier testimony. He explains one more prior remark, describing the feeling of hope that perhaps you would not share the same fate as everyone else. Kovner is asked if the Nazis deliberately promoted this feeling, and he replies "Of course the Germans systematically" before being cut off by shots of the leaving crowd.
00:39:03 Slate reading "Eichmann Trial 4.2.2. NTSC-PAL" followed by a repeat of the last two questions, and again the answer is cut off by footage of the crowd leaving. Kovner is shown smoking and talking to people. Fade to original slate of filmmakers. - Film Title
-
Eichmann Trial
- Duration
- 00:42:58
- Date
-
Event:
1961 May 04
Production: 1961 May 04
- Locale
-
Jerusalem,
Israel
- Credit
- Accessed at United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of The Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archives of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- Contributor
-
Director:
Leo Hurwitz
Producer: Capital Cities Broadcasting Corporation
Subject: Abba Kovner
Producer: Milton Fruchtman
Camera Operator: J. Kalach
Camera Operator: Emil Knebel
Camera Operator: J. Jonilowicz
Camera Operator: F. Csaznik
Camera Operator: Rolf M. Kneller
- Biography
-
Born in Sebastopol, Russia, in 1918, he was educated in the Hebrew high school in Vilna and in the school of the arts. At a very young age he became a trainee in the "Hashomer Hatzair" Youth Movement. In 1940-41 when Vilna wast the capital of the Soviet Republic of Lithuania, Kovner was a member of the undergorund organization. After the German occupation in June 1941, Kovner hid with a few friends temporarily in a Dominican convent in the city's suburb. After he returned to the ghetto and became aware of the killing of thousands of Jews, Kovner expressed the idea of revolt and began to build a Jewish force to fight against the Nazis. On the night of December 31, 1941, Kovner read before a meeting of delegates of all Jewsih Youth Movements the following public announcement: "Hitler is plotting to destroy all European Jews. Lithuanian Jews will be the first in line. Let us not be led like sheep to the slaughterhouse. It is right, we are weak and without defense, but the only answer to the enemy is resistance!" It was the first time that Jews were called to defend themselves with arms. On January 21, 1942, the "United Organization of Partisans" was founded in Vilnus. This organization was comprised of memebers of the various youth movements in the Vilna Ghetto. Kovner was a leading member, and after the Chief commander was caught in July 1943, he became the head of the organization. In the days of the last deportation from the Ghetto to the extermination camps, Kovner supervised the escape of the organization fighters to the woods. In Rodniky woods he commanded the Jewish Unit composed of Ghetto fighters and the "Nakam" squadron from the Jewish camp. After the liberation, Kovner remained active in the "Bricha" movement. In 1945 he called on members of the "Eretz Israel Brigade" to support and perform the activities of the "Nakam" (revenge) on the responsible murderers of the Jewish people during the Holocaust. He was arrested and deported to Israel. In 1946 he joined his wife and partner in underground activities, Vitka Kampner, along with other partisans at kibbutz "Ein Hahoresh." He was active during Israel's Independence War in the famous "Givati" brigade. At the end of the war Kovner dedicated most of his time to writing both prose and poetry. Kovner died in 1987.
Emil Knebel was a cinematographer known for Andante (2010), Adam (1973), and Wild Is My Love (1963). He was one of the cameramen who recorded daily coverage of the Eichmann trial in Jerusalem (produced by Capital Cities Broadcasting Corp and later held academic positions in Israel and New York teaching filmmaking at universities. Refer to CV in file.
Physical Details
- Genre/Form
- Unedited.
- B&W / Color
- Black & White
- Image Quality
- Good
- Time Code
- 00:00:21:00 to 00:43:19:00
- Film Format
- Master
Master 2038 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
Master 2038 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
Master 2038 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
Master 2038 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large- Preservation
Preservation 2038 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
Preservation 2038 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
Preservation 2038 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
Preservation 2038 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
Rights & Restrictions
- Conditions on Access
- You do not require further permission from the Museum to access this archival media.
- Copyright
- Public Domain
- Conditions on Use
- To the best of the Museum's knowledge, this material is in the public domain. You do not require further permission from the Museum to reproduce or use this material.
Keywords & Subjects
Administrative Notes
- Legal Status
- Permanent Collection
- Film Provenance
- Capital Cities Broadcasting Corporation recorded the proceedings of the Adolf Eichmann trial in 1961. The original recording was made on two-inch format videotape. One set of videotapes contained selected portions of the trial for distribution to television stations. The "selected portions" version remained in Israel and was later turned over to the Israel State Archives. Capital Cities Broadcasting retained the set of videotapes containing the complete trial proceedings at offices in New York City until 1965, when they gave the videotapes to the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith. The Anti-Defamation League, in turn, gave the complete set to the Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1972. With a grant from the Revson Foundation, Hebrew University transferred the two-inch videotapes to U-Matic format. During the transfer process, Hebrew University created three duplicate sets. One set was given to the Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive, one to the Israel State Archives, and one set to the Jewish Museum in New York City. In 1995, the Israel State Archives transferred the trial footage to digital videoformat with a grant from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office. Three subsequent digital videotape copies resulted from this transfer of footage. The Israel State Archives retained one digital copy and a second set was deposited at the Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The Steven Spielberg Film and Video Archive at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum received the third set of digital videotapes in May 1999.
- Note
- See official transcripts, published in "The Trial of Adolf Eichmann", Vol. I-V, State of Israel, Ministry of Justice, Jerusalem, 1994. Also available online at the Nizkor Project.
- Copied From
- 2" Quad
- Film Source
- Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive
- File Number
- Legacy Database File: 2132
Source Archive Number: VTEI 125 - Special Collection
-
Steven Spielberg Film and Video Archive
- Record last modified:
- 2024-02-21 08:05:23
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- https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn1001558
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Also in Adolf Eichmann Trial Collection
After World War II, Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann fled from Austria and made his way to Argentina where he lived under the name Ricardo Klement. In May 1960, Israeli Security Service agents seized Eichmann in Argentina and took him to Jerusalem for trial in an Israeli court. Eichmann testified from a bulletproof glass booth.The Eichmann trial aroused international interest, bringing Nazi atrocities to the forefront of world news. Testimonies of Holocaust survivors, especially those of ghetto fighters such as Zivia Lubetkin, generated interest in Jewish resistance. The trial prompted a new openness in Israel; many Holocaust survivors felt able to share their experiences as the country confronted this traumatic chapter. Israeli attorney general Gideon Hausner signed a bill of indictment against Eichmann on 15 counts, including crimes against the Jewish people and crimes against humanity. Capital Cities Broadcasting Corporation recorded the proceedings of the Adolf Eichmann trial in 1961. The original recording was made on two-inch format videotape. One set of videotapes contained selected portions of the trial for distribution to television stations. The "selected portions" version remained in Israel and was later turned over to the Israel State Archives.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 104 -- Cross-examination of the Accused re: Hungary
Film
The footage begins in the middle of Session 104. Eichmann is shown examining a document. Cross-examination by Attorney General Gideon Hausner begins with questions about the deportation of Jews from Budapest, including the number of people deported and the deportation of Jewish children. Hausner asks about proposals made by Blaschke to Kaltenbrunner for the redirection of trains from Auschwitz to Austria.This is a reference to the "Blood for Goods" transaction, which was the attempt by members of the Hungarian Jewish Relief and Rescue Committee to negotiate with the SS for the exchange of one million Jews for trucks and other materials. Only one trainload of people made it to Switzerland. Kasztner, the leader of the mission, is mentioned. Hausner asks about an "illegal transport" by Eichmann's Sonderkommando, in which Eichmann arranged for a deportation without the knowledge of Germany's official mission in Hungary (00:12:42). Eichmann attempts to shift blame by insisting that the loading was done by the Hungarian gendarmerie. Hausner asks if Eichmann remembers the detention of Jewish functionaries in Budapest. Hausner asserts that Eichmann detained the Jews because a previous deportation had been recalled by Hungarian regent Miklos Horthy after complaints from the Jewish group (00:18:45). Eichmann defends himself by saying that he did not have the trucks to do this sort of operation (Eichmann may here be referring back to the trucks to be exchanged for Jews in the Kasztner mission) and Hausner asserts that the gendarmerie gave him the trucks (00:20:32). During the translation there is a medium shot of Judge Halevi. Eichmann is asked about his feelings about the escape and rescue of Jews from deportations and replies with a reference to the Freudiger group. Hausner then asks about comments Eichmann made to Wilhelm Sassen regarding his inability to keep up with the pace of deportations in Hungary. Hausner cites quotes in which Eichmann compared the deportation in Hungary with the ease of those in Denmark and Holland, referring to the Jews of Hungary as being offered to them like "sour beer" (00:29:08). This section duplicates footage from the beginning of Tape 2182. Hausner asks about Eichmann's role in the proposal of a foot march from Budapest to Vienna and asserts that the idea originated with Eichmann, which Eichmann denies (00:40:35). There is a brief break in the video. Footage resumes with Eichmann reading a quote from the Sassen document which suggests his intent to carry on with deportations despite the destruction of the rail line by the allies. He accepts the fact that he did propose a foot march [death march] but insists that his involvement consisted in the planning of food and rest depots and that it was Winkelmann who came up with the actual proposal (00:55:21). There is a disruption in the courtroom and Presiding Judge Landau demands order (00:57:46). Hausner accuses Eichmann of heading up the foot march, which Eichmann denies and Hausner, quoting from Sassen, states that Eichmann and others even celebrated it. Eichmann asks the court to allow him to explain himself further and Judge Landau says that he will be allowed to explain but that now he should simply answer the question.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 44 and 45 -- Red Cross report
Film
Witness Ernst Recht is sworn in and questioned by Bar-Or. Recht describes the concentration of the Jews into central locations in Prague and the confiscation of their house keys by authorities prior to their deportation. He describes the documentation and confiscation of the property from their homes to be sent to Germany. Recht refers to this as the "Kramer Operation." Recht describes his appointment to the Council of Elders and the Trusteeship Office in Prague and his contact with Guenther (00:07:26). He says that representatives from Berlin came to inspect confiscated carpets in 1943. Bar-Or asks him about a warehouse of confiscated books and a special depot filled with rare books. One day Guenther received a letter sent by a person named Andre concerning the special collection. Guenther was very angry that Andre knew about the collection, which he wanted to keep secret for his own purposes. Bar-Or asks Recht to look at a report about 10,000 Jewish homes in and around Prague. Recht describes how these homes were sealed following the deportations and says that many man-hours were needed to clear the apartments (00:17:43). Shots of the documents, including the report on the homes, a photo of a furniture warehouse, paintings/portraits (00:24:56), and a bookstore. Recht notes that many of these items went through a restoration process. Session 45. The video starts in the middle of the session and begins with the decision to admit into evidence an excerpt from the official report by the International Red Cross concerning their visit to Theresienstadt and a reception in Prague where Eichmann was present (00:30:32). The representatives had asked to tour Bergen-Belsen but the visit never took place. Part of the proceedings is missing and the footage resumes with the testimony of witness Viteslav Diamant, who was sent to Theresienstadt in 1941 and worked there as a camp electrician (00:36:12). There are various shots of Eichmann and Dr. Servatius. There is a section of the proceedings missing and footage resumes with testimony from witness Adolf Engelstein, who was sent to Theresienstadt in January 1943. He says that he received orders directly from Eichmann to build barracks in a forested area (00:42:53). He was also ordered to build a special scaffold that would accomodate three people. Bar-Or asks about new orders he received to hermetically seal openings in the "Small Fortress" not far from the main camp (00:51:17). Engelstein describes rumors that circulated that they were making gas chambers in Theresienstadt (00:58:40). Bar-or asks him whether he remembers the International Red Cross visit to the camp (01:00:44). Eichmann takes notes.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 100 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
Film
The camera fades in on a long shot of the courtroom. Attorney General Gideon Hausner and Assistant State Attorney Gabriel Bach can be seen standing at the prosecution table to the right and the camera zooms into a medium shot of the two men. Assistant to the Attorney General Ya'akov Robinson enters (00:01:46) and talks with Hausner and Bach. The camera cuts to Eichmann entering the booth carrying documents and escorted by three Israeli guards (00:02:25). From another long shot of the courtroom defense counsel Robert Servatius can be seen entering the courtroom (00:03:25). The camera then cuts to a medium shot of Servatius seated at the defense table. All rise as the judges enter the courtroom (00:05:38) and the attorneys bow to the judges (00:05:45). Judge Landau opens the one-hundredth session of the trial (00:06:25). Hausner continues the cross examination of Eichmann by questioning him about whether or not Rolf Günther, his deputy, was present at the Wannsee Conference (00:06:51) and if the accused's notation at the conference that eleven million Jews were to be liquidated was correct (00:09:48). Eichmann denies Günther's presence at the conference (00:07:01), stating that he must have been mistaken when he wrote it in his memoirs, and that it was only later he found out that the number stated at the conference was wrong but that at the time he believed it to be correct in reference to the number of Jews in Europe (00:09:56). Hausner continues, asking Eichmann about Reinhard Heydrich receiving Alfred Rosenberg's proposal called "Brown Folder" shortly after the Wannsee Conference (00:12:26), Heydrich's disagreement with Rosenberg's draft (00:13:05), and request for corrections. The accused states that he does not remember the proposal and only read about it recently. Eichmann is asked whether the corrections made to the "Brown Folder" project reflected the decisions made at the Wannsee Conference (00:15:17). There is a long discussion concerning the amendments made to the "Brown Folder" proposal during which Hausner presents a document showing that Heydrich indicated to Rosenberg that Eichmann would make the corrections to the proposal (00:16:29) which Eichmann denies having done stating that had he made the corrections he would have initialed the document. The accused notes that the corrections made to the document are in the handwriting of a typist from department IIA2 (00:17:39). When asked whether he is disputing the fact that Heydrich named him to make corrections to the document, Eichmann states that he does not deny it (00:24:11). The discussion concerning corrections made to the "Brown Folder" draft continues and Eichmann repeatedly denies having made the amendments. Footage cuts (00:32:17 to 00:33:22) Footage resumes without missing any of the session. Eichmann is further questioned about his role in amending the draft for the "Brown Folder" project. Hausner asks the accused if the project was in reference to the Final Solution (00:36:30) and contained directives in all spheres of life for the Eastern Territories including the Jews (00:46:43). The time codes change from 00:50:08 to 09:07:09 and continue from the new time code to the end of the session. The following footage is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2167 (at 00:00:25). Hausner asks the accused whether he read Friedel's report on the Bialystok matter and notes that Friedel states that the order to liquidate the ghettos came directly from department IVB4 (09:07:15 and on Tape 2167 at 00:00:45). Eichmann testifies that Bialystok was part of the incorporated Eastern Territories and his section merely had to carry out the deportations ordered by Heinrich Himmler (09:07:52 and on Tape 2167 at 00:00:58). Hausner asks Eichmann to indicate on a map (hung on the wall to the left of the accused's booth) the territories incorporated into the Reich (09:09:15 and on Tape 2167 at 00:02:21). Judge Landau allows the accused to move out of the booth and go over to the map. Eichmann is escorted out of the booth by guards and given a pole to indicate places on the map (09:10:11 and on Tape 2167 at 00:03:15). There are shots of Eichmann pointing to the map and of the audience watching him. The camera cuts to a larger shot of the courtroom and people can be seen watching Eichmann from the balcony (09:10:35 and on Tape 2167 at 00:03:41). Eichmann is unable to locate Bialystok on the map and Hausner approaches and points to the city on the map with the queue (09:12:44 and on Tape 2167 at 00:05:48). The Attorney General proceeds to present two publications noting the boarder changes of Europe during World War II (09:13:12 and on Tape 2167 at 00:06:21). There is a brief summary about the possession of Bialystok during the war followed by a notation by Hausner that it was not until 1942 that the Political department in concentration camps was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Economic-Administrative Head Office. Hausner further states that as far as assignments and the release of prisoners from concentration camps is concerned that responsibility stayed with the Reich Security Main Office and did not change (09:17:03 and on Tape 2167 at 00:09:21). There is a technical problem with the simultaneous translation (09:18:03 and on Tape 2167 at 00:14:40). Servatius asks whether only the geographical portion of the documents being presented by Hausner will be used as evidence (09:19:25). Hausner begins to proceed with the cross examination and Judge Landau notes there is still a problem with the translation (09:21:33). The camera cuts to a shot of the technician's booth (09:22:23 and on Tape 2167 at 00:15:29). The interpreter begins to translate Hausner's previous statement in German (and on Tape 2167 at 00:15:51). Cross examination of the accused continues with Hausner noting that control over assignments to concentration camps did not change when the Economic-Administrative Department took over control of the concentration camps (09:23:09). A report from Odilo Globocnik is presented to the accused indicating that Operation Reinhardt has been concluded because resettlement has ended (09:24:19). Hausner tells the accused that the document means that all the Jews had been sent to concentration camps. There is a medium shot of the translator as Hausner's statement to the accused is translated into German (09:25:03). Hausner further notes that later in the document, dated 3 November 1943, that all workers were sent to labor camps (09:27:26). Eichmann acknowledges that the reference in the first part of the document means that the Jewish Question had ended (09:25:36). As he looks in the document for the second portion indicated by Hausner, Judge Landau corrects the Attorney General stating that the document reads "withdrawn from the labor camp" (09:28:39). Hausner recognizes the correction and notes that the document refers to the liquidation of the last inmates from Majdanek- that Globocnik was reporting that the extermination camps had been liquidated in the General Government (09:28:47). Eichmann testifies that although he had nothing to do with this matter he agrees based on the document (09:29:50). Reading on, Eichmann is told that the concentration camps have been handed over to the jurisdiction of the Economic-Administrative Department and Hausner asks the accused whether he agrees that until November 1943 the camps were controlled by the Reich Main Security Office (09:30:58). Eichmann denies the claim and goes on to suggest that Globocnik and Heydrich may have been involved in this matter (09:32:11).
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 100 and 101 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
Film
There are shots of the courtroom, Eichmann in the booth, and medium shots of people in the audience. All rise as the judges enter the courtroom (00:35:45). Judge Landau opens the one-hundred first session of the trial (00:36:06). Attorney General Gideon Hausner presents a document to the court as proof of Heinrich Himmler's appointment to the Ministry of the Interior (00:36:28) and proceeds with the cross examination (00:39:20) asking Eichmann if Theodor Dannecker carried out his orders in Italy. The accused states that he had nothing to do with Dannecker's actions in Italy. Hausner proceeds to ask Eichmann about various activities he was involved in including whether the deportations of Norwegian Jews was organized by his department (00:42:24), why he went to Denmark (00:42:54), and if he was angry at Werner Best for the failure of the operations in Denmark (00:44:06). There is a long discussion on whether or not Eichmann was angry about the failed Denmark campaign. Cross examination continues with Hausner asking the accused about instructions he gave to prevent priests from visiting Jewish labor camps (00:51:42) and his refusal to allow two brothers, Heinz and Alexander Bondi, to leave for Sweden citing security reasons (00:54:52). Eichmann testifies that the Bondi case did not involve security reasons but the Security Police instructions and bans issued by Himmler (00:55:51). Hausner notes that the accused did not refer to instructions or orders but to reasons of security and Eichmann replies that he could not authorize any exceptions (00:57:37). Judge Halevi and Landau question the accused on this matter noting that in the same document in which the Bondi children are refused permission to emigrate, three people are authorized to go to Sweden. The English translation for this last section is partially given. The translation of Eichmann's answers to both judge's questions are delayed and only a portion of his answers are translated into English. Judge Landau and Judge Halevi's questions are immediately translated into English.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 111 -- Prosecution continues summing up
Film
Session 111. 00:01:05 Tape begins with a nearly empty courtroom. Eichmann and Servatius talk over their private microphone line; we cannot hear what they are saying. 00:05:55 Judges enter. Session 111 is opened. Hausner discusses an interview with one of Eichmann's subordinates concerning the emigration of a certain family. This proves that Eichmann's office had the authority to decide which camp or ghetto a person went to. 00:11:49 The affidavit of the SS judge who issued a warrant for the arrest of Eichmann is discussed by Hausner, but this warrant was soon eliminated by Himmler because Eichmann was on a "special mission for the Fuehrer." The witness Six described him as having a free hand with Jewish affairs with a unique position. 00:17:06 Tape jumps to duplicate footage on Tape 2215, with Hausner saying that because of Eichmann's position at the beginning of the war, he is responsible for these actions of the Nazis. He says that Eichmann is guilty of being a part of every section of the extermination. 00:22:24 Hausner cites a case that decided that sending someone to an impending death is accessory to murder. This makes Eichmann, who organized the trains and knew that they were being used to commit a crime, an active accessory in murder. He cites another case where passing on an order that results in murder is an accessory to murder. The only exception is someone who vocally disagrees with those orders before passing them on, and Eichmann did nothing of the sort. 00:39:43 Hausner cites another case, this one features a lowly staff officer attempting to instigate crowds to lynch downed Allied pilots. The staff officer was found guilty of murder. Eichmann, despite his low rank, outranked this staff officer.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 111 -- Prosecution continues summing up
Film
Session 111. The Attorney General Hausner continues summing up the case of the Prosecution. He lists the criterions for guilt from another case and applies them to Eichmann. He says that Eichmann deported people without authorization, showing that he acted on his own. 00:11:30 Hausner reads various reasons why the General Government had no control over any of the camps, nor could they even know what they were for, thus showing that the camps could only fall under the auspices of the SS and Eichmann. He says that Eichmann's claims of having no part are based on lies. 00:23:22 Eichmann's role as a conspirator is analyzed. The roundup and deportation of the Jews as told by witness Lichtman is described. Then, he reads an account of the death marches, and another witness' description of Jewish stars, along with Eichmann's admittance that his office planned that marking system. He then describes the humiliation of those sympathetic to the Jews. 00:34:56 Hausner begins describing the plight of the Jewish children and the intelligencia. He tells a story of a child that was interviewed in a camp and his longing for his mother. 00:42:46 Details about torture in the camps, followed by shots of the obviously distressed crowd. The "torture of the top" is described, along with other pastimes of the Germans, such as forcing the disabled to carry stones and shooting them or strangling and sharpshooting victims. 00:50:02 Rudolf Hoess' orders concerning the beginning of the Final Solution and his contact with Eichmann are discussed. Hausner reads the organizational beginnings of the Final Solution as created by Eichmann, the various instances where Eichmann was made aware of the Jewish situation, and the portions he admitted to in testimony and cross-examination.
Eichmann Trial -- Excerpts from session 94 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
Film
Footage begins late in Session 94 with cross-examination of Eichmann by Attorney General Gideon Hausner. This section of Session 94 concerns Eichmann's authority to make decisions about deportations. Not shown in the footage, Hausner has presented meeting minutes taken byTheodor Dannecker, in which Dannecker wrote that Eichmann had decided to deport French children (Jews) to Auschwitz as soon as it became possible. Hausner attempts to get Eichmann to admit that this was his decision alone and Judge Landau repeats Hausner's question when the accused fails to give a concrete answer (00:02:49). Eichmann goes on to assert that Heinrich Himmler gave the order (00:03:02). Hausner questions Eichmann about why Dannecker used the word "decided" to descrbe Eichmann's role. Eichmann states that Dannecker was well aware hat he did not give instructions on his own initiative and always consulted the Department Chief first. Hausner asks Eichmann if he reprimanded Roethke when he could not put a transport train together (00:12:48). Eichmann replies that he himself would have been reprimanded if a transport train failed to make its journey. Judge Landau restates the question, but (00:18:48) the English translation is delayed. Eichmann testifies that he has nothing more to add because what he said was the truth. Judge Raveh asks that some of the geographical questions raised earlier in the session be clarified and suggests that the court review a map that had been submitted by the prosecution (00:26:08). Judge Landau adjourns the session (00:27:08) and all rise as the judges exit the courtroom (00:27:14). Eichmann exits the booth (00:27:25). There are shots of the courtroom and of members of the prosecution conferring. The camera lingers on Servatius as he gathers documents.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 85 -- Written testimonies from Germany presented to the court re: Communists, questions, self-reliance
Film
Session 85. This tape includes the presentation of the records of testimonies of the following witnesses, but their names are not mentioned on the tape: Wilhelm Hoettl, Walter Huppenkothen, Eberhard von Thadden, Hans Jüttner, Theodore Horst Grell, and Kurt Becher. All of these individuals were witnesses for the Prosecution. An affidavit is being read, saying that Hitler included Communist leaders along with Jews in the laws, and this was the basis for the first executions of the Jews. The affidavit says that Generals refused to follow the order to execute Russian commissars and treated them as common prisoners. It continues to say that Eichmann was very active supervising all of this. 00:09:37 Tape jumps. The Judges discuss reading the questions into the record, not just the answers of the affidents. Dr. Servatius cites a few sections of this affidavit to submit. The President of Court scolds the translators for not having these documents ready. 00:23:25 The Prosecution is then allowed to submit sections of the affidavit, and these are read into the record. This includes a statement saying that the heads of offices were the highest authority in all things. It claims that Eichmann was attached to his office only in a formal sense, that he had access to everything and answered only to Mueller.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 110 and 111 -- Hausner sums up for Prosecution
Film
Sessions 110 and 111. Judges enter the courtroom and open Session 110 of the trial (duplicate footage on Tape 2211). 00:02:07 Hausner begins summing up his case. He says that this is the trial of one of the ghoulish personalities which history will forever remember. He reminds everyone of the struggles of the witnesses, of Auschwitz, of religious leaders being degraded, of torturous activities, of murder. He says that man cannot create a nightmare so terrible, and yet it happened, created by Eichmann. He says that after hearing all this, Eichmann got his turn, and 16 years later he does not have one ounce of remorse or regret, and speaks of the suffering of the German people. He does not believe in regret, yet believes that his oath of loyalty justifies his actions. 00:10:36 Hausner continues, saying that Eichmann denied proven facts as he poured over the documents. He has recanted his own statements and confessions. He has said that documents are forged. He dramatically asks in whose mold have these Nazis been cast? He says that they have been stripped of human compassion, unable to return to normalcy; they are so wrapped in documents and orders. He says that if there is regret, it is because their task was not completed. They could not think morally. They were enthusiastic to carry out the orders they believed in: the Final Solution. 00:20:40 Hausner, continuing, asks how this happened. He says that a hate-filled dictator can lead his followers wherever he chooses. This created a people who crushed those beneath them and obeyed those above them. These people, in the eyes of their friends and colleagues, remained normal people, even good citizens. He says that Eichmann wanted to hang himself in public as a warning to future generations, which was so different when he wrote of the Final Solution and said that he would jump laughing into the grave at the end of the world, meaning that it was all verbiage. Eichmann admitted to relapsing into his old ways while living in hiding; he would believe in racist murder though there was no leader above him. 00:29:25 Hausner, continuing, asks that when the time comes to judge Adolf Eichmann, keep in mind the connection of the evidence to the statements and accusations via the proofs that will be admitted. He says that the Holocaust DID happen, that it all did happen, and Eichmann did not dispute a single witness who told only a small fragment of what went on. Eichmann blames everyone else for this though. He references the quote of a child who asked his mother if they could cry yet, and compares the horrors to Dante's Inferno. He says that he will prove that Eichmann aided, abetted, and planned the crime committed by the SS. He was in charge of the practical application of the crimes in all sectors. 00:30:54 Tape jumps, Hausner cites that when first captured, Eichmann said he did not recognize the name of his division. He changed his statement when he saw the documents against him. He attacks the "defective" memory of Eichmann, citing numerous instances where Eichmann has "forgotten" large events, but can remember meticulous details of other things that are advantageous to his case. 00:37:40 Tape jumps, Hausner is talking about the alleged inability of Eichmann to leave the SS. He cites numerous examples of people who moved to other departments and possibilities Eichmann must have had. 00:43:06 Hausner is speaking, citing decisions from Ulm that decided that duress is not an excuse for murder. He also cites that bodily harm in the case of refusing to cooperate is also not an excuse for murder (duplicate footage on Tape 2213). 00:43:52 Tape jumps, Hausner describes the process by which the conspiracy occurred, beginning with the Madagascar Plan that Eichmann attempted to use in his defense. He details it, and suggests that perhaps his anger concerning that plan's rejection, and led to his creation of the next plan. 00:49:03 Tape jumps, Hausner says that Eichmann is quoted as saying he was a large part of transporting Jews to the camps for extermination. Hausner begins his conclusion. He asks the court that if Eichmann is decided to be a liar, that the debunked documents be readmitted as evidence. Even if he is not, there is enough evidence to convict him (duplicate footage on Tape 2214). 00:53:55 Tape jumps, Hausner says that Eichmann swears he is innocent, yet is willing to take the blame upon himself (duplicate footage on Tape 2214). 00:54:44 Tape jumps, Hausner says that they have the Chief of Staff of the extermination. If that is true, they have orders from above and underlings below, but he had to carry out this order willingly. He quotes the Sassen memoirs where Eichmann said he could give orders to all of the Gestapo and foreign officers, and in cross examination he said that he could only give instructions. Hausner accepts this, but instructions are still binding, and he had planned all of this. 00:58:30 Hausner continues, saying that because of Eichmann's position at the beginning of the war, he is responsible for these actions of the Nazis. He says that Eichmann is guilty of being a part of every section of the extermination.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 110 and 111 -- Prosecution continues summing up
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Sessions 110 and 111. Hausner discusses the Defense's two worlds, that of the suffering and those in power. These two worlds collided. He uses a quote from the Torah to compare the worlds. He says that Eichmann was described as a chasm of hate, and is stone-hearted. 00:06:56 Tape jumps, Hausner says that Eichmann tries to convince the court that he found satisfaction in his job in Berlin. However, the only time he ever mentioned a transfer was at this time and then only in his personal papers. As early as 1938, he was an indispensable expert and the Gestapo refused to move him. 00:11:45 Tape jumps, Hausner describes the change in policy following the fall of Poland, to concentrate all Jews for the purpose of extermination. 00:13:50 Tape cuts to slate, resumes in the middle of the previous statement where Hausner says that the Final Solution was a top secret, involving moving all of the Jews into camps in the area of the General Government and prepare them for "the coming steps". 00:15:54 Hausner says that Eichmann tried to distance himself from the Wannsee Conference, it was only in court did he become daring enough to deny an official document as a forgery, this was only after he denied ever being there to the police. He says that these statements do not hold up under examination. 00:18:58 Tape jumps, Hausner talks about a mother who tried to keep her child alive while in the snow on a death march, with the child losing her hands and feet to frostbite. This was before the liquidation of the Jews was ordered; this was Eichmann's doings early in his career. 00:21:35 (Duplicate footage on Tape 2215) Hausner cites that when first captured, Eichmann said he did not recognize the name of his division. He changed his statement when he saw the documents against him. He attacks the "defective" memory of Eichmann, citing numerous instances where Eichmann has "forgotten" large events, but can remember meticulous details of other things that are advantageous to his case. 00:28:19 Tape jumps, and the crowd is getting seated. The Judges tell Hausner that he can continue. Hausner talks about the alleged inability of Eichmann to leave the SS. He cites numerous examples of people who moved to other departments and possibilities Eichmann must have had (Duplicate footage on Tape 2215). 00:33:55 Hausner speaks, citing decisions from Ulm that decided that duress is not an excuse for murder. He also cites that bodily harm in the case of refusing to cooperate is also not an excuse for murder (Duplicate footage on Tape 2213). 00:34:42 Tape jumps, Hausner discusses the friendship between Eichmann and Hoess. He says that there is no reason for Hoess to shift blame to Eichmann. He then continues to say that Eichmann admitted to not having psychological problems in doing his job. He says that Eichmann was the only one who was the head of a department that dealt with all of the Jews, whose job was to eliminate a people. If this was all that was known about Eichmann, it would still be enough to convict him, but they know so much more. There is much evidence that Eichmann acted fanatically towards this goal. 00:42:09 Tape jumps, Hausner gives a few final remarks. He calls attention to the margin note written by Eichmann suggesting that Serbian Jews be exterminated by shooting that Eichmann says is forged. Hausner suggests that if that were the case, his position would need to be so exalted that the mere mention of his name was authoritative enough to be worth forgery. 00:45:15 Hausner says that they have the Chief of Staff of the extermination. If that is true, they have orders from above and underlings below, but he had to carry out this order willingly. He quotes the Sassen memoirs where Eichmann said he could give orders to all of the Gestapo and foreign officers, and in cross examination he said that he could only give instructions. Hausner accepts this, but instructions are still binding, and he had planned all of this (Duplicate footage on Tape 2215). 00:47:35 Tape jumps, Hausner talks about the tracks to Sobibor and that sending transports towards there signs their death warrants. He points out that Eichmann always says "my department" and "my office" indicating his ownership of it. He had to have known what they were doing. 00:51:51 Tape is interrupted by a slate and resumes halfway through the previous statement. Hausner describes Eichmann's apparent power, especially his ability to negotiate and threaten the leaders of nations. 00:56:55 Hausner gets through the materials he had brought for that session, and the court decides to adjourn.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 83 -- Servatius examines Eichmann re: Denmark, Norway, Serbia
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The footage begins in the middle of the session. Judge Raveh questions Eichmann about the reaction of his department to the failure of the attempted deportation of Danish Jews. The judge also asks Eichmann whether he and others in his department attempted to shift the blame for the failure of the operation, and why Eichmann traveled to Denmark. Servatius begins his presentation of documents about Norway (00:05:12). The documents cover the compulsory registration and deportation of Norwegian Jews as well as the transfer of Jews to Sweden. Judge Landau adjourns the session (00:15:45) and all rise as the judges exit. Eichmann exits and the defense and prosecution teams confer and then leave the courtroom. There are views of the audience. The camera focuses on the unidentified woman who had been sitting next to Servatius at the defense table, then zooms in on the empty booth (00:17:37). The footage resumes to show Eichmann sitting in the booth looking at documents. A man examines documents at the prosecution table. Attorney General Gideon Hausner enters and sits at the prosecution table (00:23:47). All rise as the judges enter the courtroom (00:25:09). Judge Landau asks Dr. Servatius to continue his examination. Servatius questions Eichmann about Serbia. The first document he presents concerns "illegal" border crossing by German Jews into Yugoslavia (00:27:07). Eichmann explains the term "normal" emigration to the judges. Servatius introduces a telegram to the Foreign Ministry, signed by Veesenmayer and Benzler, which recommends the immediate arrest and removal of all male Jews from Serbia (00:35:12). The camera cuts between Servatius presenting these documents and Eichmann, in the booth, examining the documents. Judge Raveh points out a discrepancy in one of the documents (00:38:48). Benzler reports that the accommodation of Jews in labor camps in Sabac (in Serbia) is impossible and suggests that they be deported to the Generalgouvernement or Russia. A hand-written note attributed to Eichmann suggests that the Jews be shot. This duplicates footage found on Tape 2108 (at 00:38:47) but is less complete on this tape.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 84 -- Examination of the Accused re: Greece, Bulgaria, Romania
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Footage begins in the middle of Session 84. Servatius presents documents on Greece beginning with an order from Eichmann to Wisliceny for the deportation of all the Jews in Athens and Greece in general to Auschwitz. Eichmann states that he did not give these orders (00:02:19). A large section of the proceedings is missing. Servatius introduces an invitation from Rademacher to a meeting in Berlin for "Jewish Specialist Officers" to discuss technical matters relating to concentration camps, including visits to certain camps. Eichmann cites another document about the same meeting in which there is no mention of visiting camps (00:07:18). Some of the session is missing and footage resumes with Servatius presenting a telegram from Ambassador Sonnleithner to the Foreign Ministry noting that the eight thousand Jews from Rome are to be transferred to Mauthausen. Eichmann states that he had nothing to do with this matter. When asked who from the Security Service was in Rome, the accused names Dannecker and Bosshammer. The next document introduced is a letter from von Thadden to Eichmann referring to a protest from the head of the German Catholic Church in Rome, Bishop Hudal (00:15:27), to the arrest of the Jews in Rome. Eichmann states that he could not issue any orders himself, but merely pass the document on to his superior, Mueller and await Mueller's instructions. Servatius ends his discussion of Italy. Servatius, the judges, and Hausner discuss at some length the procedures to be used when incorporating testimonies from abroad into the court record. Landau then asks Servatius to continue with his examination of the accused (00:40:27). A large section of the proceedings are missing. Footage resumes with Servatius presenting a document from Luther stating that Ludin had informed him of the departure of three trains carrying six-hundred to one-thousand Jews from Pressbourg, Slovakia. Judge Halevi asks the accused (00:41:32) whether he made the preparations for the departure of these three trains. There is a section of testimony missing. Servatius presents a letter from Ambassador Ludin to the Foreign Ministry noting that Papal Nuncio, Monsignor Burzio, came to protest the Jewish deportations and suggests that the Slovakian Jews be deported as soon as possible. Eichmann says that he does not remember any part of this document. A portion of the proceedings is missing and footage resumes with the presentation of more documents and Eichmann discusses the hierarchy of command in Budapest. Some of the session is missing but the film continues with Servatius submitting a document from von Thadden to Veesenmayer ordering trains and timetables to be arranged by Eichmann's section. The last documents presented refer to the finalization of the deportation of fifty-thousand Jews from Hungary to labour camps. Judge Landau asks to adjourn for the day (01:00:52) and all rise (01:01:45) as the judges exit. The camera shows the defense and prosecution standing and then Eichmann exiting the booth.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 85 -- Written testimonies from Germany presented to the court re: following orders, cruelty, numbers killed, and Himmler
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Session 85. This tape includes the presentation of the records of testimonies of the following witnesses, but their names are not mentioned on the tape: Wilhelm Hoettl, Walter Huppenkothen, Eberhard von Thadden, Hans Jüttner, Theodore Horst Grell, and Kurt Becher. All of these individuals were witnesses for the Prosecution. Dr. Servatius reads a conversation of a meeting with Eichmann, where he seemed strained, offered him alcohol, and sat down to talk to him saying that he believed that the German war effort was doomed, and that the Allies believed him to be one of the chief war criminals. He said that the number of Jews killed was a top secret of the Reich, but Eichmann said that it was close to 6 million, 4 million of which killed in camps, the rest in shootings of special operations groups and other things. Eichmann said that Himmler's estimations were higher. He also gave no apology and showed no remorse concerning the Jews. He notes that Eichmann drank heavily. 00:17:16 Tape jumps. An affidavit is being read into the record concerning Eichmann's offices, his range of effectiveness, and his business trips. 00:23:39 Tape jumps. An affidavit is being read into the record, claiming that the affident was unable to discern if Eichmann worked on his own or if he was following orders. Everything was signed by Eichmann or one of his subordinates. 00:27:47 Tape jumps. An affidavit is being read into the record, with another affident saying that it was unclear to them whether or not decisions made by his department were Eichmann's decisions or if they were made by his superiors. He describes Eichmann as cruel. He claims that the Foreign Office was working on a cruel plan, but he could not say whether or not they were created by Eichmann. This involved the deportation of all the Jews of Budapest to an island on the Danube without proper preparations. 00:33:15 Tape jumps. An affidavit is being read into the record, concerning a conversation where Eichmann said that the enemies regard him as the foremost war criminal, with the lives of six million enemies of the Reich on his hands. He said that he considered having more enemies a measure of more respect, highlighting his ambition to give rise to his personal significance. He had just received the Iron Cross 2nd Grade, and was not drunk at the time. 00:35:28 Tape jumps. It is announced that this is the Kurt Becher testimony. Dr. Servatius is reading the last sentence of it, saying that the witness was informed of the questions he was to be asked before they were asked. He says that this is a strange procedure to assess a witness. The President of Court wants to know where Dr. Servatius got this information, and how long before questioning that Becher knew the questions. He says that the Representative of the Prosecution said as much, and he had the questions days in advance. Attorney General Hausner says that was not true, it was a decision by a judge in Bremen. Debate ensues on how this happened, why this happened, and how it will be addressed. 00:49:44 Tape jumps. The Judges are conferring on a document as the rest of the courtroom waits quietly. The Judges decide that Becher's knowledge of the questions ahead of time invalidates it, but they accept it regardless, warning themselves of this fact when relevant. 00:51:40 The trade proposal -- Jews for trucks -- is discussed, saying that Himmler gave no opinion other than to "Get out of the Jews whatever you can." The affidavit says that Eichmann was a convinced National Socialist and an anti-Semite. The affident said that Himmler screamed at Eichmann, saying that he must deal with Jews considerately instead of exterminating them, saying that he must follow the orders of Himmler.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 52 -- Testimony of Pinhas Freudiger
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The footage begins in the middle of the proceedings with witness testimony from Pinhas Freudiger. Freudiger gives an account of his escape to Romania and from there to Palestine. Defense attorney Dr. Robert Servatius poses questions to Freudiger about the ban on railway travel for Jews. He is asked who issued the orders to set up the Kistarcsa camp, as well as about arrests and the severity of anti-Jewish legislation in Hungary and Germany (00:04:14). Freudiger is further cross-examined by Servatius about a report he wrote with Alexander Diamant and Yohanan Link describing Hungarian anti-Jewish legislation (00:08:55) and the level of brutality of the Hungarian gendarmerie (00:15:02). Servatius attempts to shift blame from Eichmann by suggesting that the fate of Hungarian Jewry was the responsibility of Laszlo Endre, an official with the Hungarian Interior Ministry (00:18:57). Judge Raveh asks Freudiger how he came up with his statistics of the number of deported Hungarian Jews (00:21:32). Examination of the witness then turns to the report, created by two Slovaks who had escaped Auschwitz. Freudiger testifies about the subsequent attempts by Rabbi Weissmandel and himself to send warnings about the extermination of the Jews throughout Europe and abroad. He explains how they asked the British and American armies to bomb Auschwitz (00:26:15). Judge Halevi questions the witness about his meetings with Eichmann concerning ghettoization in Hungary (00:27:12). Freudiger is asked to read from testimony given by Wisliceny stating that Eichmann hated Freudiger and had planned for his deportation and how Wisliceny aided Freudiger in escaping. Testimony continues with Freudiger recounting how difficult it was to pass information about Auschwitz to the outer provinces of Hungary (00:39:42). Attorney General Gideon Hausner submits a report discussed earlier in the proceedings and Freudiger tries to identify the document (00:42:14). There is some confusion about the statistics presented in the report and Freudiger is only able to verify two pages of the document. Freudiger completes his testimony and leaves the stand. Judge Landau calls a recess and all stand as the judges exit (00:54:11). Eichmann is escorted out of the booth. There are various shots of the lawyers packing and talking to one another as well as views of the audience leaving the courtroom. The footage cuts out from 00:55:58 to 00:56:35 and resumes with defense attorney Dr. Robert Servatius and an unidentified man in glasses conferring by the defense table. The man leaves and Servatius takes notes. An unidentified man enters and sits at the prosecution table (00:57:40). There is a close up of Servatius taking notes and a pan to the empty booth. Various shots of the courtroom, the prosecution and defense tables. The unidentified man returns and confers with Servatius.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 83 -- The Defense submits documents re: Croatia and Greece
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Session 83. Dr. Servatius reads a statement by Rademacher saying that the Jews are not expected to resist after a number of hostages are shot. "In my view, with the necessary firmness and decisiveness, it ought to be possible to keep the Jews in camps also in Serbia. If the Jews there continue to stir up unrest, more stringent martial law must be imposed on them. I cannot imagine that the Jews will continue to conspire, once a considerable number of hostages have been shot." He reads about transferring the Serbian Jews to concentration camps. He then reads a memorandum for a meeting with the Foreign Ministry concerning the removal of the Free Masons and the Intelligencia from Serbia along with 8,000 Jews. 00:12:12 Dr. Servatius begins asking questions concerning Croatia. He submits a chart that Eichmann approves of, along with a document saying that the Croatian government agreed to deportations. A report from a Police Attaché in Zagreb to the Office of Reich Security detailed how this was going to be done. Debate concerning the translation of certain words ensues. 00:22:43 A report from a Police Attaché in Zagreb to another Croatian office is submitted. It approves the relocation of the Jews, they discuss the immediate stages of the deportation, and mention that another officer from Reich Security takes full responsibility for the actions. The authority of this Reich Security officer is debated. 00:28:03 The order for the deportations of all Jews in areas occupied by the Italians is submitted, this order was given, according to Eichmann, given by the head of another department; he never gives a name. 00:39:29 Deportation of Jews from German occupied territories is discussed. A letter concerning Guenter sent to the office in Athens is submitted. Eichmann says that Gunter was sent to assess the implementation of the Final Solution and the laws concerning Jews there, but he could not have ordered such things. 00:49:45 After some debate concerning a date, a document concerning whether or not the military acted on its own accord is submitted. Letters of people describing the beginnings of the deportations and the reasons for it are submitted, but not read.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 109 -- Submitting more evidence
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Session 109. Eichmann plays with his pen (mute). Servatius argues for an unidentified piece of evidence. The Judges decide that it is not directly related to Eichmann and should not be dealt with in this case. Hausner begins discussing a document involving communications between offices of the Reich. 00:10:08 Servatius objects to the submission of another document after a break in the recording. Hausner requests to submit a book about Lidice children from Puszykowko titled "The Children Before the Death Gates of Chelmno." He summarizes the parts of the book he would like to submit. 00:19:59 Servatius requests that the document be rejected for having been submitted too late. It is too late to find credible witnesses and for the Defense to make their own investigation. The Judges argue that he mentioned submitting this book with an earlier piece of evidence, but he was held off until at least the end of the Defense's testimony. No real decision is made on this. 00:26:00 Hausner tries to submit one last piece of evidence, a document that contradicts Becher's statement, saying that the original testimony that Becher redirected a train to from Switzerland to Bergen-Belsen was refuted, and that the witness knew that Eichmann did it. The Judge and Hausner discuss the validity and the importance of this document. Matters of procedure are discussed, including a postcard and photo that did not receive an exhibit number, the minutes of a prior session, and photocopies of certain pieces of evidence. 00:42:10 The Judges ask when the testimony of Rudolf Vrba was first mentioned. The Secretary checks and says it was Session 72. Dr. Servatius agrees with the decisions on the postcard and photo, it is admitted to evidence. 00:45:08 There is a 20 minute break, the Judges promise to return with decisions on the outstanding matters. Shots of the courtroom and people milling about.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 99 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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Session 99. Cross-examination of the Accused on methods of extermination (continued), his visits to concentration camps, his visit to the Warsaw Ghetto and concerning persons involved in the extermination of Polish Jewry.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 109 -- Slawik affidavit and related questioning
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Session 109. Shots of Eichmann's empty booth. He enters. 00:06:35 Judges enter the courtroom. They begin the 109th Session of the trial. The Slawik affidavit is read for the Defense. The witness, Alfred Josef Slawik, was a servant of Eichmann's in Budapest. He says that he never heard of any cases where a Jew was mistreated. He discusses numerous things that Eichmann has been accused of doing in his time at the villa, and says that all of them are false. 00:19:51 Hausner points out that Slawik says he was employed by Eichmann for only a few months in a single place. 00:20:48 Dr. Servatius says that this testimony was not available when he questioned Eichmann as a witness, he asks if he could ask a few questions, and he is allowed. 00:22:49 Eichmann is asked about and says that he does not remember a man named Keitel, but he was told about him. Dr. Servatius asks about Keitel's execution for shooting an old woman. Eichmann says that he never heard anything, and he would have had to have been informed of such things. Keitel must have brought him an amphibious vehicle, and then became superfluous, he does not remember him. Servatius concludes his questioning. 00:29:37 Hausner asks about Eichmann having three drivers, as said in Slawik's testimony. Eichmann says that's not exactly true. There was a drivers pool from which he would pick one, and over time, one would drive him regularly, and at times Eichmann would drive himself, but he never had three drivers at one time. Eichmann acquired an amphibious vehicle from a special supply of the SS where he pulled some strings after his car, an Opel, gave him some issues. The driver who came with it soon left him. Eichmann said he never needed an amphibious vehicle and did not ask for one, but used it for motorsport and enjoyed it. Eichmann admits that it is strange that Slawik knew about these things and he did not. 00:41:00 Servatius has no need for more questions. Tape goes black and starts at 00:41:37 with the previous question being answered by Eichmann. Servatius is asked about a document he had previously not yet read. He submits a series of documents which have already been mentioned. The court deliberates concerning whether or not these documents can be submitted at this time. 00:50:18 An affidavit by the witness Geza Lakatos is accepted by the court. The judges then converse. Some discussion ensues concerning the incorrect numbering of some documents. He gives copies of the excerpts from a book by the Organization of Anti-Fascist Fighters about the Lidice children he submitted into evidence the previous day. The court has a problem with the book's statement of authenticity. Hausner discusses the translation of the word 'sonderbehandlung.' Whether or not this affects the testimony about Lidice children by the witness Krumey is discussed (duplicate footage on Tape 2206).
Eichmann Trial -- Session 109 -- Slawik affidavit and the completion of evidence
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Session 109. Dr. Servatius is asked if he still has the testimony from witness Alfred Josef Slawik (duplicate from Tape 2207). He was a servant of Eichmann's in Budapest. He says that he never heard of any cases where a Jew was mistreated. He discusses numerous things that Eichmann has been accused of doing in his time at the villa, and says that all of them are false. 00:13:07 Hausner points out that Slawik says he was employed by Eichmann for only a few months in a single place. 00:13:55 Dr. Servatius says that this testimony was not available when he questioned Eichmann as a witness, he asks if he could ask a few questions, and he is allowed. 00:16:04 Eichmann is asked about and says that he does not remember a man named Keitel, but he was told about him. Dr. Servatius asks about Keitel's execution for shooting an old woman. Eichmann says that he never heard anything, and he would have had to have been informed of such things. Keitel must have brought him an amphibious vehicle, and then became superfluous, he does not remember him. Servatius concludes his questioning. 00:22:33 Hausner asks about Eichmann having three drivers, as said in Slawik's testimony. Eichmann says that's not exactly true. There was a drivers pool from which he would pick one, and over time, one would drive him regularly, and at times Eichmann would drive himself, but he never had three drivers at one time. Eichmann acquired an amphibious vehicle from a special supply of the SS where he pulled some strings after his car, an Opel, gave him some issues. The driver who came with it soon left him. Eichmann said he never needed an amphibious vehicle and did not ask for one, but used it for motorsport and enjoyed it. Eichmann admits that it is strange that Slawik knew about these things and he did not. 00:34:11 Servatius has no need for more questions. Tape goes black and starts at 00:34:28 with Servatius stating that they have completed their case. Hausner submits an affidavit by Rudolf Vrba. Changes need to be made to the record, the Judges work on that silently. 00:38:10 The Vrba affidavit just made it to the court, and the Prosecution attempts to submit it. The topics of the Vrba affidavit are summarized by Hausner, including his time in Auschwitz and his estimates on the number of victims there. The ability of the Prosecution to submit the affidavit at this time is discussed at length. 00:44:42 Tape jumps and the Judges are giving a decision on certain paragraphs for admissions of evidence. They allow certain sections of the submitted evidence. 00:53:05 Hausner submits the approved passages of a book about Puszykowko into the record. All of the evidence has been submitted, Hausner wishes to have some time to think about the Summing-Up section of the trial. It is granted, and they will resume a few days later. 01:01:35 Court adjourns.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 25 and 26 -- Testimony of Z. Lubetkin, Y. Zuckerman, A. Berman, R. Kuper
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Sessions 25 and 26. Eichmann sitting in his booth. The Judges open Session 25 and present Decision 14. This decision notes the appeal of witness interrogation abroad as certain witnesses would be arrested under the Nazi Collaborators Punishment Law of 1950, should they appear in Israel. Presiding Judge, Moshe Landau refers to Decision 11, which states that foreign courts may acquire testimony from restricted witnesses for the purpose of the Eichmann trial. There is a blip at 00:07:08. Hausner questions Zivia Lubetkin Zuckerman, a resistance fighter in the Warsaw Ghetto about the conditions in the ghetto, as well as the activities of the Jewish fighting force. Lubetkin describes a Warsaw ghetto revolt: "The Great German heros withdrew in tremendous panic in the face of handmade Jewish hand-grenades and bombs." Following another blip at 00:20:32, Hausner asks Lubetkin about her assumptions concerning the end of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. There is a blip at 00:21:51. Witness Yitzhak Zuckerman, a resistance fighter in the Warsaw Ghetto and husband to Zivia Lubetkin Zuckerman, recounts the day he learned about the horrible conditions in Vilna: "They were putting to death Jews of Vilna in Ponary which had been a scene of my childhood. I merely wanted... to explain the terrible shock that overtook me." Zuckerman continues to describe his memories of Jewish death and Nazi actions. Court is out of session following a blip at 00:27:04. There is much background noise, and Eichmann is absent from his glass booth. After another blip at 00:30.39, Zuckerman answers questions about a suggested resistance action to set fire to the Warsaw Ghetto and be burned alive within. Blip at 00:30:39. Hausner questions witness Dr. Adolf Avraham Berman, former director of the head office of the Jewish Psychological and Psychotechnical Institution in Poland (CENTOS). Berman states: "We wanted to make the melancholy, and terrible life of tens of thousands of children easier... our watchword was naturally to save our children from hunger and death. We did not save them." Berman describes Nazi actions against Jewish children. He recounts Janusz Korczak, a beloved teacher and orphanage director in the Warsaw ghetto, leading the children in his care to Nazi trucks. Korczak refused to leave the children, and accompanied them in transport. Berman states: "100,000 children of the Warsaw Ghetto were killed by the Nazi murderers. More than 100,000 children met their bitter deaths in the gas chambers." He describes his participation with the Jewish underground movement, as well as his efforts with the Jewish children. Berman presents a pair of children's shoes he took from Treblinka, when he visited the camp after the war. Following a blip at 00:43:48, Judge Halevi asks Berman about possible help received during the Holocaust. Berman acknowledges that several Polish and Catholic institutions provided assistance to Jewish children, and slight support to the Jewish resistance. [Note: Poor film quality] Halevi questions Berman on smuggling efforts within the ghetto. Blip at 00:47:19. Witness Rivka Kuper, an Auschwitz survivor and widow of Dolek Liebeskind (leader of the Hebrew underground in Cracow), describes Jewish efforts in Auschwitz to maintain religious practices despite persecution: "We kindled the candles and began to quietly sing Sabbath songs... we heard the sound of stifling crying... Jewish women... collected together around us... and listened to the singing." (432). Landau asks Kuper about Akiva, a Jewish Zionist youth movement. Following another blip at 00:51:02, Kuper describes the overwhelming anger among Akiva members, and their decision to revolt: "The first thing we did... was to carry out warning operations among all Jews." There is a blip at 00:53:08. Hausner questions Kuper about her arrest, transfer to Auschwitz, and participation in the underground movement at Auschwitz. Kuper recounts learning of her husband's death.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 96 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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Footage begins in the middle of Session 96 during cross examination of the accused by Attorney General Gideon Hausner. Eichmann is questioned about regret he expressed in 1957 that Jews managed to survive in Hungary which he denies having stated (00:00:49). Hausner points out that this fact has already been accepted by the court and goes on to note that in 1957 the accused stated that it was Hermann Krumey and Dieter Wisliceny's fault "that the Magyar people were exposed to the terror of a Jewish secret police" (00:01:15). Eichmann replies that he can not remember saying that but does recall saying something about the revolt (00:01:46). Hausner reads an excerpt from the Sassen interview in German (00:02:25) in which Eichmann states that he has no regrets. The Sassen document was comprised of a set of tapes and their transcripts of interviews between Eichmann and Willem Sassen. Sassen, Dutch by birth, was a journalist attached to an Einsatzgruppen unit during the war. Sentenced to death in his own country, Sassen fled to South America after the war where he met and interview Eichmann over a four month period in 1957. This entire section is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2149 (from 00:36:51 to 00:39:23) The accused protests stating that he never said these comments, that it is a mixture of fact and fiction (00:03:45). Hausner asks Eichmann to identify the parts of the document which are fact and which are fiction (00:07:38). Eichmann is shown examining the document and after a short reply is asked by Judge Landau, in German, for a clearer answer to the Attorney General's questions (00:09:16). Hausner presents a document, accepted in its entirety by the accused; containing no hint that Eichmann felt that the crimes against the Jews should not be repeated (00:10:56). When asked if in 1957 he had the opinion that the Jews were an enemy and should be destroyed (00:12:34), Eichmann replies that his opinion did not relate to the physical extermination of the Jews (00:12:50). This segment is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2149 (from 00:39:53 to 00:41:47) Footage cuts (00:13:39 to 00:13:45) A section of the proceeding is skipped. Footage resumes with Hausner reading a passage, in German, of the accused's reflection on the survival of a portion of the Jewish population. Eichmann responds that he is unable to say definitively "yes" or "no" that these were his opinions (00:14:18). Another quote is read in German by Hausner (00:16:23) and again Eichmann states that he does not know if these statements were his (00:20:19). This segment is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2149 (from 00:51:37 to 00:59:18). Footage cuts (00:24:00 to 00:24:05) A large section of the session is missing. Footage resumes with questioning by Hausner concerning the use of the Jewish star as a badge. Hausner, Judge Landau, and Judge Halevi question Eichmann about why the badges were implemented and what purpose they served. This segment is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2151 (from 00:57:23 to 00:59:35). The footage on tape 2150 is more complete. Footage cuts (00:32:09 to 00:32:13) Footage continues without missing any portion of the session. Hausner asks Eichmann if other participants such as Dannecker, Günther, and Wisliceny knew about the fate of the Jews. Eichmann testifies that he did not discuss it with them (00:33:43). When asked if they simply did not know what happened to the deported Jews, Eichmann states that for a long time he and many others did not know where the deportees were going or what happened to them but he did not make this one of his concerns. This last statement made by Eichmann is complete in German, Hebrew, and English. This segment is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2152 (from 00:00:20 to 00:04:44).
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 1 and 2 -- Indictment reading of 15 counts
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Sessions 1 and 2. Begins during Session 1 as Attorney General Hausner is countering the Defense's assertion that the Israeli court lacks objectivity. There is a blip at 00:03:04 and the tape skips to Hausner discussing his agreement to accept affidavits from the Defense witnesses and forego his right to cross-examination. 00:05:19 There is another blip and the footage jumps to Session 2 as Hausner is reading international statutes as points of evidence for holding the Eichmann trial in Israel. 00:06:33 Another blip and the footage skips to Hausner discussing Eichmann's extradition from Argentina and its lack of relevance to the trial. Once again, Hausner's comments are interrupted by a blip in the editing at 00:09:17 and the film cuts to Hausner speaking on the relevance of the Defense's witnesses. There is a final blip at 00:10:19 and the tape ends.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 1 -- Preliminary objections by Defense Counsel
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Session 1. Begins as the court debates the relevance of the Eichmann letter. Dr. Servatius claims the letter is important to his case whereas Mr. Hausner asserts that the letter is irrelevant to the trial. The Judges discuss this matter amongst themselves. After much deliberation, the Judges make the first court decision: "We accept letter T/2 as an exhibit without expressing an opinion as to its value as proof." Hausner continues his speech by responding to Servatius's complaint regarding the lack of witnesses for the defense. Servatius previously stated that his case is hindered by the trial's location; no supportive witnesses for Eichmann were willing to appear in court for fear of being arrested while in Israel. Hausner claims he told Servatius that the prosecution would accept affidavits from pertinent witnesses to the defense despite the fact that Hausner would be unable to cross-examine. However, Servatius had yet to submit any affidavits and/or witnesses. Hausner then provides examples of past precedents established by foreign nations such as Britain, the United States, and Palestine, which countered Servatius's claim that Eichmann's kidnapping and trial venue were unethical. The tape ends as the court reaches the completion of Session one and adjourns for the day.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 1 -- Defense alleges court's lack of authority
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Session 1. Film ID 2005 is a combination of the end of Film ID 2001 and the bulk of Film ID 2002. Defense Attorney Dr. Robert Servatius states his first concern to the court. The defense suggests that an Israeli court lacks sufficient objectivity due to biases produced by the circumstances for which Eichmann is being tried. The defense claims that any judge with a personal connection to an individual(s) and/or event(s) involved in the Holocaust would be unable to maintain impartiality when making a decision on Eichmann's involvement. As Servatius begins to express his second concern, Judge Landau calls for a fifteen-minute recess. The tape ends as the crowd disperses.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 98 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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Footage begins in the middle of Session 98. Attorney General Gideon Hausner cross examines Eichmann about sending Jews from the Reich to Litzmannstadt/Łódź. There is a commotion in the courtroom and Judge Landau tells the guards to remove a man from the audience because he is shouting (00:01:42). The camera cuts to a man in the audience being taken out of the courtroom (00:01:50). The English translator is heard saying that the man pointed to a concentration camp number on his arm and shouted "you dog, you dog." The camera turns back to the proceeding. There are shots of Hausner and Eichmann as a passage, read by Hausner, is translated. This segment (from 00:00:08 to 00:04:06) is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2160 (from 01:02:08 to 01:06:14) and on Tape 2161 (from 00:27:53 to 00:31:01). The footage on Tape 2162 is more complete. Cross examination of the accused continues. Eichmann is questioned by Hausner about receiving reports from the Einsatzgruppen units operating in Minsk and Riga (00:05:18) and about meeting with Heinrich Himmler in September of 1941 (00:07:07). The accused is asked what Himmler wanted from him at this meeting (00:09:31). Eichmann testifies that he had to give him a general report on emigration (00:09:33). There is a long discussion concerning when the prohibition on emigration began and whether or not emigration was still being allowed when Eichmann gave his report to Himmler (00:11:12). Hausner tells the accused that when he met with Himmler emigration was still being allowed and it was only after this meeting that the prohibition began (00:16:09). Eichmann states that he does not know if this is true and suggests that maybe Himmler had already ordered the cessation of emigration and merely wanted a concluding report (00:16:30). Hausner continues, asking Eichmann if he knew a man from the Reich Chancellery named Brack (00:17:44) and remembers him asking for several trains when he visited the Chancellery (00:18:08). Eichmann is further questioned about this matter including the fact that he knew Brack was involved in the "extermination of idiots" (00:23:07) and about reporting to Heinrich Müller, head of Section IV (Gestapo) of the Reich Main Security Office, that the method of extermination needed to be changed, that a more "elegant" method must be found, because it is "turning our people into sadists" (00:24:48). Eichmann testifies that he is hearing this for the first time. There is a long discussion concerning the phrase "a more elegant method" and from who/where the phrase originated. Eichmann maintains that he does not know. Cross examination turns to Eichmann's contact with a Jewish Affairs officer in the Ministry for the Eastern Occupied Territories named Dr. Wetzel (00:29:02) and whether he came up with the "more elegant method" phrase. Hausner presents a document written by Wetzel, after meeting with Brack and upon the approval of the accused, noting that the extermination method would be changing from shooting to gassing (00:31:51). Eichmann denies the authenticity of the document and asks that it be carefully analyzed by a specialist (00:32:46). Hausner then asks Eichmann if he ever spoke to Wetzel about gassings (00:40:39) and Eichmann replies that he would never have talked to Wetzel about this matter because he had nothing to do with the killings (00:41:06). A series of questions is asked to the accused concerning if while in Argentina he was familiar with the Gerstein Report (00:43:00) and if his first reaction was that Rolf Günther, his deputy, was responsible (00:43:37) while Eichmann was away in Hungary (00:44:56). Eichmann states that he can not remember any details concerning the gas business that Günther was involved in. Judge Landau tells the accused to stop repeating himself and answer the questions truthfully (00:46:16). Hausner begins to ask the accused about the article published in LIFE when Judge Landau asks to end the morning session. The LIFE article refers to the publication of Eichmann's interview with Dutch journalist Willem Sassen in 1955. Judge Landau adjourns the session (00:51:49) and all rise as the judges exit the courtroom (00:51:56). There are shots of the attorneys standing at their tables (Servatius, Hausner, Bar-Or, and Bach are all visible) and of people exiting the courtroom. The camera angle changes and focuses on Servatius before fading out (00:52:35).
Eichmann Trial -- Session 99 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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Footage begins in the middle of Session 99 with the continuation of cross examination by Attorney General Gideon Hausner. Eichmann is questioned about the Economic-Administrative Main Office's recognition of two categories of Jews 1) transport Jews who arrived based on instructions from Eichmann's section and 2) custody Jews, who arrived on instruction from Department IVC2 (00:00:34). Hausner goes on to question the accused about instances in which Jews who couldn't be included in transports were ensured, by Eichmann, to be sent to Auschwitz as inmates in "protective custody" (00:01:30). The accused is handed a document. There is a close-up of Eichmann's hands (00:02:53). Eichmann states that he did not handle this matter; Rolf Günther (his deputy) did, and must have acted on the instructions given by the Chief of Department IV (Heinrich Müller) (00:03:08). The footage from the beginning of the tape until Eichmann looking over a document is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2164 (from 01:03:07 to 01:05:29). Cross examination continues with Eichmann being questioned about how often he visited Warsaw, Poland during the war (00:04:57) and whether he went there before or after the April 1942 Ghetto Uprising (00:05:28). He replies that it must have been after the uprising because he saw ruins. The accused is further questioned if he knows a man named Georg Michelson (00:05:59) and Hausner notes that this man saw him in Warsaw in July/August 1942 in connection with the liquidation of the ghetto (00:06:15). A document is presented to the accused (00:06:53) containing a report on a meeting Eichmann took part in concerning the Warsaw Ghetto with the Foreign Ministry representatives in Poland in April 1942. Eichmann is shown examining the document and replies that he is familiar with the document but it does not mean that he was in Poland because correspondence between the Reich Main Security Office and the Foreign Ministry was common. It is shown that someone named Wieler recorded the report on the meeting and states that Eichmann conducted the meeting as a representative for the Chief of the Reich Main Security Office (00:12:33). Eichmann states that he participated but did not conduct the meeting (00:12:54). Hausner reminds the accused that during his interrogation he said that he was in Warsaw in April 1942 at a meeting on Jews of foreign nationality (00:14:25). Questions continue with Hausner asking the accused why a document shows that he was involved in the issuing of death certificates for the Jews of Warsaw (00:17:26). Eichmann testifies that he does not know anything about this and Hausner continues to question him about his involvement in counter-signing instructions concerning the Warsaw Ghetto. When Hausner states that this matter of signing and counter-signing concerned half a million Jews, Eichmann states that he had nothing to do with the killing of those half-million Jews (00:24:13). Another document is read, in German, by Hausner concerning the Warsaw Ghetto noting that "special circumstances would make it necessary to segregate the ghetto inhabitants to a greater extent than previously from the rest of the population" (00:24:31). Eichmann states that he does not know anything and that the Foreign Ministry and the General Government must have dealt with this matter. Hausner tells the accused that his signature is on the document. Judge Landau asks that the accused be shown the document (00:27:13). Eichmann responds testifying that there were plans for deportations and that the Reich Main Security Office and Department IVB4 had to ensure that the Jews with foreign nationality were removed but denies that his section was responsible for the deportation of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto (00:28:14). The footage beginning with Hausner's questioning about the death certificates for the Warsaw Jews through cross examination on the Jews with foreign nationality is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2165 (from 00:11:03 to 00:30:07). The discussion of the removal of Jews with foreign nationality continues with Hausner asking the accused why it was necessary that he be informed of atrocity stories being published abroad if he had nothing to do with the evacuations and suppression of the uprising of the ghetto (00:40:26). Eichmann is asked why affairs of Jews with foreign nationality were left up to him and not the General Government (00:44:49). A discussion ensues about directives and the issuing of orders concerning the General Government. Hausner asks Eichmann to indicate who in the Reich Main Security Office was entitled to issue instructions for the General Government and Eichmann notes that this was the responsibility of Heinrich Müller, Reinhard Heydrich, or Ernst Kaltenbrunner (00:50:12). A diagram is presented to the accused showing that Müller was denied the right to issue orders (00:51:30). Eichmann is shown examining the document and proceeds to explain the diagram by pointing to the various roles of each person trying to show that Müller was responsible for giving instructions to various heads in the General Government, the Protectorate, and The Hague (00:52:22). The camera shows a close-up of the diagram (00:52:59 and 00:53:10). The discussion continues with Eichmann insisting that Müller gave instructions to the Commander of the Security Police in Cracow, Poland. The remaining footage concerns Müller's capacity to issue orders in the General Government (00:55:38). Judge Benjamin Halevi questions the accused about the meaning of the term "resettlement" (00:57:04), Judge Landau asks about the term "ghettoization," and Hausner asks whether the word "Evakuierung" was ever used. Hausner questions Eichmann about Müller and whether he ever issued orders relative to "resettlement" operations in the General Government (00:59:53).
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 32, 38 and 39 -- Transport of French children; how other leaders saw Eichmann
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Session 32. George Wellers is testifying for the Prosecution. He is discussing the transport of 1000 French children, in four transports from Beaune-la-Rolande and Pithiviers transit camps (from these transit camps Jews were then transported to the killing centers in occupied Poland). The children were accompanied by 200 adults. They arrived at the camp by bus. Wellers discussing the transport beginning at 5am. He describes the children, scared and often crying, as they were forced onto railcars and sent to Auschwitz. He says he never saw these children at Auschwitz. 00:04:04 Session 38. Mordechai Ansbacher is testifying, saying that he begged to be kept with his sick mother, but was taken away on a separate transport. He describes his arrival at Dachau. He describes the SS men singing a song about the Jews being drowned. He describes the roll calls, and how long they took because a mistake was always made. He says that there was no food on the transports, and only when they got to Auschwitz did they get a loaf of bread before being reloaded onto a cattle car. 00:12:58 He describes the clothing, he took a sack to make a shirt from the cement detail. He had a very thin shirt otherwise. He had no underwear, and his shoes were wooden blocks that rubbed his feet; he did not use them. He said that they learned quickly to stick together, and if a few people could stay together, they would survive. 00:16:53 Session 39. Judge Michael Musmanno is testifying. Attorney General Hausner asks him if he talked to Goering in his investigation. He says that he did, and that Goering said he was unaware that the extermination of the Jews had hit its reported levels, and that Hitler, Bormann, Goebbels, Himmler, Heydrich, and Eichmann did since they were directly responsible for the Holocaust. Other people close to Hitler who spoke of Eichmann were von Ribbentropp, Kaltenbrunner, Hans Frank, Schellenberg, Karl Koller, and others. He says that Hitler put Eichmann into the program of Jewish extermination (duplicate footage on Tape 2048).
Eichmann Trial -- Session 1 -- Preliminary objections by Defense Counsel
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Session 1. Begins during a recess called by Judge Landau. There are court officials and audience members moving around the courtroom, talking and organizing paperwork. The Judges enter and the trial commences. Dr. Servatius opens the proceedings with comments about the document Eichmann signed directly after his capture in Buenos Aires, May 1960; the document states that Eichmann is aware of his transgressions and is prepared to stand trial for his crimes. Furthermore, Eichmann promises to recount his involvement in the Holocaust as truthfully as possible. The defense claims that the document was signed under duress, and therefore could not stand as an admission of guilt nor be the basis of the courts' accusations against Eichmann. Servatius concludes with the opinion that Israel would not be able to conduct a fair trial as the Israeli government organized both Eichmann's kidnapping and trial despite policies established by the Law of Nations. Such actions show disregard for international law and therefore the court should not support such injustice. Attorney General, Gideon Hausner, responds to the Prosecution's claims: the Security Council previously discussed the question of jurisdiction, and it was decided that Eichmann should stand trial in Israel for his war crimes. To prove his claim, Hausner submitted into evidence "The Resolution of 23 June 1960" (T/1), the document detailing the Council's decision that the trial shall take place in Israel. Hausner continues by presenting preliminary evidence of Eichmann's guilt, as well as asserting that there was never a question of sovereignty between nations concerning the right to try Adolf Eichmann. Film ID 2003 ends as the court discusses the relevance of the document Eichmann signed in Buenos Aires (T/2).
Eichmann Trial -- Session 97 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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Footage begins at an early point in Session 97. Hausner continues cross examination by asking Eichmann about his rank and command as an Obersturmbannfueher. The accused is also questioned about his meetings with Heinrich Müller, head of Section IV (Gestapo) within the Reich Main Security Office including how many times a week they met (00:03:15), how long the meetings ,were (00:04:34), and what was discussed (00:04:53). The beginning footage to this point is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2153 (from 00:45:50 to 00:50:57). The footage on Tape 2153 is more complete. Footage cuts (00:06:36 to 00:06:42) A portion of the session is missing and footage resumes with Eichmann being questioned about his consultations with Müller regarding the emigration of Jews with foreign nationality in Holland. Eichmann states that he is not sure whether Müller would have handled this matter on his own, noting that he would have consulted the Chief of the Security Police an the SD, Reinhard Heydrich, because Müller was generally hesitant to proceed without consulting a superior. Hausner yells at the accused saying that everyone appears to be cautious and asks who did make decisions in the Reich (00:11:06). Eichmann does not give a clear answer and Hausner pressures him to tell him who he received instructions from in order to deal with Jews seeking foreign nationality in Holland. The Attorney General becomes very agitated by the insufficient answers from the accused and begins to gesture with his hands and shouting his questions to Eichmann. This is all duplicate footage also found on Tape 2155 (from 00:01:45 to 00:14:03) Footage cuts (00:19:23 to 00:19:28) A very small segment is missing from the footage. Hausner presents a document to the accused, a letter from him to Eberhard von Thadden regarding the fate of a certain woman, in which Eichmann states that the woman is to be sent immediately to the East for labor service. The document is read in German by the Attorney General. The camera pans several times from Eichmann's face to his hands. Eichmann states that he regrets that he is unable to say, "Yes, I ordered this on my own initiative" (00:21:04) because it would not accord with the truth. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2155 (from 00:19:53 to 00:23:29) Footage cuts (00:22:27 to 00:22:31) A large section of the proceeding is skipped. Footage resumes in the middle of the session. The footage in this section is all duplicate footage found on Tape 2156 (from 00:29:41 to 00:35:42). The footage on Tape 2156 is more complete. Hausner presents a document to the accused regarding a letter he sent to the Foreign Ministry about the deportation of able-bodied Jews from Romania. Eichmann is asked whether he drafted the letter or just dictated the document. Hausner proceeds to submit another document showing that a separate letter was sent to Heinrich Himmler on the same matter but noting that non-able bodied Jews were to be deported as well (00:26:51). Eichmann is accused of, but denies, lying to the Foreign Ministry about which Jews were to be deported from Romania. Footage cuts (00:35:45 to 00:35:51) A large section of the proceeding is skipped. The following footage is all duplicate footage found on Tape 2157 (from 00:06:14 to 00:33:55). The footage on Tape 2157 is more complete. Footage resumes later in the session in the middle of Hausner cross examining the accused about the agreement between Theodor Danneker and Alexander Belev to deport Bulgarian Jews made after Dannecker had received authorization from Eichmann to draw up the agreement. Belev was the Jewish Commissar for the Bulgarian Government. Eichmann replies that based on the documents this is correct but that Dannecker went to Bulgaria based on instructions from Müller and Luther. Dr. Robert Servatius, counsel for the defense, interrupts cross examination, asking the court to request that Hausner ask relevant questions to the accused (00:36:52 and on Tape 2157 at 00:06:56). Judge Landau tells Servatius that he believes Hausner's questions to be relevant (00:37:34 and on Tape 2157 at 00:07:38). Cross examination continues. Eichmann is asked whether or not he remembers the agreement (00:40:17 and on Tape 2157 at 00:10:19) and if it is true that he gave instructions to Dannecker (00:41:44 and on Tape 2157 at 00:11:46). The accused states that naturally he was involved in this matter (00:42:23 and on Tape 2157 at 00:12:24). Hausner presents a document noting a telephone conversation between him and Dannecker (00:42:51 and on Tape 2157 at 00:12:53) but Eichmann testifies that the conversation could only have been a notification from Dannecker that an agreement had been reached (00:43:30 and on Tape 2157 at 00:13:31). Hausner proceeds with the examination, asking Eichmann if he was satisfied with the agreement (00:44:48 and on Tape 2157 at 00:14:51) and why there was a paragraph within the agreement stating that the Bulgarian Government would not ask for the Jews to be returned (00:46:21 and on Tape 2157 at 00:16:23). Eichmann's answer is that it simply meant that "the responsible parties in the Reich attached importance to no Jew who had been deported from some country - in this case Bulgaria - being able to come back again and telling what he had experienced and seen" (00:48:03 and on Tape 2157 at 00:18:05). Hausner accuses Eichmann of knowing that the Jews being deported were going to extermination camps and it was therefore impossible to bring them back and that is why the notation was in the agreement (00:48:36 and on Tape 2157 at 00:18:38). A letter with a note by Franz Rademacher, head of D III, the so-called "Jewish desk" of the Foreign Office, stating "Eichmann proposes shooting" is presented by Hausner (00:51:17 and on Tape 2157 at 00:21:18). The accused states that the document reflects Rademacher's poor documentation of facts (00:52:08 and on Tape 2157 at 00:22:09) and acknowledges that the document is in Rademacher's handwriting (00:54:56 and on Tape 2157 at 00:24:58). Hausner asks why Rademacher would write this statement (00:55:04 and on Tape 2157 at 00:25:07) and Eichmann states that it was merely a correction Rademacher made to the document so that he would not be punished by Ernst von Weizäcker, an official in the Foreign Office (00:55:42 and on Tape 2157 at 00:25:43). There is a discussion on the date in which the correction was made and about a telephone conversation between the accused and Rademacher during which Eichmann is said to have ordered shootings. Hausner notes that Rademacher had been surprised by the accused's proposal to shoot the Serbian Jews (01:00:23 and on Tape 2157 at 00:30:25). Eichmann denies the allegation and suggests that the document is a forgery.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 43 -- Prosecution submits documents: foreign relations, deportations, legal matters
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Session 43. The Prosecution submits documents to the court, beginning with a letter concerning a citizen of a neutral country wanting to emigrate, a case which Eichmann denied. Another about the treatment of Jews of foreign nationalities, along with the decision to work towards the Final Solution, including dealing with mixed marriages. Another describing a deadline in 1943 for the deportation of each nation's Jews. Also, a preface of the Reich's Foreign Ministry discussing the pressure placed on foreign nations to return their Jews. 00:05:50 A summarizing report of the Gestapo office. A memo from Eichmann's office from June 1943, which is relevant to the testimony of a recently heard witness concerning the inability to deport certain Jews, and the decision to keep them in camps. A few documents are submitted with the President of Court questioning their relevance and what the Prosecution plans to use these documents for. They are eventually accepted. 00:12:39 A letter concerning the return of two Jewish women is submitted, along with a comment by Eichmann written on it. Then the case of a Jewish man, who was stateless, being arrested for not having the mark of a Jew, and whose current location is unknown, is submitted. The affidavit of Emil Brandt is submitted, but the Defense asks to postpone the submission until they have a copy of the document. 00:17:36 The Prosecution submits a series of documents dealing with Bergen-Belsen, including Eichmann's paper announcing that the Police worked with the Foreign Ministry for the location of the camp. Another is the request for Jews with foreign connections to be contained at Belsen. Another from Eichmann's office saying that complaints will no longer be listened to - Jews can never leave ghettos. 00:30:34 The Prosecution submits documents concerning Austria, beginning with the decree that all laws concerning Jews in Germany will be applied to Austria. A memorandum is submitted that refers to Eichmann concerning the delay of the deportation of the Jews of Vienna to Poland to keep them in work camps. Another asking if the Jews can return to Vienna from Poland, among other similar documents. 00:39:04 A memorandum of a conversation between Brunner and Loewenherz concerning what Eichmann said about the return of a group of Jews from Poland. A request by Eichmann to centralize the Jews of multiple foreign countries (the Madagascar Plan). A memorandum signed by Dr. Benjamin Murmelstein about meeting with Brunner. 00:49:39 Discussions of Eichmann concerning deported Jews and where to put them are submitted, including a statement saying that each transport should include roughly a thousand Jews and a statement saying that the property of the Jews should be sold to pay for their transport. The documents that made badges for Jews mandatory are submitted. Documents concerning the deportation of Jews to the Łódź ghetto and the demand for them to sign powers of attorney over to the Germans. 00:57:48 The Judges schedule the next session and adjourn.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 52 and 53 -- Testimonies of Pinhas Freudiger, Martin Foeldi, Ze'ev Sapir
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Session 52. Footage begins in the middle of the session with testimony from Pinhas Freudiger identifying Eichmann and relating the circumstances under which he first met Eichmann in Budapest. He notes that he had wanted to speak to Krumey and Eichmann's deputy Dieter Wisliceny about stopping the deportations. Eichmann takes notes. There is some confusion about the translation of a German phrase (00:05:15). Various shots of Eichmann, the judge's bench and both the prosecution and defense lawyers. A portion of the proceedings is missing and footage resumes with Freudiger testifying about his second meeting with Eichmann about the proposed ghettoization of the Hungarian Jews. Medium shots of Eichmann taking notes. A portion of the proceedings is missing and resumes with Freudiger giving an account of the beginning of mass deportations from the provincial towns. Cut to later in Freudiger's testimony. Freudiger describes how Eichmann and Wisliceny celebrated the Hungarian Government's agreement to the deportations and discuss how to implement the deportations. Footage resumes without missing any of the proceedings. State Attorney Gavriel Bach asks Freudiger when he realized that the deportees were being sent to Auschwitz (00:17:25) and when he realized what that meant for the prisoners (00:21:32). Freudiger, his voice choking, speaks about the report about Auschwitz written by two Slovaks who had escaped the camp (00:23:09). The proceedings continue with Freudiger describing a postcard he received from friends who had been deported. Someone from the audience screams in Hungarian (00:26:08) and is removed from the court. Judge Landau asks for quiet in the courtroom. Another person in the courtroom starts to scream in Yiddish (00:27:22) and is escorted out. Landau stops the session and the judges leave for a recess. Various shots of the courtroom and the lawyer's tables. Hausner and Bach confer with the rest of the prosecution. Defense attorney Dr. Robert Servatius stands by his desk. Views of the audience standing and talking. Session 53: The remainder of Freudiger's testimony and the rest of the session is missing. Footage begins again with witness Dr. Martin Foeldi in session 53 describing his arrival in Auschwitz with his family. The remainder of Foeldi's testimony is missing. The footage picks up later in the session with witness Ze'ev Sapir. Sapir describes the march to the camp at Gleiwitz and the murder of most of his contingent by the SS. He then gives an account of how he escaped and shows the court the tattooed number he received in Auschwitz.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 101 -- Cross-examination of the Accused: Lidice children & Sonderbehandlung
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Session 101. Attorney General Hausner changes topics, asking about the Lidice children and a phone call associated with it. When Eichmann says that he cannot remember any such conversation, the Attorney General attacks him, saying that such a thing was not a normal occurrence and could not escape his memory. He says that when it concerns the children, he does not remember, though he remembers the assassination of Heydrich. Why Eichmann was contacted about any of this becomes the primary question, considering his claims that he was not competent to make any of these decisions. This becomes quite a heated discussion. 00:16:55 Eichmann insists that he cannot remember things, that he must rely on documents, and based solely on these documents, it is clear to him that these people could have worked around him, without his knowledge or influence. Hausner asks if they could talk without documents, just from his memory. He says that he had no control over any of this, and that all of this qualified as special treatment. He asks how Eichmann defines Sonderbehandlung [special treatment], which Eichmann previously described as meaning "killing", and here he says that killing is only one definition, which is alongside deportations, relocations, and taking prisoners to munitions factories to work, which all fell under different offices than his own. 00:27:14 Tape jumps. Hausner is asking Eichmann if Krumey knew that their office was in charge of the Germanization of qualified Poles. He struggles to answer. Tape ends as the Attorney General says he is switching topics.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 101 -- Cross-examination of the Accused: Sonderbehandlung, Germanization, and skeletons
Film
Session 101. Attorney General Hausner asks Eichmann if he took the initiative to make his own decisions, which Eichmann emphatically denies. He says that he never gave any orders and never acted without orders. 00:01:44 Hausner changes topics, asking about the Lidice children and a phone call associated with it (duplicate footage from Tape 2173). When Eichmann says that he cannot remember any such conversation, the Attorney General attacks him, saying that such a thing was not a normal occurrence and could not escape his memory. He says that when it concerns the children, he does not remember, though he remembers the assassination of Heydrich. Why Eichmann was contacted about any of this becomes the primary question, considering his claims that he was not competent to make any of these decisions. This becomes quite a heated discussion. 00:18:11 Eichmann insists that he cannot remember things, that he must rely on documents, and based solely on these documents, it is clear to him that these people could have worked around him, without his knowledge or influence. Hausner asks if they could talk without documents, just from his memory. He says that he had no control over any of this, and that all of this qualified as special treatment. He asks how Eichmann defines Sonderbehandlung [special treatment], which Eichmann previously described as meaning "killing", and here he says that killing is only one definition, which is alongside deportations, relocations, and taking prisoners to munitions factories to work, which all fell under different offices than his own. 00:23:17 Tape is interrupted by a slate, returns to Eichmann sitting in his booth, with nobody talking. Eventually, the translator begins with Eichmann's words, saying that Sonderbehandlung began meaning the transport of persons. This is a slight overlap in footage. 00:26:47 Tape is interrupted by a slate, returns to Eichmann talking. It is a slight overlap in the tape. After Eichmann says that his office was not involved, the Judges look into some documents and notice that Sonderbehandlung is mentioned with Germanization. They show the Attorney General Hausner. He asks Eichmann if this instance is about killing, and Eichmann says it isn't. 00:34:48 Eichmann says that here, Sonderbehandlung refers to Germanization of people, and the ability to do that. He asks if Krumey knew that Eichmann's office was incapable of dealing with that topic. He gives evasive answers and Hausner presses for an answer. 00:41:45 Hausner changes topics, asking about the skeleton affair, where there were requests to Eichmann to supply 150 human skeletons daily. Eichmann says he cannot remember, and the Attorney General attacks this. He insists that he could have no part in this request, because his office was completely incompetent in these matters. Hausner continues to press this issue, asking why Eichmann would be sought for this matter if he was not able to help with this situation, doing this with the references of many people. 00:51:57 Hausner, continuing his questioning of Eichmann concerning the skeletons affair, asks about Seavers, and why he contacts Eichmann's office specifically. Eichmann claims he does not know why, because he did not deal with any of that. Hausner cites a SS letter, addressed directly to Eichmann, where he asks for even higher confirmation regarding the request. Eichmann insists that all of this is untrue, and Mueller was the one who answered such things, giving projects to Guenter. Eichmann asks why his name is not on the document if it is to him, and insists that these orders were not for him.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 97 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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The camera fades in onto a medium shot of Servatius seated at the defense table and examining documents. Adolf Eichmann is shown entering the booth (00:01:16) carrying documents and escorted by three Israeli guards. There are various shots of Eichmann, Servatius, and the courtroom. Hausner and Bar-Or enter the courtroom and are seated at the prosecution table (00:05:40). The camera occasionally shows shots of people in the audience. Eichmann is shown rising as judges Halevi, Landau, and Raveh enter the courtroom (00:07:20). Presiding Judge Landau opens the ninety-seventh session of the trial (00:07:45). Attorney General Gideon Hausner continues the cross examination regarding meetings held with officials-in-charge of Jewish Affairs in the various occupied territories (00:10:15). The accused is asked to indicate when he first told these officials what the fate of the Jews sent on deportations was and whether certain people knew about the Jew's fate. Eichmann states that it was not officially known and unofficially he did not tell anyone (00:10:48). There are further questions regarding these meetings. The accused is asked if the officials brought problems and questions to him and whether or not he made decisions on these matters (00:13:05). A document is presented as evidence showing that Theodor Dannecker acknowledged that a problem was raised at one of these meetings and that "Eichmann determined the following" (00:13:37). The accused states that he personally did not make decisions on these matters, that the Department Chief did (00:15:20). Hausner turns to the subject of whether Heinrich Müller, head of Section IV (Gestapo) of the Reich Main Security Office took part in these meetings (00:17:11) and what was discussed. Eichmann testifies that Müller took part in maybe one of these meetings (00:17:22) and when asked whether his section determined which Jews were to remain in assembly camps and which were to be deported (00:18:09), Eichmann states that directives for exemption from deportation were sent on from IVB4 but it did not state that the Jews had to be kept in assembly camps (00:18:34). Hausner presents the case of the Vught Camp in Holland where Jews worked in the armament industry as an example; stating that it was proposed that they remain there (00:19:45). The Attorney General goes on to note that the answer from the accused was "out of the question" (00:20:23). Eichmann testifies that the document is correct. The cross examination continues with Hausner asking a series of questions regarding Jewish Affairs representatives abroad particularly in France, Holland and Belgium. Eichmann is asked if these men worked based on his directions but also had contacts with each other in order to coordinate the implementation of these instructions (00:20:55- asked again at 00:21:26). The accused testifies that based on the documents it is correct but that these men could not have acted exclusively by directions given by IVB4 (00:22:10). Hausner tells the accused that he has already stated in cross examination that the implementation of marking the Jews with badges had to be done simultaneously based on orders given by Eichmann's section (00:23:19) and IVB4 also laid out the penalties and sanctions for those who refused to wear the badges (00:25:17). Eichmann states that directives for marking in the occupied territories were never issued by the Reich Main Security Office, it was done by relevant higher SS and police leaders (00:26:01). There appears to be a problem with the simultaneous translation involving Eichmann's headphones (00:28:00 to 00:29:34). The camera shows a shot of the technician's booth in the wall (00:29:16) and one of the technicians walking over to the accused. The problem is resolved and the session continues. Eichmann is then asked if he was in contact with these men abroad by telephone, cable, or letter (00:30:17) and whether or not he sometimes traveled to visit these people (00:30:37). The accused answers yes to both questions. Hausner continues, asking a series of questions regarding whether the accused was in various countries, and if so, how long. Among the countries Eichmann is questioned about are France (00:31:03), Holland (00:33:21), Belgium (00:33:40), Slovakia (00:34:44), Romania (00:38:02) and Italy (00:39:37). With regard to Italy, Eichmann is further questioned about his meetings with General Guido Lospinoso, the Italian commissioner of Jewish Affairs (00:41:15). The accused states that he had nothing to do with Lospinoso (00:41:43) and when asked by Hausner if he would like to change his statement after a document is presented, Eichmann maintains that he never met the man (00:43:53). There is a section of the session (97) which is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2154 (from 00:01:23 to 00:06:33). The duplicate footage begins at 00:45:50 and continues to 00:51:05. Hausner asks Eichmann about his rank and command as an Obersturmbannfueher. The accused is also questioned about his meetings with Müller including how many times a week they met (00:47:39 and on Tape 2154 at 00:03:15), how long the meetings were (00:48:59 and on Tape 2154 at 00:04:34), and what was discussed (00:49:17 and on Tape 2154 at 00:04:53). The remaining footage is not duplicate footage. Hausner continues the cross examination with questions regarding how many letters the accused signed, on average, per week with his signature (00:50:57). Eichmann states that not all of the letters that passed through his office were signed by him and not all of them were submitted to Müller for advisement either (00:51:45). The accused argues that after a matter was first submitted to Müller for referral it became a precedent and similar matters were decided based on the first submission. Hausner then asks what Müller's response would have been in a case in which Jews in Holland had acquired foreign nationality and wished to emigrate (00:57:45). This discussion continues until the end of the tape. The Attorney General asks Eichmann to indicate whether this matter could have been dealt with by him or if it had to go through Müller first. The accused states that if it was a general inquiry as to if emigration was being allowed at that particular time, then he could answer the request but if it dealt with specifics then it absolutely have to go through his superiors (00:58:51).
Eichmann Trial -- Session 101 -- Cross-examination of the Accused: Liechtenstein, concentration camp authority, Eichmann's autonomy
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Session 101. Eichmann answers questions about the Bondi case involving Jews whom Eichmann refused to grant passage to Sweden. Attorney General Hausner, along with the Judges, question Eichmann. The freedoms for Jews in Liechtenstein is discussed. When asked how this applies to him, he says that his office was in charge of all things dealing with property. 00:12:42 Hausner asks why Eichmann was the one choosing who was in command of a certain concentration camp. He says that he does not know, considering that it was 20 years ago. He says that the SD was inexperienced in his region, and so he made sure the right man was chosen because it affected his office. 00:20:39 Hausner asks Eichmann if it is correct to say that he and Mueller had no authority to put people into concentration camps. Eichmann answers that Mueller had this authority, but that authority was never given to him. Hausner presses the issue, showing Eichmann a document where he says that he wants certain people in a camp, referring to himself in the first person. When Hausner jokes that he is sure that Eichmann will insist he is referring to Mueller, the President of Court says that he will not permit such behavior. Eichmann answers that this is simply the bureaucratic channels and the person is not relevant. He is then asked about a request he made to export certain Jews from then-independent Romania, and the related authority there. He gives unclear answers, saying that if he were given more time to study the documents, he could give more in his testimony. 00:35:20 After some discussion about a translation, a document is submitted that discusses the system of ranks involved in a temporary replacement of Mueller. Eichmann says that it is very confusing and impossible to understand. Hausner moves on. Eichmann then reads a document dealing with that issue, and how he thought that he would have been chosen to fill in for Mueller and that he avoided the office when he was gone. Eichmann says that, though his memory is fuzzy, he does not believe that was the case. Debate over the relevancy of this evidence is raised by the Judges. 00:53:12 Hausner reads a quote by Eichmann where he says that he made a decision in the spirit of Mueller. Eichmann vehemently contradicts this, saying that he could not do this, did not do this, and everyone around him supported that evidence. With decisions that appeared to be Eichmann working in someone's spirit, he says that he obtained permission ahead of time, not tried to seek cover after it happened. 01:04:54 Hausner changes topics, asking Eichmann's relation to the Lidice children and a phone call he got concerning it. When Eichmann says that he cannot remember any such conversation, Hausner attacks him, saying that such a thing was not a normal occurrence and could not escape his memory. He says that when it concerns the children, he does not remember, though he remembers the assassination of Heydrich.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 23 and 24 -- Testimony of L. Wells, H. Ross, and J. Buzminsky
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Session 23. Adolf Eichmann stands as the Presiding Judge enters and then sits down. WS of the courtroom. The Presiding Judge takes notes and declares the twenty-third Session of the trial open. He then confirms that applications submitted by Dr. Servatius will be discussed later on. Servatius states that the evidence given by the witness, Dr. Wells, is irrelevant and repetitive and thus should not be submitted. Attorney General Hausner responds by saying that Eichmann was appointed by Reinhard Heydrich, who was in charge of exterminating the Jews, and offers several other examples as well. The Presiding Judge deliberates then rules that the witness is indeed relevant and Dr. Wells is called to the stand. After he walks up to the podium and the microphone is adjusted, footage cuts out and part of the proceedings is missing. 00:12:28 Eichmann sits in the booth. The Attorney General asks Wells how he had the will to survive after seeing his entire family die and Wells answers, "It was the will of responsibility, that somebody had to remain to tell the world that it was the idea of the Nazis to kill all the Jews - so we had a responsibility somehow to withstand this idea and to be alive." Footage cuts out again, but nothing is skipped. Shots of Wells, Eichmann, people in the audience and the translator are shown as Wells describes his duties for the Death Brigade. 00:17:50 Part of the proceedings are missing and it picks up with Mr. Hausner asking about the supplies used to get rid of all the evidence of bodies. After Dr. Wells responds, the Presiding Judge asks for clarification of what a grinding machine was and the process is explained. 00:20:28 A large part of the proceedings is missing. Footage continues as Witness Wells describes the location, procedures and security of the Death Brigade. The Attorney General inquires about why the people didn't attempt to hurt the guards before they were murdered. Wells explains that they were broken up into groups and that those who attempted anything were tortured. "At this time, in 1943, nobody cared anymore," he states. 00:27:06 The footage cuts out and a small part of the proceedings is missing. Wells describes how he escaped and those that refused to join him. He says that a few hundred thousand were burned by his brigade and about 30,000 were executed in front of the fires while he was there. 00:30:17 Footage begins a little ways into Session 24. The Attorney General looks over photographs as Witness Henryk Ross explains how he took the pictures through a hole in the wall of a cement storeroom. The Presiding Judge examines the photos then passes them to the men on either side of him. Part of the trial is missing. 00:32:57 Shot pans from Dr. Servatius to Adolf Eichmann. The Attorney General stands and discusses the Defense Counsel's applications and says that upon application, the witness would be given an entry visa and then arrested and brought to trial. People in the courtroom laugh and the Presiding Judge silences them. The Presiding Judge and Attorney General continue to discuss where the examination of the witness would take place and the importance of Dr. Six, Dr. Martin, and Hermann Krumey's testimonies. They confer that a German Court would be difficult due to the fact that there is no examination of witnesses and it is agreed that a mixed procedure would be the best way to carry out the trial. Shots of the courtroom vary throughout. The Judge addresses a request to strike two affidavits from the record. Mr. Hausner states that there is not a procedure to strike out anything, but the Court may choose whether or not to take the information into account. Dr. Servatius is then asked about the locations of two Austrians, Huppenkothen and Hoettl. Their applications are then discussed and the issue of arrest upon entering Israel is brought up again. Servatius states that the Attorney General should not decide the matter of the visas or the arrest on his own and it is explained to him that, "The Attorney General is not only in charge of matters of prosecution, but he is also - as his name indicates - the legal adviser to the Government." 00:50:26 The footage stops and skips far into the questioning of Dr. Buzminsky. The Attorney General, the witness, and various shots of the crowd and Eichmann are all shown. Buzminsky tells the Court that he and his brother deliberately faced the SS soldiers' guns to avoid being buried alive, but at the last minute they were ordered onto a train because a commander said, "These are fat Jews. All of them will be good for soap." He says that as an elderly woman was climbing onto the train, a dog belonging to an SS man bit her, causing her to scream. The Germans all laughed. Buzminsky goes on to describe how they could not resist entering the train because their morale was broken. "It was a mass psychosis," he says, that made them shake whenever they heard the voices of the SS. Witness Buzminsky shares how he jumped out of the train, entered a bunker, and was taken into a Polish woman's home where he stayed until the liberation. He clarifies that before being liberated, he returned to the ghetto and saw a boy get lashed 80 times with a strap and identifies that boy as police officer Goldman, sitting on the right side of the Attorney General. Dr. Buzminsky describes a different event where an 18 year-old boy attacked a Gestapo man who was about to shoot him. The boy escaped only to be caught and hung the next day along with 25 hostages. It is confirmed that Buzminsky then hid in the bunker and was saved.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 25 -- Testimony of Y. Zuckerman
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Session 25. Witness Yitzhak Zuckerman discusses Jewish hope to immigrate to Palestine during 1940: "Some people managed to reach Palestine...Some were caught and returned... and were murdered on Polish soil." He also describes the efforts of the Jewish underground in Warsaw. Attorney General Gideon Hausner questions Zuckerman about his fake Aryan papers, as well as his impressions of Nazi-occupied Poland. Zuckerman replies: "Degredation, depression, helplessness..." Court is out of session after a blip at 00:06:30; the audience enters, and the camera focuses on the Israeli Police Officers and media interpreters. The Judges enter and open the next session; Hausner questions Zuckerman about deportations and Nazi treatment of elderly people. He asks Zuckerman about the Jewish fighting force. Hausner submits exhibit T/254-Mueller's letter about the capture of 'three Jewish bandits' who organized resistance efforts. Zuckerman continues to describe resistance efforts in Poland-specifically in Warsaw. He details his activities as a resistance fighter and mentions collaborations with the Polish underground: "We obtained arms, we also killed Germans, we also took arms from them... And the last thing that we received-the faith that we knew how to fight." Hausner submits exhibit T/255-a letter written by Mordechai Anielewicz, leader of the Jewish resistance in the Warsaw Ghetto. Zuckerman reads a portion of the letter: "Something occurred which is beyond our wildest dreams. Twice the Germans fled from the ghetto... I was privileged to see Jewish self defense in the ghetto in all its greatness and magnificence." Following a blip at 00:55:22, Zuckerman gives his assessment of the Jewish fighting resistance.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 98 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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The camera fades in onto Eichmann's empty booth, zooms out, and pans down across the attorney tables to show Hausner standing in the foreground. Eichmann enters the booth (00:01:55) escorted by guards. Servatius enters the frame as Eichmann arranges the set of documents on his desk (00:02:05). There are various shots of the courtroom, Eichmann, and the attorneys. Eichmann can be seen talking to the guard seated on his left (00:05:49). All rise as judges Halevi, Landau, and Raveh enter the courtroom (00:07:30). Judge Landau opens the 98th session of the trial (00:08:29). Hausner continues the cross examination of the accused (00:09:17) with questions concerning the location of his Berlin office in 1939 and whether his jurisdiction extended to the Eastern Territories when he was made section head of department IVD4 which would later be renamed department IVB4 (00:12:38). Eichmann is asked what his qualifications were in the field of evacuations if he had up until then been dealing in emigration (00:16:04). The accused testifies that his experience in Vienna, working in technical transportation matters for years, was the reason he was reassigned (00:16:21). Judge Landau asks Eichmann what the term "Eastern Territories" refers to (00:18:25) and Eichmann states that it consisted of all the Eastern provinces incorporated into the Reich with the exception of the General Government. Hausner continues the cross examination by asking Eichmann about his involvement in carrying out evacuations in the General Government, in particular the Zamosc district (00:21:10), and if the Center for Migration offices were under his control (00:23:46). Eichmann denies having control over the Center for Migration (00:23:59). Hausner continues, inquiring about the location of migration department branch offices in Posen, Łódź, and Gdansk (00:26:03), the accused's involvement in sending guidelines and instructions to these offices (00:27:11), and a series of questions on the number of people in the Zamosc district of the General Government resettled during his term in office (00:27:32). Cross examination continues with Eichmann being questioned about the cooperation between the German railway administration and the rail administration of the General Government (00:33:27). Hausner asks if he continued to deal with the emigration of Jews as head of department IVD4 (00:41:31) and when Eichmann replies that this only lasted until autumn of 1941, Judge Halevi asks why a previous document suggests that it continued into 1942 and 1943 (00:42:08). There is some confusion about whether the emigration of Jews or Poles is being discussed and Judge Landau restates Judge Halevi's question asking the accused whether in 1943 he was still handling the resettlement of Poles (00:44:52). Eichmann states that he was ordered to Germanize the Zamosc district and was, as far as he remembers, the first and last order Himmler gave on this matter (00:45:02). The Attorney General then asks the accused if Theodor Dannecker was one of his subordinates in IVD4 (00:51:03) and about his involvement with the Treuhandstelle Ost (Trustee Office East) (00:53:18). Questions continue concerning the function of the Trustee Office (00:55:14) and a meeting chaired by Eichmann in January 1940 during which their representative consulted Eichmann on deportations to the East (00:55:49). Hausner goes on to ask whether the amount of property deportees were allowed to take with them was fixed (00:57:31) and if the accused was aware that the deportees suffered during the deportations (00:58:24). Eichmann testifies that this was the case until he took over the section and it did not happen after that acknowledging any occurrences as being the result of local shortcomings (00:58:39). Hausner asks Eichmann to look at a document, written several months after he took over, indicating the conditions on the deportation were still bad (01:00:55). Eichmann states that he is familiar with the document but was not involved in round-ups and did not carry out the Stettin deportation. An English translation of Eichmann's answers and Hausner's questions for the last 45 seconds of the footage is not given. The translation can be found on Tape 2159 (from 00:00:13 to 00:01:21).
Eichmann Trial -- Session 103 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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A slate indicates the date and the session time. The opening shots show the courtroom before the trial starts, focusing on people in the courtroom. Attorney General Gideon Hausner with his assistants at the prosecution table appear in the opening shot. The defense lawyer, Robert Servatius, enters the courtroom and sits at the desk closest to Eichmann's booth. Adolf Eichmann, carrying a stack of documents, is escorted by two security officers into the bulletproof booth. The people in the courtroom rise as the judges enter (00:05:29) and announce the opening of the 103rd session. Cross-examination by Hausner establishes Eichmann's presence in Budapest, Hungary in March 1944 as well as the names of members of a commando assembled in Mauthausen prior to his placement in Hungary. Eichmann is questioned about various persons who were present at this assembly. Eichmann states that he does not know some of the names, or is not sure if certain men were present, while the remainder he identities as being part of IVB4, the department of which he was the head (00:07:15). The prosecutor turns his questions to Eichmann's orders to evacuate the Hungarian Jews to the East and his general orders in Hungary (00:16:35). Hausner states that Eichmann was sent to Hungary for the specific purpose of preventing another uprising such as had happened in the Warsaw Ghetto in 1943. Hausner cites a statement by Himmler, in which he referred to Eichmann as "the master," which Eichmann disputes at length. Eichmann is then asked to look over documents from an interrogation by a Captain Less of the Israeli Police pertaining to this reference of him as "the master" and his duties in Hungary (00:43:48). Hausner cross-examines the accused about meetings that took place in Vienna, Austria to discuss the deportations, and the presence of Franz Novak at these meetings. Eichmann is asked about his role in the arrangement of the deportations, insisting that his role was merely technical, involving timetables and train schedules. The presence of people from his section at the time of deportations is discussed at length, with Eichmann claiming that he was not aware of their presence. Hausner asks about the content of the general directives relating to the evacuations and deportations. Eichmann responds that the deportations were first limited to able-bodied men then became more general with an evacuation of the entire community. Eichmann is then questioned about how many Order Police he had at his disposal (00:53:54) and he gives a lengthy description of his duties in Hungary followed by an explanation as to how often he met with Endre, the chief of the Hungarian gendarmerie.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 106 -- Eichmann's personal feelings
Film
Session 106. Tape starts midsentence with some duplicate material from Film ID 2192. Judge cites that Eichmann ordered the release of a group of Jews from the ghettos in eastern Hungary. Eichmann says that this, along with other examples, were ordered by his superiors, and he explains how and why this was. Generally, he says that he was ordered to do such things, never could he do something like that on his own, and he never questioned the motives behind his orders. 00:11:14 The Judge questions the decision to transfer Jews to the Eastern front instead of the Western front, accusing Eichmann of trying to stirring up tensions between East and West. Eichmann pleads ignorant, the Judge relents. 00:13:10 Eichmann says that he had no such motives, and while Himmler might have, he did not. He cites a Ten Percent rule that would have made such things impossible; the Judge says they will discuss that later. A Fighter Plane Program is also discussed and the potential use of Jews for that. 00:18:40 Eichmann says that he is not anti-Semitic or anti-Jewish. Eichmann is asked about his family history and the Jews who had married into the family. He confirms that he approved the paperwork for his Jewish Aunt leaving for Switzerland. Eichmann says that this proves he could not have hated Jews. When asked about whether or not he approved individual cases asking to be spared, he could not remember, and gives avoiding answers. 00:25:41 Eichmann begins describing, contrary to prior testimony as the Judge points out, that he could violate his oath if he confessed about it later; a fact that seemed to surprise the court. Eichmann reads more from a speech by Himmler concerning obedience. It is not translated into Hebrew or English because the court has a translated copy. Eichmann says that the higher a persons' rank, the easier it was to break the rules. 00:35:52 The Judge begins pressing Eichmann on his statements of civic courage and the will to stick to your morals, and Eichmann's apparent refusal to do that. Eichmann says that one could not really resist the nation, that one person's efforts were irrelevant. He says that his ideal was to carry out the National Socialist doctrine as efficiently and as loyally as possible. 00:46:30 After saying that there is a difference between responsibility and guilt, and saying he is guilty of taking orders, Eichmann is asked if he takes responsibility for the things he has done. He is asked if he takes responsibility for things he said in the Sassen memoirs. He says that he spoke truths in the corrections, and the Judge presses him, asking if he was drunk when he made corrections. Eichmann, becoming defensive, insists he was sober when he made corrections, and he told truths. The Judge says that he is mixing two stories, and Eichmann admits having relapses of nationalism as the nights wore on. The Judge pushes Eichmann about these recordings and writings, and then accuses him of not having civic courage. Eichmann gives an excuse, saying various parts of the submitted Sassen memoirs are not his writings, and he has in fact not read most of them. 00:56:29 Judge Halevi concludes his questioning after hearing this information. Dr. Servatius attempts to submit a schedule of dates of events as prepared by the Accused and is refused due to time. Dr. Servatius is then given permission to speak to Eichmann between sessions. Session 106 is concluded, court adjourns.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 106 -- Examination by Judges
Film
Session 106. Eichmann says (midsentence) that nobody in his office questioned any orders, giving plenty of examples (part duplicated on Tape 2191). Eichmann says that those at the Wannsee Conference discussed the various ways that the Jews could be exterminated. Judge Raveh then asks why Eichmann celebrated the end of the conference with Mueller and Heydrich, why was he the third man if he only gave the minutes. Eichmann gives conflicting answers. 00:09:37 The tape jumps, and Eichmann is being asked about a statement from 1942 where he said that he was washing his hands of guilt. This turns out to be an internal reservation, not told to anyone. 00:14:14 Eichmann explains that the quote "if we had 50 Eichmanns we would have won the war" was in relation to his help organizing fixing his building, not his other service, and that it became a popular idiom of the time. 00:24:42 Eichmann attempts to explain some discrepancies in his statements concerning whether or not he attended a conference in 1939. 00:33:01 Court adjourns for a 20 minute break. Shots of the crowd. Tape fades to slate, then black. 00:36:20 Eichmann's empty booth. The defense returns and is seated. 00:40:20 The Judges return. Eichmann is asked about his statements concerning being brought to Israel against his will, later saying that he was relieved to be in Israel so that he can justify himself through testimony. Eichmann says that he wants to clear away the lies concerning his reputation from the previous 15 years, so that he can give his family something to tell those who question them, and that is why he has insisted on a long cross-examination. Judge Halevi responds that this could be problematic because Eichmann would want to present the facts in a positive light. Eichmann says that's not what he has been doing. 00:48:39 Eichmann's courage to speak the truth and assume responsibility is questioned here based on what some witnesses have said about Eichmann's character. The shifting of the blame by so many at Nuremberg is mentioned, and the Judge says that he understands that the accused have a right to not tell the truth, to not incriminate themselves, but Eichmann has said that he is not doing that, he is telling the truth. The Judge states that they have no prejudice against Eichmann, despite being in Israel, but want to uncover the truth just as Eichmann wants. The tape cuts out in the middle of the translation of the Judge's next statement.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 112 -- Prosecution continues summing up
Film
Session 112. Hausner talks about Eichmann's relationship with the General Government, stating that he should have had no dealings with them if he held the position he claims he held. 00:02:53 Hausner begins discussing Hungary. He says that this is proof not only that the Nazis wanted to fully execute the Final Solution, but that Eichmann was in charge of all of this. 00:10:36 Hausner goes on to discuss the deception of the Jews, as well as when Eichmann eventually admitted to ordering the deception when presented with enough evidence. The things that Eichmann told the Jews is brought into question at this time. His deception is detailed. 00:18:22 Hausner talks about Eichmann complimenting the Jews as he threatened them, and more instances where Eichmann deliberately duped the Jews. He reads the evidence where Eichmann claimed responsibility for the ghettos of Hungary. 00:30:38 Details continue about Eichmann's fanaticism of eliminating the Jews, going so far to violate the spirit of the orders, as well as the treatment of the sick and disabled at the camps. 00:38:48 Eichmann's attitudes towards children, including cruelty, and his want to pack more people in the cars who had children, and other cases. 00:40:16 The Judges order a 20 minute break to see the attorneys in their offices.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 112 -- Hausner sums up
Film
Session 112. Hausner talks about group responsibility in crimes. Eichmann as a man who didn't take orders. Discusses whose responsibility it was for the extermination of the Jews, and the legality of murder and persecution as a result of law changes. 00:06:59 Asks why did they camouflage what was happening if it was legal. 00:08:49 Jumps to Hausner speaking about everyone's guilt within the "nerve center of the Gestapo" on condition that they knew what was happening and remained in Gestapo center after realizing what the purpose was. Eichmann, admitted himself that he knew of the order of the extermination of the Jews - he was caught in the net of criminal conspiracy. 00:10:15 Another argument which may crop up - claim of the "Act of State" - if an individual act on behalf of one state damages another state then the damaged state may ask that the other state gives compensation - the individual does not suffer the consequences. But when order exceeds boundary of law it does not count - therefore the offenders carry personal criminal responsibility. Reads from pamphlet. 00:16:27 Session ends, court adjourns.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 71-- Witness Vera Alexander
Film
The camera fades in on empty chairs by the prosecution and defense tables followed by a fade out and cuts to an overhead shot of the same empty chairs. The camera zooms out to show the whole courtroom. People are heard talking in the background from the audience seating. (00:02:10). Adolf Eichmann enters the booth with documents in his arms. Attorney General Gideon Hausner enters. All rise as the judges enter and Judge Landau announces the opening of Session 71 (00:06:14). Hausner calls the witness Vera Alexander to the stand. Judge Landau asks for quiet in the court and the witness is sworn in. Alexander begins by giving an account in Hebrew of her arrest and deportation to Auschwitz (00:09:24) as well as her arrival at the camp and the block to which she was assigned. Hausner questions her about her work detail at Auschwitz and Alexander testifies to her appointment as a block elder (00:15:01). The witness states that she used her position to help other prisoners and describes her placement in the hospital block when she fell ill. She notes that once she was appointed a block elder she was given a whip from Irma Grese to beat prisoners with and defiantly states that she never used the whip (00:21:59). Testimony continues with Alexander describing the various staff positions at the camp, including those of the Rapportschreiberin and the Schreibstube (00:23:17). Hausner asks the witness whether she knew of the two Slovakian boys that had escaped from Auschwitz and Alexander states that she knew both of them by name (00:26:15). She gives an account of Dr. Mengele and his experimentation on twins (00:27:33) as well as the arrival of Hungarian Jews and the orders she received not to tell them about their fate. Testimony then turns to the subject of children: whether the witness saw children being taken to be killed and if the presence of children was a risk for adults (00:32:43). Alexander describes one incident in which a woman with a child came into her block and when the child was taken away the woman committed suicide by electrocuting herself on the electrified barbed wire fence (00:33:39). This duplicates footage found on Tape 2087 (at 00:45:28) but is more complete than Tape 2087.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 71 -- Testimony of Vera Alexander, Nachum Hoch, Gedalia Ben-Zvi
Film
Footage begins during testimony from witness Vera Alexander. The witness is shown various sketches of scenes depicting life in Auschwitz which were drawn by another survivor following liberation (the sketches are shown on screen). 00:09:38 Vera Alexander is excused and leaves the witness stand and the next witness, Nachum Hoch, is called to the stand. Hoch is sworn in and testifies in Hebrew (00:10:37) beginning with his deportation from Transylvania to Auschwitz and the selection process at the camp. He then goes on to describe being beaten (00:13:28) for attempting to get another ration of food and an instance in which he was taken with a group for disinfection (00:15:12). Hoch gives an account of how his block was locked up for several days, how they planned to break out, and how they were caught (00:16:52). Following this, Hoch states that they were taken to crematorium #3 where a selection took place and he was among fifty boys selected to remove potatoes from railcars and bury them (00:27:35). Nachum Hoch is excused and leaves the stand. Attorney General Gideon Hausner calls Gedalia Ben-Zvi to the stand. The witness walks down the aisle to the stand and takes the oath (00:34:12). Ben-Zvi begins his testimony by describing his deportation from Bratislava to Majdanek then to Auschwitz, followed by his arrival at the camp. He provides a long explanation as to the difference between Auschwitz and Birkenau (00:36:19). The witness goes on to give an account of how arrivals were quarantined (00:45:01) and then distributed into labor groups. Ben-Zvi recounts how he and his brother-in-law tried to obtain food and tells of his work detail, moving bodies to the mortuary (00:48:28). He then describes being sent to the punishment unit and the Bunakommando. The remainder of his testimony concerns a description of the mass executions that happened in the block (00:54:14), his imprisonment in a Stehbunker (a small vertical cell where he could only stand), (00:57:54) and the presence of good and bad block elders. Testimony ends with Ben-Zvi beginning to describe his work detail in "Canada" (01:02:22). "Canada" was the prisoners' name for the looted property taken from arriving transports, and referred the supposed riches possessed by people who lived in Canada. The section on "Canada" is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2091 (at 00:00:38 to 00:02:46) but is less complete on this tape. The footage on this tape becomes distorted beginning at 01:03:24.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 82, 73, 75, 70, 87 -- Eichmann's role in camps, first trip, Goldstein testimony, submission of documents
Film
Session 82. Dr. Servatius submits the second series of documents, this about Bohemia and Moravia. The first is a letter saying that Eichmann solved many problems within concentration camps. He asks Eichmann what those were, and if he really was involved. Eichmann says that he was not involved, this letter is not truthful. He says he had no role, no functions, no authority within the camps. The language of the original record is questioned; German is decided upon. 00:10:22 Session 73. Dr. Servatius submits another letter. This one concerns the search for Jews. Another concerns the Italian concerns and lists of who was sought. These are meant to show that Eichmann's office had little influence over such things. 00:19:23 Session 75. Eichmann describes the first trip he took on behalf of Reich Security. He says that Heydrich told him that the Fuehrer ordered the extermination of all Jews. He said that he planned to use the anti-armor trenches dug to prevent Russian assaults in this. He says that he was taken in an unknown direction by someone who was more versed in this topic. Eichmann says that he told Mueller that he was unfit to do such a job, and was answered that a soldier cannot choose his assignment. The tape jumps before all of his lengthy statement can be translated into English. 00:32:34 Session 70. Esther Goldstein testifes, listing the many causes of death that she recorded, hiding the truth, and says that she made up special designations for those shot, because death by shooting could not be listed as a cause of death. According to the record, nobody was shot to death. She says that those who went directly to the gas chambers were not registered, so that it was as though they were never there; there was no recording of them. 00:37:46 Tape jumps. Esther Goldstein is still testifying. She describes some people that she knew and their fates. She is describing the escape of two people by stealing SS uniforms and sneaking out. She says that they were caught by customs officers because they asked for directions. She says that the woman committed suicide via a hidden razorblade during roll call. 00:44:39 Goldstein is asked about registration, saying that beginning in February of 1943, the Jews were no longer registered. 00:46:22 Session 87. The Attorney General Hausner says that he cannot submit a current affidavit because he does not know where the person is and does not intend to search for them. Dr. Servatius objects to the submission, saying that it is by a very young girl right after the war and should not be trusted. Hausner decides that he won't bother the court with it. It is still given a number for evidence. He begins reading another document for submission. This one contains a list of large amounts of items acquired following the transports and given to the Volksdeutche and the German youth. He then reads the lists of items given to fighting units, and the question is raised as to what to do with 30,000 ladies watches. 00:54:23 Tape jumps. Hausner is still submitting documents.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 70 and 71 -- Witnesses R. Kagan, E. Goldstein, V. Alexander; film screenings
Film
Footage begins with testimony from witness Raya Kagan, who describes a meeting with Untersturmbannführer Maximilian Grabner, in which she was told that she was forbidden to talk about the office work she performed (registration of supposed causes of deaths among prisoners), on pain of death. She also provides an account of her contact with the women of the Aussenkommando and the female Slovakian intelligentsia, as well as a description of the kapos and block elders. The remainder of Kagan's testimony is missing from the tape and the footage begins again with a witness account from Esther Goldstein. Goldstein describes her arrival at Auschwitz and the process of separation of the men, women and children (a picture of women and children is shown at 00:06:58). She then describes the roll call/selections headed by Dr. Mengele, noting that in one instance the orchestra played music and that Mengele had a woman assistant. Goldstein also gives an account of the living conditions and food. The remainder of Goldstein's testimony is missing and the footage continues with the presentation of film evidence by the prosecution. Portions of this footage are visible on screen. Shots of Eichmann watching the film. Topics of the footage shown include the Einsatzgruppen and the Auschwitz camp. After a brief break in the footage, evidentiary film continues, including shots of the hospital and surgical blocks in Auschwitz. Another break in the footage, then film evidence continues with scenes of the liberation of Auschwitz by Soviet troops, then still photographs of prisoners being punished and examined. There are various shots of prisoner badges and tattoos and atrocities. The film stops and Attorney General Hausner addresses the court and describes the next segment of film to be presented, from liberated camps in the American sector. Eichmann takes notes. (00:31:14) Footage of General Eisenhower viewing the atrocities in a liberated camp (probably Ohrdruf). American GIs aid survivors. The next segment of footage shows bodies and captured camp staff being held at gunpoint. Americans view mass graves. Sign indicates some of the footage is from Landsberg (00:34:23). Another break, and then film onscreen continues with shots of captured German/Nazi POWs and camp staff, supervised by American GIs, placing bodies in a mass grave. The presentation of film ends and the court adjourns until the afternoon session. All rise as the judges exit. Footage resumes in the middle of Session 71 with the testimony of witness Vera Alexander. Hausner shows the witness a drawing made by a survivor after liberation and asks her to authenticate the events depicted in the drawing. These pictures are shown on screen and include topics such as arrival, the shaving of women's heads, the bunks, the infirmary, and punishment, distribution of food, selections, sorting, suicide, and hangings.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 70 -- Screening of films
Film
Session 70. Cuts between the film footage entered as evidence and shots of Eichmann in the courtroom watching the footage. 00:01:06 The scene opens on the courtroom, there is no sound. 00:02:58 Eichmann is brought in. 00:06:09 Film footage is shown of people walking through a camp covered in snow (Auschwitz). Cut to Eichmann then back to footage of a crowd walking through the camp; inmates looking through barbed wire; another shot of the camp covered in snow. Eichmann in courtroom. Film: building with scaffolding around it, snow, train, industrial town. 00:07:17 Aerial shot pans across snow covered camp. Blue prints of Auschwitz. 00:07:38 Eichmann in courtroom. Blue prints of gas chambers. Camp. Many people lying in wooden bunk-beds. Shot of Auschwitz entrance -"Arbeit Macht Frei". People in wooden beds (repeated shot). Eichmann. Woman with rug around her. 00:09:50 Shots of photo album. 00:10:14 Footage of inmates through barbed wire fence, close-ups. Man speaking to camera, dead bodies, child and woman stood facing the camera. People walking past the camera, being carried. Eichmann. 00:11:49 People being asked questions, reading a piece of paper. 00:12:55 Person on stretcher. Horses and carts going past. 00:13:13 Cut back to courtroom, Eichmann. Return to film footage of men carrying the ill. Children walking past with nuns. 00:14:43 Children showing their tattooed numbers. 00:15:18 Dead body. People digging, skeletons. Gas chambers and Zyklon B. 00:16:03 Bodies lined up. 00:16:11 Footage of a group of men sitting around a table talking. Mass graves, soldiers approaching it, gallows with inmates explaining how it was used. 00:17:42 Bags of human hair. Piles of human hair, human teeth and pliers, spectacles, clothes, children's clothes are held up by Russian soldiers, shoes, toothbrushes, suitcases. 00:20:40 Mass graves, people crying, procession with brass band, nuns, coffins carried. Many coffins lined up and buried. 00:22:32 Man being inspected by a doctor; sick children being inspected. 00:23:29 Cuts out.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 70 -- Screening of films
Film
Session 70. Cuts between the film footage entered into the trial as evidence and of still photos entered into the trial as evidence and Eichmann watching the footage. Eichmann does not seem to change his expression throughout the screening. 00:00:27 Footage being shown in the courtroom - medical examinations of inmates, posters of Nazis. Eichmann in courtroom speaking. 00:04:32 Footage of train with cattle cars going past. Scenes in a camp, jumping into pits, being helped onto trucks (?), being shot in pits and then buried. 00:06:45 Train with cattle cars at dusk. 00:08:08 Footage of people with arm bands at a railway station getting into cattle cars, SS guards. Cuts back and forth to Eichmann in the courtroom. 00:10:58 More people, with belongings, arrive at station. 00:12:12 Changing projector reel in courtroom, Eichmann. 00:14:40 Blurred writing comes up on the screen, in French, credits come up. "Nuit at Brouillard" (Night and Fog), a documentary by Alain Resnais is screened. One of the most vivid depictions of the horrors of Nazi concentration camps, filmed in 1955 at the postwar site of Auschwitz, the film combines color footage with black and white newsreels and stills to tell the story not only of the Holocaust, but the horror of man's brutal inhumanity. 00:16:09 Film starts. Barbed wire, subtitles "A peaceful landscape, a field with crows, a country road, a village, holidaymakers and a fairground. The way to a concentration camp...were merely names on the map. The tongues are silent. Only the camera circles the..." All along the camera pans over a concentration camp. Eichmann watching the film. Footage of Nazi party rallies. Shots of a camp. 00:19:04 Still shots of people with their belongings, lining up to get into trucks. Footage of people walking down road with all their belongings, getting into cattle cars. Father with children. SS closing up the doors to the cattle cars. 00:21:21 Train leaves station, shots of Auschwitz. Still photographs of many people sitting in courtyard, naked people lined up. Subtitles, triangles on clothes and armbands shown. Pictures of SS. 00:23:54 Shots of the wooden bunks people had to sleep in, buildings of the camp. Stills photos of men in bed, the band, snow. Eichmann watching film. Inmates, deportees, drinking soup. 00:27:22 Latrines, subtitles on the black market, resistance. 00:28:04 Entrance to Auschwitz, signs of other camps, orchestra, a bear. 00:28:34 Children, people with crutches. 00:29:10 Stills photos of people who had thrown themselves to the electric fence, naked people lined up. Hartheim. Trucks; letters. 00:30:49 Still photos of dying men, footage in camp hospitals. 00:31:55 Woman talking to camera, subtitles about medical experiments. Men who were castrated, emaciated legs, passports shown. Register of thousands of names. 00:33:53 Still photos of well dressed, well fed people sitting around laughing. Eichmann watching. Subtitle "1942" - SS men shaking hands, Himmler. Plans for camp and incinerator. 00:35:49 deportations, train. Dead bodies in truck. 00:36:30 Still photos of naked women and men, cylinders of Zyklon gas. 00:36:54 The inside of a gas chamber. Emaciated corpses in piles. 00:37:58 Clandestine still photos, taken by the Resistance, of burning bodies outside at Auschwitz when the crematorium became too full. Skulls, limbs and human remains. 00:38:25 The ovens. Eichmann watching the film, he does not change his position throughout the viewing. 00:39:20 Piles of spectacles, pits, shoes, hair, carpets. 00:40:24 Oven door is opened and a human skeleton is inside. Bodies, decapitated heads, soap presumably made from humans. 00:41:03 Artwork laid out on table. Arial shots of camp. Bodies littering the ground, subtitle mentions typhus. 00:42:06 Tractor pushes all the bodies out of the way into a pit. Women leaving the building, men and women in uniforms walk past the camera. Skulls lined up, deportees looking through barbed wire fences. Kapos saying that they are not responsible. 00:43:40 More shots of bodies. Eichmann watching.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 90 -- Cross-examination of the Accused about the origins of his antisemitism and his trip to Palestine
Film
The camera fades in on Attorney General Gideon Hausner seated at the prosecution table looking over documents. Assistant State Attorney Ya'akov Bar-Or enters (00:01:43) and then Assistant State Attorney Gabriel Bach both men are then seated at the prosecution table. Robert Servatius enters with his aid. Adolf Eichmann, escorted by two guards, enters the booth with documents sits down (00:02:56). There are various shots of the audience and the lawyers' desks. All rise as the judges enter and are seated(00:04:51). Judge Moshe Landau opens the ninetieth session (00:05:24). Landau asks Servatius about his request to examine witnesses Zvi Tohar and Jack Shimoni. A small portion of the session is missing and the footage resumes with Hausner cross-examining Eichmann. The Attorney General asks the accused whether, after 1937, the only front on which he was active was the fight against the Jews (00:07:20). Hausner then questions Eichmann about the origins of his hostility towards the Jews, citing the alleged declaration of war that Chaim Weizmann made against Germany in 1939 (00:08:52). Chaim Weizmann was the president of the World Zionist Organization from 1935 to 1946. The footage in this section is all duplicate footage also found on Tape 2126 (beginning at 00:03:56) but is less complete than Tape 2129. Hausner asks Eichmann about his perception of the Jews as an enemy that should be annihilated/exterminated (00:11:42). Eichmann is presented with documents in which he uses this terminology. While Eichmann examines the documents, Hausner reads excerpts in German. The accused is then questioned about the planned physical annihilation of the Jews (00:16:37). Hausner questions the accused's attitude towards the Jews and his perception of the Jews as opponents (00:18:11). Hausner again mentions the alleged declaration of war by Chaim Weizmann and declares that Weizmann never made such a statement. Eichmann is asked about the fact that Dieter Wisliceny recommended him because he was a convinced National Socialist. Hausner discusses Eichmann's assertion that his superior refused to allow him to study Hebrew with a rabbi (00:24:41) and questions Eichmann's stated intent to "put soil under the feet of the Jews" (00:27:43). He quotes from a report filed after Eichmann's trip to Palestine in 1939 (00:30:01). Eichmann maintains that the report was not his, that he merely made corrections to the report, and that the goal of the trip was to understand the people and the culture and to make contacts. Hausner presses the accused to acknowledge that he made contact with Hajj Amin al-Husseini (00:31:45) and admit responsibility for the report. Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, was a Palestinian nationalist who rejected Zionist claims in the middle east and had close ties to the Nazi party. Eichmann refuses to take responsibility for the report and Hausner states that he admitted to authoring the report when he was under interrogation. Hausner reads excerpts from the report in German (00:34:16). Hausner raises more questions about Eichmann's trip to Palestine (00:42:31). Eichmann is asked about the operations in Hungary and his anger towards the German Embassy for not intervening quickly enough to prevent the emigration of the Jews to Palestine (00:44:30). This last section is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2126 (at 00:07:34) but is more complete on Tape 2126. A portion of the proceedings is missing and footage resumes with Hausner questioning Eichmann about the authenticity of certain documents. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2126 (at 00:25:48) and Tape 2127 (at 00:00:35). The footage is more complete on Tape 2126 and 2127.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 91 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
Film
The camera fades in on Eichmann's empty booth. Defense counsel Dr. Robert Servatius is visible in the foreground. The camera cuts to the lawyers' tables. Servatius is seated in the foreground and Attorney General Gideon Hausner, Assistant State Attorney Gabriel Bach, and Assistant State Attorney Ya'akov Bar-Or are seated in the background. Eichmann enters the booth (00:01:53). He sits and cleans his glasses. There is an overhead shot from the balcony of Eichmann sitting in the booth. The camera begins to zoom in. The camera cuts to various shots of the courtroom and the audience. All rise as the judges enter (00:06:00). The defense and prosecuting lawyers bow to the judges (00:06:09). Presiding Judge Moshe Landau opens the ninety-first session (00:06:51). Landau begins the session by addressing Servatius's application to summon witnesses Tohar and Shimoni. Servatius presents his case for allowing the two witnesses to testify (00:07:32). Judge Landau confers with judges Benjamin Halevi and Yitzchak Raveh (00:16:43 to 00:17:16). Hausner presents his opinion on the matter (00:17:21) and the judges confer again (00:20:24 to 00:22:17). Judge Landau notifies Servatius that the court has rejected his application (00:26:17). Another application, made by Servatius, to summon the witness Van Taalingen-Dols is presented by Judge Landau (00:27:24). Servatius argues that since the letter he has presented from the witness is in Dutch the court has not thoroughly considered the necessity to have the witness testify. Landau insists this is not the case and explains how documents are handled by the court (00:32:45). Hausner states his position on the matter and reads excerpts from the letter (00:35:44). The judges confer (00:43:27 to 00:46:43) and it is decided that Servatius will send a telegram to Van Taalingen-Dols to see if he would be willing to testify in Israel (00:47:20). Landau makes notes (00:49:11). The cross-examination of the accused resumes (00:50:26). Hausner asks Eichmann about his trip with Franz Stahlecker to the Generalgouvernement of Poland (00:50:48). Hausner then asks how long Eichmann stayed (00:52:57), what route he traveled (00:54:32), and whether he was in Nisko (00:56:00) and saw the torture and killing of Jews at the beginning of the war (00:56:12). Eichmann gives a very vague replies to Hausner's questions, but he does state clearly that he never saw anyone being tortured or killed. Hausner asks the accused whether he saw what the German army did to the Jews during the first few weeks of the occupation (00:57:35) and Eichmann replies that he was not aware of any of this because he was at his desk in Berlin (00:58:01). The Attorney General presses Eichmann on whether he saw anything in Lublin, Katowice, or Sosnowiec (00:58:22). Again Eichmann replies that he did not see anything. He is then questioned about the September 21, 1939 meeting in Reinhard Heydrich's office (00:59:26) and whether Heydrich brought up the plan for the Final Solution (01:00:42). Eichmann states that he did not participate in the meeting. Only part of Eichmann's answer in German to Hausner's question is complete. The English translation is not heard. The cross-examination is in reference to Eichmann's role in the Nisko project, which was a "territorial solution" to the Jewish question that was considered between September 1939 and March 1940. When Eichmann was transferred to Prague in 1939 he and Einsatzgruppe A Commander Franz Stahlecker conceived of the idea of 'resettling' Jews in Poland. The area between the Bug and Vistula rivers, called the "Lublin reservation," was the area chosen for this purpose. Stahlecker proposed the operation to Heydrich, and during a meeting on September 21, 1939 Heydrich reported to commanders of the Einsatzgruppen that the plan had been approved. On October 6 Müller instructed Eichmann to make contact with Joseph Wagner, the Gauleiter of Eastern Upper Silesia, concerning the expulsion of 70,000-80,000 Jews to this territory. Eichmann went first to Vienna and Ostrava then to Katowice and arranged for deportations from all three locations. By mid October it was ordered that the deportations be stopped. Eichmann went to Berlin to try to reinstate the deportations but nothing came of his attempts and the Lublin reservation was never fully developed.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 91 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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Footage begins in the middle of the session with cross-examination of the accused by Attorney General Gideon Hausner. Hausner questions Eichmann about the September 21, 1939 meeting in Heydrich's office. At this meeting Reinhard Heydrich met with Adolf Eichmann and other Einsatzgruppen commanders to discuss Hitler's approval of a plan to concentrate Polish Jews in cities and later deport them eastward. Eichmann maintains that he was not present at this meeting and refers to the testimony of Dr. Alfred Six, noting that the witness would have stated that Eichmann had been at the meeting. Hausner reads contrary evidence which proves that Eichmann did attend the meeting (00:02:48) and accuses Eichmann of distorting testimony. Eichmann protests, saying that he can not remember since too much time has passed, to which Hausner replies that less than three years ago Eichmann was interview by Sassen and recounted everything that he is being asked now (00:05:29). Hausner then asks the accused to indicate whether and when he read books by Reitlinger (00:07:39) and Poliakov. Eichmann testifies that he read them while in prison but Hausner states that Sassen had questioned him about these books (00:09:42). The accused is then asked about documents that Sassen had read to him, including one that refers to an order he gave to Globocnik for the murder of 250,000 Jews (00:13:29). Hausner returns to the subject of the meeting with Heydrich and whether or not Eichmann was the man in charge of Heydrich's Jewish policy (00:14:14). Eichmann is asked whether Heydrich boasted about Eichmann's successes to Herman Goering and the Reich Ministers (00:14:47). Hausner presses the accused about when he was named head of the Central Office for Jewish Emigration. When asked if he was in charge of departments in Prague, Vienna, and Berlin (00:16:56) Eichmann testifies that he was responsible for the general running of the offices but goes on to describe the differences between being the director of the office and being someone who merely follows orders from his supervisors. Eichmann is then asked a series of questions about whether or not he was aware of Heydrich's Jewish policy (00:18:44), and if he knew that this policy had been carried out by the Einsatzgruppen in Poland (00:26:42). Hausner again raises the September 21st, 1939 meeting, and when Eichmann reiterates that he was not present at the meeting, Hausner asks Eichmann if he means to tell the court that the document in which Eichmann is named as a participant in the meeting is a forgery (00:28:29). The Attorney General questions the accused about the extent of his authority in the Nisko project (00:29:37). [The Nisko project was an attempt made between 1939 and 1940 to solve the "Jewish Question" by concentrating Jews in an area around the region of Lublin and Nisko in Poland.] Presiding Judge Moshe Landau reiterates Hausner's question and Eichmann says that he worked under Franz Stahlecker. Stahlecker was an SS officer and commander of Einsatzgruppe A who worked with Eichmann in the development of the Nisko project. Eichmann maintains that neither Stahlecker nor himself came up with the idea of the Nisko project but that it was the idea of certain "Jewish functionaries," namely Dr. Loewenherz, Edelstein in Prague and Rabbi Dr. Murmelstein (00:31:54). This section is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2133 (at 00:03:20). The accused testifies that Stahlecker had received permission for the implementation of the Nisko project (00:36:32) and that he himself was not in Berlin when the deportations started (00:37:52). Judge Halevi asks the accused how and why Stahlecker became his superior (00:39:30), as well as who Stahlecker's superiors were. The English translations of both of these questions are delayed and begin at 00:42:11. Eichmann explains Stahlecker's administrative authority (00:46:56) and goes on to state that he himself did not give instructions for the Nisko project The remainder of the footage concerns the camouflage of returned deportees after the failure to implement the Nisko project (00:48:52). By the end of October 1939 all the deportations to the Nisko region had been stopped and by spring 1940 the remaining Jews who had not been expelled throughout the Lublin area were sent back to Austria and the Bohemia and Moravia. The documents used in this section suggest that the Jews who had been returned were ordered to present themselves, when registering in the Central Office for Emigration, as "persons returning from retraining." This section is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2133 (at 00:11:06). Judge Landau calls for a recess (00:57:17) and all rise as the judges exit the courtroom (00:57:21). Eichmann, escorted by guards, exits the booth (00:57:34). There are shots of the audience and people filing out of the courtroom. Footage ends with a shot of the empty booth.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 92 -- Cross-examination of the Accused about the Madascar Plan, deportations, "im Auftrage"
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The camera fades in on Hausner and Servatius seated in the courtroom. Assistant State Attorney Gavriel Bach enters (00:01:34). The camera pans to the empty booth. Adolf Eichmann enters the booth (00:02:51). All rise as the judges enter and Presiding Judge Moshe Landau opens the ninety-second session (00:04:58). Hausner begins cross-examination of the accused (00:05:23). Hausner continues his questioning from the previous session about the term "by order" (im Auftrage) which Eichmann used when he signed documents. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2133 (at 00:00:45 and again at 01:01:32). The footage on Tape 2133 is less complete. Eichmann is then questioned about when he first learned of Hitler's order for the "Final Solution" (00:24:48). Hausner attempts to determine exactly when Eichmann learned of the order and he presents a series of documents that show that Eichmann knew of the order much earlier than he claims. Hasuner questions Eichmann about the Madagascar Plan and asks when the plan was shelved in favor of the plan to exterminate the Jews (00:28:30). The Madagascar Plan predated the Nazi period but was revived during the war. Under this plan, Europe's Jews were to be expelled to the island of Madgascar, which belonged to the French. Hausner presents a series of documents to the accused asking him to indicate when, in the documents, the phrase "Final Solution" no longer means the Madagascar Plan but instead means extermination (00:37:06). Judge Raveh asks Eichmann to show them a particular document concerning deportations to the East (00:45:22). There is some visual interference but the audio continues uninterrupted (00:46:19). Some of the footage repeats. Judge Halevi questions the accused about a document which makes reference to the deportation of 50,000 Jews from Austria, Germany, and Czechoslovakia to Riga and Minsk (00:52:07). Hausner points out that Eichmann participated in a meeting in Prague on 10 October 1941 during which the deportation of 50,000 Jews was discussed, and that by this point Eichmann was aware that the "Final Solution" meant deportation to the East and then extermination. Eichmann is then questioned about his department, Section IVB4, and their involvement with other departments of the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA), in matters concerning the press and radio (00:56:38). Eichman testifies that the term "participate" did not mean actually taking part in the work. Hausner asks Eichmann whether he was aware that Eichmann's murderous activities were reported in journals outside Germany (00:59:54). The Attorney General cites a London-based journal called Die Zeitung dated 24 October 1941 which refers to Eichmann as the murderer of the Jews of Germany. Eichmann states that he has found many errors in such documents, and goes on to testify that other documents clearly show that he had nothing to do with "the killing and destruction." Hausner returns to the Madagascar plan, asking Eichmann if he ever made any practical attempts to promote it (01:04:23). The accused states that he did preliminary work after the plan had been approved and that he was the initiator of the idea itself. Hausner asks if the Madagascar Plan was meant to be implemented after the war with France was over (01:07:53). Eichmann begins to state that it would have been initiated once the peace treaty was signed when the footage ends. This section is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2134 (at 00:00:35). The footage on Tape 2134 is more complete.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 47 -- Testimony of witness Itzchak Nechama about the July 11, 1942 Aktion against the male Jews of Salonika, Greece
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Opening shot of the courtroom. Adolf Eichmann sits in the booth. Lawyers for the defense and the prosecution are seated at their respective desks with their backs to the camera. The judges enter. All rise and Judge Moshe Landau asks Deputy State Attorney Yaacov Bar-Or to proceed. There appears to have been a brief recess after the entering of many documents into the record and the footage picks up after this. Itzchak Nechama takes the witness stand (00:01:35) and is sworn in. He testifies about his military service in the Greek army, the demobilization of his unit, and his return to Salonika, where the German army was already present. He speaks about the confiscation of Jewish property such as trucks, books, and radios. Nechama testifies about the pilfering from Jewish business in the city (00:08:18) and the first Aktion perpertrated against the Jews of Salonika. Some 9,000 Jewish males were instructed to report to Eleftheria Square for work assigments on July 11, 1942. Instead of receiving work details, the Jews were beaten and humiliated. The witness is shown a document ordering the Jews to report for work, a picture of the square, and a picture of water being poured over a man's head to revive him after he had lost consciousness from exhaustion or from being beaten. Both photos are viewed on screen. Other pictures shown to the witness include Jews being forced to mimic actions of an SS man (00:14:33) (shown on screen), a man being whipped, and a picture that shows Itzhak Nechama himself after he was beaten. The camera focuses on defense attorney Robert Servatius looking at some of these pictures during the witness's testimony. There is a break in the video, skipping a small part of the testimony. Nechama recounts the terrible conditions at Ueberland, a German-owned factory in Greece, where he worked in the quarry (00:27:17). The work was supervised by a man named Mueller. Nechama explains that after he had been at the factory for three weeks, the Jewish community paid off the Germans and he was released (00:28:37). He states that partisans wanted to take revenge on the Germans but Jewish men were placed on guard along the rail lines with the understanding that if the partisans attacked the rail lines the Jews would be shot. Another break in the video. The footage resumes with a close-up of Eichmann. The camera returns to Mr. Nechama, who recounts how he had to exchange his money before he was sent on a transport to Poland. He notes that the Jews had been told that they were going to a place near Krakow but were sent to Auschwitz. Nechama was sent to Auschwitz, then Mauthausen then Gusen, before being liberated in March 1945 in Wels. He is asked to describe his arrival in Auschwitz (00:32:58) and how many Jews from his transport survived. Another break. The remaining footage on this tape continues with the entering of documents into evidence.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 91 and 92 -- excerpts -- Cross-examination of the Accused about Nisko, Sassen document, Final Solution
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The footage begins near the opening of Session 92. Attorney General Gideon Hausner cross-examines Eichmann, who tries to define the term "im Auftrage", which he used when he signed documents. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2135 (at 00:05:23). The footage on Tape 2135 is more complete. The video cuts out from 00:02:48 to 00:03:20 and resumes in the middle of Session 91. Hausner questions Eichmann about the extent of his authority in the Nisko Project, which was a plan to concentrate Jews into a "Jewish reservation" around the regions of Lublin and Nisko, Poland. Eichmann, under questioning from Hausner and Judge Halevi, states that he worked under Franz Stahlecker. Stahlecker was an SS officer and commander of Einsatzgruppe A who worked with Eichmann in the development of the Nisko Project. Eichmann maintains that neither he nor Stahlecker came up with the idea but that it was the idea of the "Jewish functionaries" Dr. Loewenherz and Edelstein in Prague, and perhaps Rabbi Dr. Murmelstein (00:05:37). This entire segment is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2131 (beginning at 00:29:37). The footage on Tape 2131 is more complete. Some of the session is missing, but the testimony about the Nisko Project continues, with Eichmann testifying that he did not give instructions for the implementation of the plan. Eichmann is asked a series of questions by Hausner about Eichmann's instructions to the returned Nisko deportees that they pose as people returning from a vocational training course. (00:11:06). By the end of October 1939 the deportations to the Nisko region had stopped and by spring 1940 the remaining Jews who had not been dispersed throughout the Lublin area were sent back to Austria and the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. This entire segment is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2131 (beginning at 00:47:59). The footage on Tape 2131 is more complete. A section of the proceeding is missing and footage resumes with Hausner questioning the accused about whether he supervised the deportations and how long he was in Nisko. When asked if he ever consulted Hans Frank, the Governor General of Poland, Eichmann states that at the time Frank was not yet the Governor General (00:18:31). Hausner becomes visibly agitated by Eichmann's answers and states that Eichmann is lying to the court and that he knew the Jews were going to be exterminated (00:21:50). A very small part of the session is missing. Eichmann is asked whether or not he believes that people held in detention have the right to lie. Eichmann states that this is a prevailing German concept but that he himself is attempting to bring the truth to the forefront. Hausner asks him if he talked to Sassen in order to remove his guilt (00:29:57) and whether he told Sassen the truth (00:32:02). Willem Sassen was a Dutch journalist attached to an Einsatzgruppe unit during the war. Following the war, sentenced to death in his own country, Sassen fled to South America where he met Eichmann. Over the course of four months in 1957 he interviewed Eichmann; the tapes and transcripts were relied upon heavily as evidence during Eichmann's trial. Footage resumes in the middle of Session 92. This portion of the session concerns the development of the Final Solution. Hausner asks the accused to read a selection from the Sassen document. Eichmann, before reading, states that he was often drunk when he gave his interviews with Sassen and did not know what he was saying (00:34:36). Eichmann examines the document. The camera cuts to Hausner, who appears agitated as he waits for Eichmann to finish reading. Hausner asks Eichmann if he said the things written in the document and the accused once again states that he was under the influence of alcohol and does not think that he did say these things. A portion of this section is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2134 (at 00:44:22). The footage on Tape 2134 is more complete. A large section of the proceedings is missing and footage resumes with further cross-examination about the Final Solution. Hausner asks the accused whether he was Reinhard Heydrich's specialist (00:46:04) and Eichmann replies that he was not the specialist officer for the Final Solution but was the specialist in charge of Jewish Affairs. Several documents are presented that show that Eichmann was referred to as a specialist. There is a disruption in the court and Judge Landau calls for order (00:52:00). Hausner then asks if during Ernst Kaltenbrunner's time, Eichmann remained the specialist in charge of Jewish Affairs and the chief of the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA). The remaining footage in this section concerns others who were involved with implementing the extermination of the Jews and whether there was anyone else in charge of Jewish Affairs (00:59:10). This section is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2136 (at 00:00:22). The footage on Tape 2136 is more complete. Footage resumes during the beginning of Session 92 with the discussion of the term "im Auftrage" used by Eichmann under his signature on documents. Part of this section is duplicate footage found at the beginning of this Tape 2133 (at 00:00:45). This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2135 (at 00:05:23). The footage on Tape 2135 is more complete.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 92 -- Madagascar Plan
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Attorney General Gideon Hausner cross-examines Eichmann about the Madagascar Plan. The Madagascar Plan predated the Nazi period but was revived during the war. Under this plan, Europe's Jews were to be deported to the island of Madgascar, which belonged to the French. Hausner asks the accused what measures were taken towards promoting the plan (00:02:35). Eichmann testifies that it would have developed once a peace treaty with France was signed but that the treaty never happened so the plan was shelved. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2135 (01:04:23). The footage on Tape 2135 is not as complete as the footage on Tape 2134. Hausner presents documents which were sent to the Foreign Ministry asking whether, in light of the impending Final Solution, the emigration of Jews is to be prevented (00:03:47) and if the accused was referring to extermination. Eichmann states that the document does not mean anything and that he signed it by order. Hausner presents another document from section IVB4 ordering the prevention of emigration for Jews from France and Belgium. There is some confusion about which document Hausner is referring to but cross examination continues (00:09:51) with Hausner stating that by May of 1941 the accused's section was aware of the Final Solution (00:10:32). Eichmann protests saying that at that time the only plan being considered was the Madagascar Plan. The accused is asked about how the Madagascar Plan was to be implemented when De Gaulle controlled the island in 1941 and why it was necessary to prevent emigration of French and Belgian Jews to implement the Madagascar Plan (00:13:29). Hausner proceeds to ask the accused why the emigration of Jews from the Reich does not harm the implementation of the Madagascar Plan while the emigration of Jews from France and Belgium does (00:23:41). Judge Halevi reminds the Attorney General that the document in question does not say that their emigration would harm the Madagascar Plan but that preference would be given to the emigration of Jews within Germany and, with emigration restrictions, the Jews from France and Belgium would have to wait. Judge Raveh asks the accused whether there was a difference between the emigration of Jews from occupied France and those from unoccupied France (00:26:05). Hausner asks the accused again if the Final Solution, in the sense of extermination, was discussed within his section at the beginning of 1941 (00:31:46). Again the subject of when the Madagascar Plan was shelved is brought up and Hausner tells the accused that the plan was dropped in August of 1940. Eichmann testifies that this was not the case and that the plan was merely passed on. Eichmann is asked if he was aware of Herman Goering's instructions to Reinhard Heydrich to submit a plan for the Final Solution in July 1941 (00:40:24). The accused states that he is aware of the order but when Hausner tells him that he dictated this letter Eichmann denies the charge. Servatius asks the Attorney General where he is getting this claim (00:42:57). Footage cuts (00:44:22) There is a small portion of testimony missing from the film. Footage resumes with Eichmann testifying that he does not think he said some of the things mentioned in the Sassen document and that he was drunk when he gave his interview with Sassen in 1957. Willem Sassen was a Dutch journalist attached to an Einsatzgruppen unit during the war. Sentenced to death in his own country following the war, Sassen fled to Argentina where he met Adolf Eichmann. In 1957 he began a series of taped interviews with Eichmann, the bulk of which became known as the Sassen Document during the 1961 trial. A very small section of this footage is duplicated on Tape 2133 (at 00:34:15). The footage on Tape 2133 is less complete. Hausner turns his questions to the Wannsee Conference and Eichmann's participation in the meeting (00:48:01). He asks the accused if it was Heydrich's intent to receive the authority to run the office of Jewish Affairs as he saw fit and whether he received that authority during the conference. The accused is asked if he was made Heydrich's specialist responsible for all affairs connected with the Final Solution (00:51:51). Eichman denies this claim.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 46, 53, 62, 64, 68, and 71 -- Testimonies regarding badges, postcards, furnaces, ditches, suicides, selections
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Session 46. May 19, 1961. Alexander Arnon talks about wearing the Star of David badge. He is interrupted by the Prosecution, and asked about the forced payment of 100,000,000 Denars, with 60 Denars equal to an American Dollar at the time. Following that, legislation that required wearing the Jewish Star was put into effect. The court decides that photographing the badge he holds up will suffice for evidence. He was given the task of supplying the Jews of Zagreb with the badges, as ordered by the Gestapo officer Mueller. 00:10:46 Session 53. May 25, 1961. Margit Reich testifies. A translator reads a postcard from her husband that describes the deportation and the trip. She describes that the postcard was thrown from the train and sent by a passerby. The translator reads another postcard describing conditions in the train and her father's goodbye to the family, though he hoped to survive. 00:17:33 Tape jumps. Dr. Martin (Marcel) Foeldi testifes about the postcards they were forced to write in Auschwitz, as dictated by the Kapos. He was forced to write about being put to work and that he was fine. He says that it was very reassuring to receive postcards from the previous transports, making them feel better about the situation. 00:21:51 Tape jumps. Ze'ev Sapir testifies about Adolf Eichmann's visit to the ghetto Sapir was in, and how it was cleaned to welcome him. He has difficulty expressing the story. 00:26:43 Tape jumps. Ze'ev Sapir is still testifying. He says that after three hours in the train, he saw furnaces and smelled a horrible odor at Auschwitz. He asked other inmates what it was, and they said burning rags. He understood his fate when a prisoner who forgot his prayer shawl in the coach was told he wasn't going to need it by another prisoner who unloaded the train. Sapir is asked about his family, and he describes them, and says that all of them died. 00:30:02 Session 62. June 1, 1961. Leslie Gordon testifies that he was searching for food for his family in Bucharest when he was captured. He was told to dig ditches, and they believed that they were anti-tank ditches. This was controlled by the SD. He describes that people were told to remove their clothes, and were executed by Germans, some sober, some drunk. Not all of them were killed, but only injured, and buried alive. He says that those executed were those able to resist, all of them Jews. 00:43:02 Session 64. June 5, 1961. Ya'akov Friedman testifying. He describes inmates committing suicide by running at the electric fences in Majdanek. He says that the guards tried to stop them, not because they cared, but because it was a lot of work for them. 00:44:09 Session 68. June 7, 1961. Joseph Zalman Kleinman testifying. He describes the call for everyone to run to the football field, which he believes was there for the Roma. He says that Dr. Mengele rode up on his bike and he began the selection. He asked a young sunburned blonde boy, and asked this 15 year old how old he was. He lied, saying he was 18. Mengele was furious, demanding a plank with a hammer and nails. He created a measuring device, demanding that everyone must walk under, and those not tall enough would be sent to their death. Though it was not said, they knew what the purpose of this was. He put rocks in his shoes, painfully elevating himself, forcing himself to stand at attention with that. He survived, though 1000 out of 2000 did not. The tape jumps before he can elaborate. 00:53:03 Session 71. June 8, 1961. Nachum Hoch testifying. He was forced into a room with serial numbers and hooks and told to undress. One of the Sonderkommando told them in Yiddish not to show their fear, but to sing. He believes Hoess then came to the hallway and grabbed the first boy in the line, asking him to prove physical fitness. The kid talked back to Hoess, and he was sent back to the chamber. Hoch was forced to do knee bends and then to run to the wall and back before being sent with the first boy. 50 were selected in this fashion.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 55 -- Testimony of Dr. G. Gilbert
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THIS MASTER TAPE DOES NOT ACTUALLY EXIST. DISTORTION AND DROP-OUT WAS SO SEVERE THAT THE ENTIRE TAPE WAS BLANK. Session 55.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 113 -- Prosecution continues summing up
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Session 113. Attorney General Hausner names all of the people who would have to be lying in order for Eichmann to be telling the truth. He provides numerous examples of how this would have to be true. 00:06:59 Hausner says that Eichmann has shown his intelligence and stature through all of the cross-examinations, and has given evasive excuses as answers to all questions. He insists that Eichmann knew of the anti-Semitic policies of National Socialism, and that his claims of writing in the heat of the moment are bunk. 00:16:35 He says that Eichmann would not have stopped within the Third Reich - his plans carried to the entire world in a post-war German victory. He then talks about Eichmann's fury regarding publishing some of his writings in a newspaper. 00:25:14 Hausner reads the quotes from Eichmann that indicate his lack of remorse for his actions as the war drew to a close. He says that Eichmann had no enemies other than the Jews. 00:29:35 Tape jumps to Hausner discussing all of those who worked to save the Jews from the Nazis, and how they will never be forgotten, from the Dutch to the French underground to Raoul Wallenberg. 00:35:23 A poem written by a Gentile is read. 00:41:00 Hausner brings up the Yugoslavs and the Greeks. 00:42:11 Tape jumps. Hausner says that he is reaching the end, and wants to make a few final remarks. The nations which resisted sending the Jews are discussed. He asks that the court rule that Eichmann worked willingly, with zeal, towards the end of the Jews. He compares Hitler to Attila the Hun in his desire for utter destruction. He asks the Judges to render a just verdict before sitting down. The Judges end the session. 00:52:30 The Judges leave. People leaving the courtroom.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 113 -- Prosecution continues summing up
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Session 113. Near-empty courtroom. Eichmann and Dr. Servatius attempt to talk over the private microphone line. Eichmann motions that it's not necessary. 00:05:43 Judges enter. They open Session 113. The Attorney General Hausner submits translated copies of his summing up. 00:08:54 Hausner says that he will say a few words regarding the proof as presented in the testimonies of the witnesses as well as various documents already discussed. Questions of the honesty of the witnesses, as well as the possibility of corroboration, are raised by the Judges. Hausner answers these in turn. 00:19:44 Hausner says that after Eichmann was admittedly released from his oath in Argentina, he still decried the words of a man who criticized Hitler. He says that Eichmann is still loyal to Hitler, and had no remorse. He reminds the court of the quote where Eichmann said that he would jump happily in his grave after his being responsible for the death of five million. He says that Eichmann's choice of words is suspect considering that he was not fighting on any front, and that his only enemy was the Jews (duplicate footage from Tape 2229). 00:26:30 Tape jumps. Hausner specifies the Eichmann estimates of Jews killed. He mentions the after-the-fact repentance of Eichmann, considering his comments from the Sassen memoirs that suggests Eichmann was upset that he did not complete the Final Solution. 00:29:20 The Judges ask about the estimates of Jews killed, a number saying only a million. Hausner says that he did not use it because Eichmann never brought it up. He then continues to describe the Neo-Nazi movement's goals and their discrediting of the Holocaust. He says that Eichmann did not have the nerve to mention these things, and so the topic was not brought up, including the discrepancy in numbers. 00:32:20 Hausner switches topics to discuss a few small but important points.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 114 -- Courtroom and closing statement of the Defense
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Session 114. Dr. Servatius sits. The Judges are not in the courtroom. 00:05:19 Judges enter and tell Dr. Servatius to continue. 00:06:03 Tape jumps. Dr. Servatius talks about the skeletons that Eichmann gave, saying that the entire request is peculiar. He refutes the accusations of Einsatzgruppen shootings with affidavits, as well as the cooperation of Eichmann with the Einsatzgruppen in the Baltics and the Soviet Union. 00:11:03 Dr. Servatius admits that Eichmann was in charge of deportations and relocations of Jews, but had no idea that death was the fate of these Jews. They were shot by the Einsatzgruppen under no orders of his. He then says that Eichmann did not demand deportations from the East and Italy, as testified by various witnesses. 00:18:06 Tape is interrupted by a slate numerous times and then ends.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 113 -- Prosecution continues summing up and courtroom
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Session 113. Attorney General Hausner argues to the Judges that the precedents set prior to the Eichmann Trial can be used to indict Eichmann without charges of conspiracy, and rather his actions should be seen as corroboration with conspiracy (duplicate footage from Tape 2226). 00:07:11 Session 113 is adjourned, the Judges leave. Various shots of the crowd leaving the courtroom.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 113 -- Prosecution continues summing up
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Session 113. Attorney General Hausner enumerates the things that Eichmann is accused of. He says that the victims cannot be compensated and can never be the same as they were before the war (duplicate footage from Tape 2225). He says that these actions (crimes against humanity) will never be forgotten. He specifies the different versions of robbery committed by the Nazis and says that they are all bad. 00:12:38 Hausner reads the precedent where a German says that he was only following orders with regard to robbing Jews, and that he was only working within the framework of the government. Hausner adds that this excuse did not work in that case, and then cites the shoes and other articles left behind from the killings, as well as the transfer of property of those deported to Hungary, as robbery. 00:20:55 Court adjourns for a 20 minute break. Shots of the crowd milling about. 00:23:44 The courtroom still empty. People return to their seats. 00:31:38 The Judges return. Hausner resumes his descriptions on the plunder of Jewish property. He says that the property stolen from within the Reich would not count as war crimes, but the Prosecution framed it so that it would count, based upon that it was stolen because it was Jewish. It did not matter what nation the Jewish property came from, it only mattered that it was Jewish. The distinction would be misrepresenting the case, reasons Hausner. He then describes chronologically the robbery of Jewish property. 00:43:09 Hausner says a few more words about Operation Reinhart, the plan to exterminate the Jews in the General Government area, named after Reinhart Heydrich. 00:48:36 The fourth count against Eichmann is read, concerning the prevention of births among Jews. His role in forming the policy concerning mixed marriages and sterilization after Wannsee is discussed. These led to the Nuremberg Laws. Hausner says that Eichmann changed his story three times, and must be convicted.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 113 -- Prosecution continues summing up
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Session 113. Hausner talks about Eichmann's decision to execute those who knew too much. 00:06:47 Tape jumps. Hausner reads a quote from a poem about the experience of the Jews. 00:13:31 Hausner enumerates the crimes that Eichmann is accused of under the law for Nazis and their collaborators, and explains each of them and how the Prosecution has proven these accusations. The accusation of Eichmann's committing a crime against the Jewish people performed with the intent of exterminating all or part of the the Jewish people is examined at length with frequent questions from the Judges. His role in orders, executing orders, his orders, and the orders he gave are thoroughly explained, with Hausner admitting there was no direct order telling Eichmann to exterminate all Jews, though he enumerates the struggle between those who wanted to keep some Jews as an economic labor force and those who wanted to eliminate all of the Jews. 00:38:06 Discussion of the attempted covering-up of incriminating pieces of evidence prior to the trial and the postwar destruction of documents. The loss of many documents from Polish territories is especially focused upon. 00:43:18 The charge of the Intention to Exterminate Jews is analyzed more specifically. The specific singling out of the Jewish people, personally and culturally, is discussed, with respect to the total annihilation of the group, the deportation, the executions, and the mass arrests. Hausner says that the victims cannot be compensated and can never be the same as they were before the WWII.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 113 -- Prosecution continues summing up
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Session 113. Attorney General Hausner is interrupted by the President of Court asking about the Lidice Children. Hausner begins describing the deportation of these children. He retells the testimony of Krumey, who was remorseful about his role. He continues to refute the statements of Eichmann saying that he had no role in this, that there were multiple meanings of special treatment, and that he knew nothing . 00:10:00 The exact wording of the law concerning membership in illegal groups is read, condemning Eichmann. Precedents are discussed. Hausner emphasizes that the law makes no distinction about participation in the group, whether voluntarily or not, and suggests that it is irrelevant because, he says, Eichmann admitted to staying voluntarily. 00:23:23 Tape cuts. Hausner comments about the magazine Life, and the articles already submitted to court. 00:24:14 Tape cuts. The accusations of conspiracy are addressed. 00:24:56 Tape repeats the previous minute. Hausner requests that Eichmann be convicted of conspiracy to commit crimes against the Jewish people. A brief debate ensues, with Hausner insisting that it should not be necessary to convict Eichmann for conspiracy, and the crimes committed should be enough. The Judges argue that the rulings concerning the crimes come from others' convictions of conspiracy charges. Hausner argues that they were accused of corroboration with a conspiracy, and that is different.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 96 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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Footage begins late in Session 96 during the translation into English of Attorney General Gideon Hausner's inquiries into the use of badges to identify the Jews. The accused, in footage not shown on this tape, was asked a series of questions about the purpose of the badges. Footage continues with Eichmann being asked whether Theodor Dannecker, Rolf Günther, Dieter Wisliceny and other participants were aware of the fate of the Jews (00:02:03). Eichmann testifies that he did not discuss it with them (00:02:34). When asked if they simply did not know what happened to the deported Jews, Eichmann states that for a long time he and many others did not know where the deportees were going or what happened to them and did not make this one of his concerns since it was not part of his duties (00:02:52). This last statement made by Eichmann is complete in German, Hebrew, and English. This entire segment is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2150 (from 00:32:13 to 00:35:57). Cross examination of the accused continues with questions from the Attorney General about Eichmann's knowledge of Odilo Globocnick's killing operations as late as autumn 1941 (00:04:45) and the accused's presence at murders in Lublin, Minsk, and Lemberg (00:05:16). Globocnik was a principle participant in the extermination of Polish Jewry. He was entrusted by Heinrich Himmler with the implementation of Aktion Reinhard and put in charge of special SS troops. Using the camps of Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka, and Majdanek he carried out the fourfold task of exploiting Jews as forced laborers, the extermination of Jews, the acquisition of the real estate of the murdered Jews, and the seizure of their valuables and movable property. Eichmann testifies that he knew of Globocnik's operations but contests the date in which he first saw Jews being murdered. The accused insists that the first time he saw Jews being killed was in winter of 1941/1942 in Kulmhof/ Chelmno (00:05:46). Hausner goes on to ask Eichmann to indicate when Globocnik ordered a "retroactive confirmation" of the number of Jews killed (00:08:26). Eichmann testifies that Globocnik never asked him for this and indicates that Müller, Himmler, or Heydrich were asked instead (00:09:16). Hausner accuses Eichmann of telling Globocnik, on Heydrich's orders, that Hitler had ordered the extermination of the Jews (00:13:54). The accused replies that he did not say that and that there was no reason to tell Globocnik anyway because he already knew (00:14:22). Eichmann is asked a series of questions regarding the date in which the killings began (00:16:51) and when the deportations started (00:17:33). Cross examination continues with questions about whether Eichmann, at a March 1942 meeting, told the participants at the conference the fate of the Jews (00:18:45). Eichmann testifies that in March 1942 he did not know what was happening to the deported Jews from France (00:19:34). *At 00:21:03, the time codes change to 00:01:05 and continue with the new time code to the end of the tape.* The proceeding continues with the Attorney General's cross examination of the accused about why Globocnik asked Heydrich to authorize the extermination of the Jews and not Krueger or Frank (00:01:14). Eichmann replies that Heydrich had received the special assignment from Himmler (00:01:28). Judge Halevi reads a statement, in German, that Eichmann gave during his interrogation noting how Eichmann had gone to Globocnik to tell him Heydrich had informed him that Hitler had ordered the extermination of the Jews (00:05:16). Judge Landau adjourns the session (00:09:45) and all rise (00:09:48) as the judges exit the courtroom. Eichmann is shown exiting the booth (00:09:57). There are shots of the audience leaving the courtroom and the attorneys standing at their desks. The camera lingers on Hausner before fading.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 70 -- Witness R. Kagan and E. Goldstein
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Session 70. The tape begins towards the end of questioning. The judge asks Raya Kagan one last question, concerning human relations between inmates. She answers that in Auschwitz, they survived thanks to friendship and some solidarity. 00:02:52 They call a new witness, Esther Goldstein. She is sworn in, and she answers that she was transported from Hungary to Auschwitz along with her family. Goldstein is asked to identify her and those she knew in a series of photographs, most of them from before they were taken to Auschwitz, or shortly after they arrived. 00:08:38 After describing a number of photographs and identifying many people that she knew, a group of photos are handed to the Judges, who begin to enter them as exhibits. 00:11:33 Goldstein is shown various photos, she describes each of them. The photos do not seem to have anything in common except that they were of Auschwitz. Slowly the court admits all of these into evidence. 00:24:30 Goldstein is asked how many of the people she identified are still alive. She answers that her brother, her sisters, and only one other man survived. 00:25:03 The court walks through her experience of disembarking the trains and entering the camp, followed by discussing the roll calls and the selections of Dr. Mengele. She describes the horrors of living in the camp, including sleeping twelve in a bed and that many eating from the same dish with no utensils. Discussion of the screening of films in the afternoon. The general public cannot attend, except members of the press and Yad Vashem staff. 00:31:52 Court adjourns for a recess. 00:34:22 Tape resumes with the Judges entering once again, only to have it cut off by a slate reading "Eichmann Trial 4.2.2. NTSC-PAL". Afterwards, the same footage begins again. 00:36:10 Eichmann is asked to rise. The Attorney General states that the evidence for the Prosecution is completed, and the Defense may begin. Eichmann is asked whether or not he would like to testify in his own defense, and whether or not he would like to do so under oath. Eichmann answers that he would like to testify under oath. He swears not on any Bible but only by almighty God. 00:42:57 Eichmann is put under oath. Dr. Servatius begins with an opening statement, saying that there are two worlds, one of the unapologetic heights of the rulers and the oppressed lows of the ruled. This was because of the state, its dictator, and nothing else. He says that Eichmann will stand and testify, under oath, with a cross examination, to account for his role in what happened. He says that the executions were ordered by the various Ministries, and that Eichmann could not and would not have acted without those orders. The government was truly responsible for all of these things, and that Eichmann was not part of the ruling elite, but only following orders. He says that it is not the job or the intent of the defense to prove or disprove the guilt of any other peoples or nations; that is the job of the scholars. Servatius says that Eichmann will testify on the methods by which he was brought here, then he will testify to the motives by which he joined the Nazi Party, and then he will prove his innocence based on the Prosecution's documents. The numerous things that happened before Eichmann's arrival will be discussed after that. 01:01:29 Dr. Servatius asks to begin questioning Eichmann as a witness. The details of procedure are gone over. Eichmann is asked and answers that he made the statement that he was brought here of his own free will, but he was forced to make that statement by his captors. He is then asked about his motives of joining the anti-Semitic Nazi Party. Eichmann answers that they were against the Versailles Treaty, and the government that was carrying out the Treaty when they began to rise to power. The Nazis only passed anti-Semitic policies after it was already in power, and Eichmann was in no position to anticipate these policies. Eichmann is asked if he was the planner of a document entered as evidence, and he was. The tape ends suddenly after that.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 111 -- Hausner's closing statement for the Prosecution; Eichmann's involvement in the decision to use gas
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Session 111. Hausner sums up his case (short overlap from Tape 2218). The deportations from Vienna as described by witnesses Kratky and Wisliceny are discussed, as well as the false hope held by Jews told they were only being resettled. 00:05:48 Hausner suggests that the shooting deaths of so many Jews was said by Eichmann to not be elegant enough, and Eichmann was the one who wanted the use of gas. He planned and worked out the entire method of extermination. The details of the selection of gas, the use of gas, the acquisition of gas, and Eichmann's role in all of these are presented. The possibility of a secret mission of which he was only vaguely aware of, which Eichmann used as an excuse for the gas, is dispelled by Hausner. 00:17:14 Hausner says that the testimony of Eichmann, where he blames everything he is accused of on Heydrich and Office II, is a bunch of lies. He says that the methods he devised, he implemented, and they spread to all the occupied nations across Europe. Hausner states that Eichmann could not possibly say that all of the documents that profess this are forgeries.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 112 -- Prosecution continues summing up
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Session 112. People milling about the courtroom. Eichmann waiting in his booth for the session to begin. 00:07:50 Judges enter. They open Session 112. Hausner begins listing the proofs that Eichmann had direct control over the camps. He discusses the many things Eichmann did relating to Theresienstadt, including issuing orders, which was opposed to Himmler's approach. 00:16:54 The visits of Eichmann to various camps are detailed, as well as deception of the prisoners. He says that Eichmann's admittance to transporting Jews to the east was proof he was directly involved, despite his testimony saying his office had nothing to do with the camps. 00:27:10 Hausner begins discussing Auschwitz. He says that Rudolf Hoess testified that Eichmann had complete rule over the fate of Jews at Auschwitz. He cites various pieces of evidence that show Eichmann choosing the times of deportation and of gassing. He says that the requests to Auschwitz for skeletons for medicinal and educational use went to Eichmann. Everything points to Eichmann as the leader, not a follower. 00:45:00 Hausner claims that Eichmann slipped and said that he was given the authority to intervene on an issue, and then used circular logic in defending where this authority came from.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 104 -- Cross-examination of the Accused re: Hungary
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This tape begins in the middle of the proceedings of Session 104. Attorney General Gideon Hausner questions Eichmann about comments Eichmann made to Wilhelm Sassen regarding his inability to keep up with the pace of deportations in Hungary. Hausner cites quotes in which Eichmann compared the deportation in Hungary with the ease of those in Denmark and Holland, referring to the Jews of Hungary as being offered to them like "sour beer." This section duplicates footage found on Tape 2181. The footage is edited at 00:03:30, skipping a lengthy section in which Eichmann is cross-examined about his role in a forced foot march from Budapest to Vienna (see Tape 2181). The footage begins again later in Session 104 with Eichmann being questioned about his residence in Budapest. Hausner asks whether Eichmann knew that Jews worked on the property, if he had an amphibious car, and whether he was aware of an incident in which a Jewish boy was beaten to death for stealing fruit. This entire section is duplicated on Tape 2183 at 13:01:02. Another session is edited out at 00:11:08 and the video resumes with a shot of the defense lawyer, Dr. Robert Servatius, and Eichmann. Cross-examination by Hausner turns to Eichmann's intention to write a book with Wilhelm Sassen in 1957, in which Eichmann would describe what happened to the Jews as being "one of the greatest crimes ever committed." (00:11:14) Hausner says that despite this statement, Eichmann's true belief was that the measures against the Jews were necessary for the protection of the German blood and people as formulated in the 1935 decree for the "Protection of German Blood and Honor" issued by the Nazi government. Eichmann then gives a long answer denying any knowledge of these statements. This section is duplicated on Tape 2184 at 00:08:17. The film is edited at 00:20:40 and a section from the transcripts regarding the "Night and Fog" decree is not on the tape. The footage resumes with Hausner asking the court to visually examine various sections of the Sassen document. Hausner and the presiding judge discuss the need to look at these documents. The defense's lawyer, Dr. Servatius, gives a statement suggesting that this evidence is not admissible (00:29:18). Presiding Judge Landau notes that court should be adjourned for the morning. This section can also found on Tape 2184 (at 00:17:22 to 00:34:05).
Eichmann Trial -- Session 109 -- Rulings on evidence; the completion of evidence
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Session 109. Eichmann and Servatius wait for the Judges to return. The sounds of the courtroom crowd are heard. 00:02:33 Judges return. They explain the goings on from before the break. The Rudolf Vrba affidavit is rejected by the court because he could have appeared in person in court and his statistics would not definitively answer the questions of the court. The book concerning Lidice Children is accepted. The 1935 document concerning communication between Reich departments is not admitted because there was plenty of time to submit it. 00:14:18 All of the evidence has been submitted. Hausner wishes to have some time to think about the Summing-Up section of the trial. It is granted, and they will resume a few days later (duplicate footage on Tape 2208). 00:20:02 Court adjourns. Various shots of the emptying courtroom. Fade to slate.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 6, 7 and 8 -- Opening speech of Attorney General
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Sessions 6, 7 and 8. Begins during Attorney General Gideon Hausner's opening statement. He discusses the death of children during the Holocaust: "But no part of all this bloody work is so shocking and terrible as that of the million Jewish children whose blood was spilt like water throughout Europe." Hausner compares the suffering of Jews who died to Jews who lived. He asserts no one can determine "... who suffered the more terrible fat: those who died or those who concealed themselves in every conceivable hiding place and crevice, who lived in perpetual terror of expulsion..." There is a blip at 00:07:00 and the recording jumps ahead to where Hausner discusses the Final Solution, and describes actions taken by the Einsatzgruppen against the Jews in the Soviet Union and other annexed countries. Another blip at 00:13:45 which causes the storyline to skip to Hausner finishing the sixth section of his opening statement, and the tape ends.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 6, 7 and 8 -- Hausner's opening statement
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Sessions 6, 7 and 8. Attorney General Gideon Hausner discusses Adolf Hitler and his use of the Jews as scapegoats: "The Jew was the eternal scapegoat." Hausner notes the anti-Nazi movements in Germany, and German assistance to the Jews: "But after all is said and done, these were a small minority." The Prosecution describes Nazi tactics for the promotion of anti-Semitism such as economic boycotts, the Nuremberg Laws, and the yellow arm badges. Hausner starts Section 2 of his opening speech: "II - The SS, the SD and the Gestapo," which addresses the different groups of the Reich. Upon the completion of Section 2, the court adjourns for a recess. There are camera shots of the audience leaving the courtroom, and the screen fades to black.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 6, 7 and 8 -- Opening speech of Attorney General
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Sessions 6, 7 and 8. The beginning of this tape repeats the contents of Tape 2009 (at 00:33:51) where the Court is in recess. Eichmann enters the glass booth, and passes paper to his attorneys. The Judges enter the courtroom, and Judge Landau opens the sixth session of the trial. Judge Landau announces Decision 3, in which he addresses Dr. Servatius's two preliminary concerns. There is a blip during Landau's opening comments at 00:04:36. Regarding the validity and objectivity of the court, the Judges find: "While on the bench a judge does not cease to be flesh and blood, possessed of emotions and impulses. However, he is required by law to subdue these emotions and impulses when this case is brought before us, we are obliged to overcome emotions while sitting judgment." As to the jurisdiction issue, the Judges find: "We have come to the conclusion that Defense Counsel's objections should be dismissed. The source of our authority to deal with this case is to be found in the [Nazis and Nazi Collaborators (Punishment) Law 5710-1950]." The Judges also dismiss the use of "Acts of State" as it contradicts the Court's jurisdiction. Furthermore, the circumstances of Eichmann's extradition are declared irrelevant as the Court has jurisdiction to try the case. Lastly, the Judges declare it unnecessary to hear either Mr. Zvi Tohar or Mr. Jack Shimoni, two witnesses involved with Eichmann's capture, as the circumstances surrounding Eichmann's extradition were deemed irrelevant. When the recitation is complete, Judge Landau asks the Accused to stand and officially requests Eichmann's plea on all fifteen counts. To each count, Eichmann replies, "In the sense of the indictment, No." There is a blip at the end of the plea hearing at 00:20:10. Attorney General Gideon Hausner begins his opening speech. After an editing blip at 00:35:14, the story jumps forward to Section IV of Hausner's speech. Hausner discusses the Final Solution. He asserts that the Prosecution will prove the "designee [for the 'special handling group'] of the RSHA was Adolf Eichmann, and we shall also prove that the meaning of 'special handling' was-murder." Following another editing blip at 00:37:10, the tape skips to Hausner discussing Eichmann's activities as head of the 'special treatment' division: "He looked on as gold teeth were extracted from the mouths of his dead victims. He inspected the system of extermination by means of cars expelling gas from their exhausts in that early phase of mass killings." There is a blip at 00:40:57 where NBC changes tape reels and an anonymous man states, "at 3:40, we will feed you the second tape."
Eichmann Trial -- Session 114 -- Servatius's closing statement and end of trial
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Session 114. Dr. Servatius talks about the Israeli law concerning Nazis and their collaborators. 00:03:01 Retroactivity of law is discussed. He accuses the London Statute of being created, tailor-made, to condemn the defeated Nazis, and as such, should not apply. 00:06:44 Tape jumps. The President of Court is handed a paper, he looks at it, then thanks Dr. Servatius. Attorney General Hausner is granted time to make a statement considering the written material. He asks for a few days to form his argument. Last minute documents concerning the summing ups of both sides are handed in to the court. They deliberate for a few minutes. Hausner is then given time. 00:14:32 The trial is postponed until a decision is made, which will not be until November. Court adjourns. Scenes of people chatting as they leave the courtroom. ***Sessions 115 to 121 were not recorded. The subjects covered include the reading of the judgment of the District Court; the submission of a request by Judge Landau claiming compensation for Mordechai Leitner for damages caused by Eichmann; the argument by Hausner on the sentence; the argument by Servatius on the sentence; the statement by Eichmann on the sentence; and the sentence.*** On May 31, 1962 the President of the State of Israel rejected an application by Adolf Eichmann for clemency. On June 1, 1962 the sentence of death was carried out.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 69 -- Testimony of A. Beilin (Bialystok and Auschwitz, Yom Kippur 1944)
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Session 69. Witness Dr. Aharon Beilin continues his testimony. He explains that he tried to hide from being rounded up in Bialystok to be deported to Auschwitz. He and his mother were in one bunker and his wife was in another. He talks about the SS doctor who was responsible for his selection - Dr. Rohde. Describes his mother being selected and a few hours later seeing her coat on a truck - realizing she was dead. 00:03:52 Explains what happened to those who were not selected - gymnastics. 00:06:01 He sent a postcard to his wife. The inmates were separated according to profession. Describes Schillinger beating people to death with a wooden spoon. 00:10:35 70% of people in his block died in four weeks. He recalls that those whose temperature rose a degree would be sent to the gas chambers - as a potential germ carrier. 00:12:38 Talks about people he encountered from countries other than Poland. 00:16:25 Talks of SS doctors in the camp. Jewish doctors became male nurses because Jews could not be doctors. 00:19:31 Asked about disease in the camp - spotted fever, diarrhea, scabies. 00:21:17 Asked about suicide. One Dutch doctor committed suicide after being told by Beilin that he would not see his wife and children again - as they had probably been killed. He observed that Jews of eastern Europe were more conditioned (used to enduring harsher conditions) and less likely to commit suicide than western European Jews. Repeats inscriptions on the wall of the sauna, and recites poems. 00:29:29 Talks about the political department - two departments, inmates who did tattooing and registration, and the department who sought out propaganda and intelligence. 00:31:17 Describes 'Musselmann'; Musselmann talk - when they discussed food, a taboo subject. 00:34:24 Epidemics, if they broke out in a block - all the inhabitants of that block would be killed. Roma arrived in September 1944 (later, he says 1943). Describes Roma not wanting to be treated by Jewish doctors, some were members of the Nazi youth, many greeted people in the camp with "Heil Hitler," some German Roma/Sinti arrived wearing German military uniforms. 00:42:22 Talks about how the Roma lived in Auschwitz - family camp, maternity ward (babies tattooed on the day of birth). What happened to the Roma in the camp - different illnesses to the other camps, plague (chickenpox which resembled bubonic plague), Noma (water cancer, gangrene of the mouth). Professor Epstein offered, by Eichmann, to prolong his life if he conducted medical experiments - he refused. Orphanage was emptied. 00:50:42 Talks about Mengele. Roma being liquidated, Hungarian Jews took their place. "Goebbels Calendar" - every Saturday and Jewish holiday sick ward was liquidated. Commotion in the audience. 00:55:00 Talks of his wife, and her being very ill. Beilin smuggled over a drug against typhoid for her, she died the next day. Describes how she got to Auschwitz. 00:57:49 Zyklon B was used to disinfect everything. Beilin passed out/went into coma from carrying bedding disinfected with Zyklon B. 01:02:44 Item, book with picture of Zyklon B label/container, marked T/1329. 01:03:40 Talks about Jewish boys who had sexual experiments conducted on them.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 114 -- Closing statement of the Defense
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Session 114. The courtroom is empty, and people mill about. 00:05:26 Judges enter, telling Dr. Servatius to continue. He speaks in German, the tape is interrupted before it is translated. 00:08:06 Tape jumps, Servatius says that Geshke and Winkelmann had precedence over Eichmann where relevant. Servatius says that the SS orders were meant to be followed, regardless of Eichmann's orders. 00:10:29 Tape is interrupted by a slate. The implementation of the extermination is questioned. Servatius says that orders did not arrive through Eichmann's office, and any complaints, if there were any, went to Eichmann's superiors. Servatius and the President of Court begin debating about a reference Servatius makes. He wants a full citation regarding what Servatius says regarding a British field manual. He argues that military laws said that soldiers are not responsible for the actions of their superiors. 00:25:05 Tape jumps. Servatius says that Eichmann rejected the extermination of the Jews personally, but was forced to stay by his post. Servatius says that disobedience was nowhere near as possible as the witnesses maintain. If it was, resistance fighters would have had a better opportunity for success.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 114 -- Closing statement of the Defense
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Session 114. Dr. Servatius says that Eichmann did not have a position that would allow him to become part of the higher order of leadership. He says that the Prosecution has attempted to make him a key figure in the execution when he is not. The accusations of making decisions about the extermination are then challenged, saying that he only saw orders that were nearly completely decided. The charges of conspiracy must be dropped on this evidence, he says. 00:11:09 Servatius says that the implementation of the deportations was left to Eichmann, but all of his underlings, as well as the Gestapo, would not let anybody tread on their jurisdiction, but would also not touch the Jewish problem. Dr. Servatius quotes something from a field manual which is not translated. The President of Court asks about the citation of this, and they argue for a bit (duplicate footage from Tape 2236). It is a passage from the British Field Manual that says that soldiers that work within orders cannot be punished for war crimes. 00:24:20 Dr. Servatius cites Israeli law saying that those following orders can only be charged if those orders are illegal at the time it happens. He then finds a loophole in the law concerning Nazis and their collaborators. He cites the Pentateuch, and what the state did to Moses. The leaders set who was the enemy, regardless of what state of war existed. Persecution is not new to the Jewish people, he says, even though what happened here was unprecedented. The murder of various other peoples, from Native Americans to Huguenots are mentioned, and how none of these peoples' deaths resulted in criminal prosecution (duplicate footage from Tape 2234). 00:34:47 Time code skips to 00:00:48. No jump in the footage is apparent. Servatius continues to say that these actions of the state are not rectified, and probably never will be. The difference between them and the Nazis is that the Nazis failed. "If this policy is not successful, then the order appears to the victim as a crime. Then the man who was obedient is unfortunate, and he has to pay the price for his loyalty. The gallows or a decoration, that is the question. To fail is base crime, to succeed is holy action," Servatius says. 00:05:18 Dr. Servatius says that obedience is the essential part of the state. The witness' claim that it was easy to disobey the state was nowhere near possible. If it was, resistance fighters would have had a better opportunity for success (duplicate footage from Tape 2236). Shirking duties was seen as traitorous, and abandoning one's comrades, and nowhere near as easy to accomplish as thought possible. 00:13:19 The President of Court asks Dr. Servatius if there is anything said by Eichmann in this court or his police testimony that says that he internally rejected the orders, whether or not he acted upon it. There does not seem to be any, with the statements that Eichmann simply accepted his orders without argument. 00:19:20 Tape jumps. Servatius says that the court has failed to show that an act of the state carries responsibility to the person, and it is refuted by the London charter. The punishment of the leadership reaches back to a fundamental wish to punish the losers of a conflict. These exceptional provisions apply directly to high ranking officials, not a low ranking person such as Eichmann.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 114 -- Closing statement of the Defense
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Session 114. Eichmann's empty booth. Eventually he enters and sits down. 00:10:13 Judges enter. The Judges open Session 114. Attorney General Hausner says that he has prepared a list of precedents mentioned in his closing statement. Dr. Servatius then submits the written copy of his closing statement. Dr. Servatius says that the accusations of Hausner, if true, would be worthy of a monument to Jew-haters, saying that Eichmann was some superman able to commit all of these atrocities. Instead, he says, it was the top brass that decided that Eichmann would be the scapegoat for their actions. 00:20:25 Dr. Servatius says that Eichmann must defend himself against the 15 counts against him, based upon the rulings of Nuremberg. 00:25:18 Tape jumps to Servatius's case rejecting Counts 13 through 15. 00:27:01 Tape jumps. Slate. Begins again with the counts concerning the treatment of foreigners, saying that the laws require a link between the nation affected and the perpetrator. Because the State of Israel did not exist at that time, and Eichmann was not in Israeli territory, that link does not exist in this case. 00:36:08 The resettlement of the Slovenians is brought up, citing that Eichmann did not have the personal resources to cause any of these things, and that it was Heydrich and the Reich itself that made it happen. 00:37:44 Slate, and the trial resumes with a descripton of the transport of Roma, and the accusations that crimes against humanity occurred during the deportation. Servatius says that the Prosecution did not produce any evidence showing such. 00:42:10 The Lidice Children were taken by orders from the SD in Prague, and thus Eichmann is innocent of any accusations related to them, says Servatius. The special treatment mentioned with these children is brought up once again, especially the misunderstanding created in that order. 00:48:26 Dr. Servatius, in addressing Count 8, says that to commit war crimes, a state of war must exist between the parties involved. Much of the case occurred in nations that were not at war, including Germany and Austria; the trial would have to occur in the states that were at war. The introduction of a third party is violation of international law, and Israel has no right to address these actions retroactively. Dr. Servatius speaks in German, tape stops abruptly.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 114 -- Closing statement of the Defense
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Session 114. Dr. Servatius speaking in German. 00:01:04 Tape is interrupted, time code resets. 00:00:27 Tape begins again in the same place. 00:01:11 Tape is interrupted, and restarts with Counts 1-4. Servatius addresses Count 4, preventing the births of Jews. He says that this implicates Eichmann in the actual sterilization of people, when he had no knowledge of these activities (duplicate footage from Tape 2231). Servatius raises evidence that shows that Eichmann did not give the orders for gassing, and that nothing shows that he gave the order for sterilizations. 00:08:49 Count 3, the bodily and spiritual harm to Jews, is addressed. Servatius says that the deportations were made according to a policy before Eichmann's involvement, and even then it was ordered by higher ups. The badges worn by Jews was carried out by the police, not by Eichmann, says Dr. Servatius. All these laws were created by those at the top, and Eichmann could have no part of that. 00:16:40 Tape jumps. Servatius challenges the previously accepted explanation of Hitler giving Eichmann the charge of eliminating the Jews, based on lack of evidence. 00:19:55 The counts are all addressed, beginning with 1B. Servatius says that Eichmann was the head of a department that was large because of its large scope. The actual deportation of Jews was left to the local police forces, commanded by Mueller, not Eichmann. 00:23:26 Dr. Servatius says that Eichmann could not give orders to the police in relation to the extermination of the Jews, and says that Eichmann's office was not intended for deportation, but to encourage emigration, at least until the eastern war. 00:33:40 The court breaks for a 20 minute recess. People leave the courtroom.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 114 -- Closing statement of the Defense
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Session 114. The Judges say they are ready to hear the summing up by the Defense. Dr. Servatius says that the accusations of the Attorney General Hausner, if true, would be worthy of a monument to Jew-haters, saying that Eichmann was some superman able to commit all of these atrocities. Instead, he says, it was the top brass that decided that Eichmann would be the scapegoat for their actions (duplicate footage from Tape 2232). 00:04:18 Tape jumps, and the Judges enter the courtroom and tell Dr. Servatius to continue his summing up. Servatius comes to the main count of the case, the charge of the extermination in the death camps. He begins by saying that the camps were under the Office of Economy and Administration, and no evidence proves cooperation with Eichmann. The visits of Eichmann to the camps shows that he did not have jurisdiction over them, but instead that he had to plead with them to accomplish anything. 00:15:03 Tape jumps. Dr. Servatius says that the facts have all been discussed, and that the court has had the opportunity to hear the opinions of Eichmann. It is up to the court to weigh the evidence. Servatius stresses the importance of the documents (only a small fragment of what originally existed), which are the only thing that allows a defense of Eichmann. 00:22:18 Servatius suggests the weakness of testimony and memory and the ability to fill in missing parts of stories. He says that this should be kept in mind with this case. He says that he could not attack any of the witnesses, they had been through too much already. 00:26:49 Tape jumps. Dr. Servatius addresses the testimony of Eichmann, saying that the accusations of the Prosecution, and Eichmann's testimony, is a bunch of lies. He points out that Eichmann was always very willing to talk, and through the course of the questioning, remembered more petty details. He says that it is wrong to use cooperation against Eichmann. 00:31:59 The testimony of Rademacher, who said that Eichmann recommended shooting prisoners, is refuted based on the Nuremberg trials. The continuous calmness of Eichmann is addressed, saying that he could not stay so calm in defending a pack of lies. Servatius also discusses the Sassen memoirs, suggesting that alcohol, provocation, and sensationalism evoked the quotations used by the Prosecution. He says that was exacerbated by not bringing up Sassen in cross-examination. 00:37:00 Tape jumps. Dr. Servatius cites an Israeli law concerning the legality of orders at the time, and refutes the other laws that Eichmann is accused of breaking. He cites the Pentateuch, and what the state did to Moses. The leaders set who was the enemy, regardless of what state of war existed. Persecution is not new to the Jewish people, he says, even though what happened here was unprecedented. The murder of various other peoples, from Native Americans to Huguenots are mentioned, and how none of these peoples' deaths resulted in criminal prosecution. 00:52:06 Tape jumps. Dr. Servatius addresses the retroactive application of the law, saying that these laws did not exist, and citing precedents that prevents this trial from being carried out. 00:55:40 The statute of limitations is addressed, along with Eichmann's abduction from Argentina, saying that he is beyond the time for prosecution, and that being in Israel violates international law. He says that this trial should not be about revenge, but justice. Separating the individual from the collective is essential. Dr. Servatius asks that they close the case on Eichmann and judge him no more. 01:04:15 Tape jumps. The President of Court closes the trial, and says that the verdict will not be until at least November. They leave, and others leave the courtroom.
Eichmann Trial -- Excerpts from session 94 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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The camera fades in on the courtroom. Eichmann's attorney, Dr. Robert Servatius, and Attorney General Gideon Hausner sit at their respective tables. Assistant State Attorneys Gavriel Bach and Ya'akov Bar-Or are standing near Hausner conversing. Audio begins at 00:01:31. There are shots of the courtroom from various angles. The camera zooms in on the empty booth (00:01:59). Adolf Eichmann enters the booth carrying documents (00:02:51), which he hands to Servatius via a guard. Servatius examines the documents. All rise as the judges enter the courtroom and Presiding Judge Moshe Landau opens the ninety-fourth session of the trial. Hausner questions Eichmann about instructions he gave to a man named Roethke for reporting deportations to the East and Auschwitz and asks when he became aware that Odilo Globocnik was murdering Jews (00:09:06). Heinrich Himmler put SS Obergruppenfuehrer Globocnik in charge of Operation Reinhard (the plan for the extermination of the Polish Jews) in May 1942. To this end Globocnik established the death camps of Belzec, Majdanek, Sobibor and Treblinka. Hausner asserts that although Eichmann has said a lot about his duties concerning timetables, the accused never went to the Ministry of Railways but instead sent his deputy Franz Novak to meetings on transportation in his place (00:10:01). Eichmann denies the Attorney General's allegations. Cross-examination turns to the process of locating, marking, and concentrating Jews in order to carry out deportations (00:12:12). Hausner reads from a statement Eichmann made about the "Sisyphean" administrative difficulties of such a task. Hausner notes that Eichmann had demanded a solution to the "territorial principle" (00:15:25). Eichmann is further questioned about the "territorial principle" including whether or not an agreement was reached between him and the Foreign Ministry (00:18:21). Hausner presents a document that contains instructions given to the police for the arrest of Jews with Argentinian nationality. Those arrested were to be sent to Bergen-Belsen after being handed over to a Dr. Siegfried Seidl, who was a member of Eichmann's section (00:20:41). Eichmann testifies that at the time of the arrests Seidl was no longer a part of section IVB4 (00:21:50). Hausner asks the accused why Argentine nationals were arrested and Eichmann states that he really does not know, but he assumes that the order was given after Argentina declared war on Germany (00:23:34). Hausner questions Eichmann about whether or not the dissolution of ghettos and deportation of Jews to concentration camps were part of his duties (00:24:39). Eichmann testifies that these tasks were not part of his duties (00:24:59) and Hausner reads contrary evidence from a transcript of Eichmann's interrogation, in which he stated that matters concerning the dissolution of ghettos had to pass through his section (00:25:54). There is some confusion about which ghettos are being referred to in the document (00:31: 08). The accused believes that there is reference to Litzmannstadt/Łódź but Hausner states that the document does not concern Litzmannstadt. Eichmann is then questioned about the early evacuation and liquidation of all ghettos with the exception of the Budapest ghetto. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2140 (at 00:30:56). The footage on Tape 2140 is less complete. Judge Halevi asks the accused to read a document and explain what the reference to the Budapest ghetto meant (00:45:12). Eichmann reviews the document and states that the information presented in the document is correct (00:46:23). Judge Halevi asks the accused if matters concerning deportations from Budapest to Auschwitz would have been dealt with by his section (00:46:41). There is some visual interference during this section of footage but the audio is intact. Eichmann is then asked to explain the term "eastern territories" (00:48:25), as distinct from the Generalgouvernement. A small part of the footage is repeated. Nothing from the proceedings is missing. Eichmann replies to Judge Halevi's question about the eastern territories and states that they did not include the General Government (Generalgouvernement). Hausner asks Eichmann to identify one ghetto within the German Reich (00:52:54). Eichmann tries to avoid naming a ghetto and Judge Halevi repeats Hausner's question and then asks the accused to give an example of one ghetto from which he was responsible for deporting people to Auschwitz (00:56:02). Eichmann again attempts to evade the question and minimize his responsibility. This entire section is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2140 (at 00:35:31). Hausner asks Eichmann if his section was aware of the number of people being deported and whether Eichmann knew that people were dying en route (00:59:08 on this tape and at 00:36:41 on Tape 2140). Judge Halevi asks if there was any way he could have prevented people from dying in the transports. Eichmann testifies that there was nothing he could have done and Hausner notes that he determined the number of people in each car and therefore did have the capability to prevent people from dying. Hausner reads a quote from the Sassen document (01:03:25 on this tape and at 00:41:00 on Tape 2140) describing the accused's indifference to the deaths. The English translation of Eichmann's answer to the quote from the Sassen document is not heard on this tape although it is presented in full on Tape 2140. The camera focuses on Eichmann's hands. The Sassen document consisted of a set of tapes and their transcripts from interview sessions between Dutch journalist Willem Sassen and Adolf Eichmann over a four-month period in 1957. Sassen, a former SS man, had been attached to an Einsatzgruppe unit during the war. Following the war he was sentenced to death in his own country. Sassen fled to South America where he met and interviewed Eichmann. The tapes and transcripts were referred to throughout the trial.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 114 -- Closing statement of the Defense
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Session 114. Servatius addresses each of the accounts upon which Eichmann is indicted and explains why, in his view, Eichmann is not guilty. This tape begins with Count 8. Servatius states that it must be rejected because it would be retroactive prosecution. 00:03:23 Dr. Servatius addresses Count 7, saying that the theft of property is not a crime against humanity in any of the definitions given by other courts. He then says that Eichmann did not enrich himself with any of this property, and thus would be innocent of the international agreement concerning theft of property established after WWI. 00:09:19 The accusation of Eichmann confiscating property is refuted, saying that things were taken by many others. The only property that Eichmann took was what the Jewish community used to fund emigration. Dr. Servatius then says that he allowed Jews to find shelter in various places, negating charges of anti-Semitism. He says thanks to Eichmann's efforts, it was possible for Austrian Jews to emigrate. 00:14:37 Dr. Servatius says the money taken by Eichmann was used for the emigration of Jews, for the benefit of the Jewish community, and worked under the complicated methods of the Third Reich. 00:22:55 Counts 1 through 6, the exterminations in the camps, are enumerated by Dr. Servatius. He says that the evidence of all of these are unclear, and they debate the meaning and use of the German word "Menschlickeirt." 00:29:10 Count 5 is further discussed, involving the enslavement and murder of humans. Dr. Servatius admits that these are crimes against humanity, the Judges say that he is too pessimistic, and Servatius says that he hopes they are right. Servatius adds that the state has the right to increase or decrease the rights of their citizens. He also says that the Jewish nation did not exist at that time, so crimes against this nation were impossible. There were no laws against actions towards a religious group at this time. 00:38:44 Servatius addresses Count 4, preventing births of Jews. He says that this implicates Eichmann in the actual sterilization of people, when he had no knowledge of these activities.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 94 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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The footage begins in the middle of Session 94 during cross-examination of Adolf Eichmann by Attorney General Gideon Hausner. Hausner questions the accused about how he reacted when he saw the corpses of Germans killed by Allied bombing beginning in 1943. Eichmann recounts the first time he saw dead bodies of Jews (00:01:37). The accused, when questioned about his claim that he asked to be relieved of his duties, states that he had asked Heinrich Mueller for his release (00:04:56). Mueller was head of Section IV (Gestapo) of the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA) and deputy commander of the Security Police and the SD subordinate to Heydrich, and after Heydrich's assassination, to Ernst Kaltenbrunner. Hausner reads a long passage in German from the Sassen document. The Sassen document consisted of transcripts from a series of interviews between Adolf Eichmann and Dutch journalist Willem Sasssen conducted over a four-month period in 1957. Sassen, a former member of the SS, had been attached to an Einsatzgruppe unit during the war. Following the war he was sentenced to death in his own country. Sassen fled to South America where he met and interviewed Eichmann. The tapes and transcripts were referred to throughout the trial. The footage resumes after a break without missing any of the session. Hausner continues to read from the Sassen document. This section duplicates footage found on Tape 2140 (at 00:45:54). A small section of the English translation of the Sassen document is missing and the footage resumes with Hausner asking Eichmann to comment on the passage (00:17:31). After Eichmann reads the document he denies having made the statements attributed to him (00:19:16). This section is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2140 (at 00:55:36). Hausner reads another excerpt from the Sassen document (00:27:05). Part of this segment is hard to see due to visual interference but the audio is intact. There is some visual interference at the beginning of this section although the audio is fine. A small piece of footage is repeated. Hausner asks Eichmann whether he had previously stated that all matters concerning Jews were passed on to department IVB4 (00:32:38) and whether there was a separate file and registry archive in IVB4. Hausner suggests that regardless of whether a document was signed by Heydrich, Mueller, or Kaltenbrunner it was placed in a separate archive if it made a reference to IVB4 (00:35:54). Judge Landau asks Hausner to restate the question for clarity (00:38:51). Hausner asks Eichmann about the number of files housed in the archive and whether his department was a channel for passing information on to Mueller (00:44:39). Eichmann is cross-examined about Mueller's authority and whether or not Helmut Knochen was aware of the difference between Eichmann's and Mueller's areas of responsibility (00:47:23). Knochen was an SS and SD officer in Paris whose duties included concentrating and deporting French Jews to concentration and extermination camps. As part of section VIE (investigation) department of the RSHA he had contact with Eichmann. Eichmann examines a document as he explains the department's filing system. There is a problem with the visual beginning at 00:55:36 to 00:55:58 but the audio is intact. A small portion of the footage is repeated and continues with the discussion of Mueller's and Eichmann's positions of authority and the presentation of documents by the Attorney General. The footage continues without missing any of the session. Cross-examination regarding Mueller's and Eichmann's areas of authority continues.
Eichmann Trial -- Selections from sessions 93 and 94 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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The footage begins in the middle of Session 93. Judges Landau, Halevi, and Raveh are seated at the bench. Assistant State Attorneys Bach and Bar-Or are seated at the prosecution table. Robert Servatius is seated at the defense table. Cross-examination of Adolf Eichmann by Attorney General Gideon Hausner continues. Eichmann is asked if the testimonies from Rudolf Hoess, Karl Heinz Hoffmann, Dieter Wisliceny, Rudolf Mildner, and Alfred Six submitted in his defense were truthful or whether these men gave false testimony. A small portion of the session is missing and footage resumes with Hausner questioning the accused about instructions for deportations given after the Wannsee Conference and whether or not these instructions were part of the Final Solution. Eichmann states that they were and Hausner proceeds to tell the accused that the Final Solution depended upon two factors 1) the number of places available in the East for absorption of the Jews into camps and 2) the number of trains available to carry out the deportations. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2138 (at 01:00:07) and 2139 (at 00:00:35). The footage on Tape 2140 is less complete. A large section of the session is missing and footage resumes with Eichmann being questioned about his application to the Foreign Ministry for the prevention of emigration of Romanian Jews. Hausner presents the case of Karl Heinz Klinger (00:14:21). When Klinger escaped to Budapest, Eichmann contacted the Foreign Ministry and asked for the man to be extradited. The footage from 00:10:06 to 00:18:24 is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2139 (at 00:30:02). The footage on Tape 2139 is more complete. Another large section is missing and the footage continues with Hausner asking Eichmann a series of questions about how often he visited Auschwitz, if he spoke with the camp commandant Hoess, and whether Hoess visited him in Budapest. Hausner also asks what they discussed in their meetings, particularly whether the two discussed the absorption of deportees (00:19:24). Hausner continues to question Eichmann about the deportations and presents documents which imply that deported Jews were being exterminated. Hausner yells his questions to Eichmann as he becomes more and more agitated by Eichmann's evasive answers. A large section of the session is missing and resumes with Eichmann recounting when he learned about the murders being carried out by the Einsatzgruppen units. Hausner questions the accused about whether the Final Solution applied to all Jews or only the Jews in Germany (00:27:06). The Attorney General accuses Eichmann of deceiving the Jews by telling them that they were being resettled when he knew that they were to be exterminated (00:28:10). This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2144 (at 00:37:06 to 00:42:15). The footage on Tape 2144 is more complete. The footage resumes in the middle of Session 94. Eichmann is questioned about the early evacuation and liquidation of all ghettos with the exception of the Budapest ghetto. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2142 (at 00:40:23). The footage on Tape 2142 is more complete than on this Tape 2140. Some of the session is missing and footage continues with further cross-examination of the accused. This entire section is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2142 beginning at 00:58:02. Hausner, continuing with the subject of deportations, asks Eichmann if his section was aware of the number of people being deported and that people were dying en route. Judge Halevi asks if there was any way Eichmann could have prevented the people from dying in the transports. Eichmann testifies that there was nothing he could have done but Hausner notes that he was in charge of determining the number of people in each car. Hausner reads a quote from the Sassen document describing the accused's indifference to the deaths. The Sassen document consisted of a set of tapes and their transcripts from interview sessions between Dutch journalist Willem Sassen and Adolf Eichmann over a four-month period in 1957. Sassen, a former SS man, had been attached to an Einsatzgruppe unit during the war. Following the war he was sentenced to death in his own country. Sassen fled to South America where he met and interviewed Eichmann. The tapes and transcripts were referred to throughout the trial. A portion of the session is missing. The remaining footage consists of Hausner reading segments from the Sassen document which indicate the accused's satisfaction with his work in the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA). Eichmann denies that he made the statements and testifies that he was under the influence of alcohol. The Attorney General dismisses Eichmann's answer by stating that the document does not give that impression.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 36 and 37 -- Jews in Norway, Italy, Berlin; paperwork for property
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Session 36. Ms. Henriette Samuel is brought up and sworn in. She was born in Berlin, but her husband was appointed as chief Rabbi in Norway, so they moved there in 1930. 00:03:38 Tape jumps. Ms. Samuel describes a surprise action at 5am where the women and children were taken from their home and deported. She describes the Norwegian government warning the Jews that danger was coming and they must flee. Many made their way to Sweden with the help of the underground. She describes hiding in a house for only one day because they had children and it was possible that they would tell their friends about the Jews. They had to hide in the back of a truck among potatoes, with the kids given sleeping pills. Over the last leg, they had to go by foot, in 20 below zero temperatures. 00:16:38 Tape jumps. A document signed by Eichmann is being submitted, complaining to the Foreign Ministry about the Swedish government accepting Jews. Another document concerns a Swedish Jewish woman married to an Aryan Italian man, complaining about the marriage, and furthermore complaining that the Swedish government recommended the woman not to return to Italy. A third document complains about Sweden giving all of the Norwegian Jews Swedish citizenship. 00:26:23 Tape jumps. Dr. Hulda Campagnano is sworn in, and she is asked the basics of her history. 00:28:40 Tape jumps. Dr. Campagnano is testifying about the German occupation of Rome, and the ghetto there. The Jews were told if they handed over 100kg gold, their safety would be assured. They managed to pay it. A woman who was described as "a little bit insane" was told to warn everyone that an action would happen that night. Only a few families listened and fled. That night, the Nazis came from house to house removing all Jews. She had entrusted her children to a few Italian families whom she did not know before that. She says that the Italian population was very helpful, and every Italian Jew owes their lives to the Italian people. 00:33:31 Session 37. The Prosecution concludes the evidence for Western Europe. They begin again in Germany. The laws enacted against the Jews will be submitted. 00:34:45 Tape jumps. Mrs. Hildegard Henschel, widow of Moritz Henschel, the last president of the Jewish Community of Berlin who died in 1947, is sworn in as a witness for the Prosecution. She is asked some basic questions about her history. 00:38:10 Tape jumps. Mrs. Henschel speaks about when the badge was first required. Suicides, and those who were injected with Coramin. If they would survive, they were the first deported. 00:43:29 Tape jumps. The confiscation of people's objects is discussed. SS men had a system, to take things that they liked. She describes one officer who liked to take lotions of all sorts, and drank any alcohol found on the spot. There were Jewish ushers and policemen to stand as guards during this. 00:46:20 Tape jumps. The seizure of patients from the Jewish hospital for transport is discussed. She says that a pregnant woman would not be transported if she would give birth during the journey. She would be deported six weeks after the birth. She describes the deportations, how cold the day was that her husband was deported, and how crammed they all were. She says that deported people had to sign two papers, one a kind of agreement to purchase their apartment. 00:53:22 The second form was a relinquishing of property. Theresienstadt was described as a community for the aged, and in order to have the privilege of living there the rest of one's life, they had to make a deposit to the treasury; their property would be this deposit. Mrs. Henschel is shown the form, Vermoegenserklaerung, and she identifies it as the form they had to fill in for property, in excruciating detail. She says that her husband left all of his valuables when he went to Eichmann's office.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 95 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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Footage begins near the end of Session 95. Judge Halevi asks the accused whether Gerhard Boldt, a critic of Hitler, had broken his oath of loyalty by writing after Hitler's death. Eichmann states that he did not but notes that he felt that Boldt had because he criticized Hitler during the war (00:02:06). Halevi continues by asking Eichmann if one is released from their oath of loyalty after Hitler's death (00:03:10). Footage cuts 00:03:33 to 00:04:17. Halevi's question about being released from one's oath is repeated and footage continues without missing any of the session. The accused replies in the affirmative stating that he is also released from his oath (00:04:40). This entire beginning section (00:00:41 to 00:05:16) is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2147 (00:03:08-00:04:41). Footage cuts 00:05:17. A small portion of the session is skipped. Footage resumes with Hausner telling the accused that he can not evade his questions regarding this feelings towards the extermination process and those involved. Eichmann replies that it depends on the individual involved and that it is not up to him to pass judgment on others who received these orders. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2147 (from 00:11:30 to 00:12:34). The footage on Tape 2147 is more complete. Footage cuts 00:07:33. The footage skips part of the session to Judge Halevi questioning the accused about how he felt in the past towards the extermination of the Jews. Eichmann gives a long reply that he was terribly shocked by the murder of the Jews and had asked repeatedly to be released from his duties. He goes on to state that he never thought that the solution to the Jewish question was justified but was unfortunately bound by his oath of loyalty (00:07:39 the translation into Hebrew and English begins at 00:11:12). This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2147 (from 00:19:21 to 00:26:54). Footage continues with Hausner accusing Eichmann of never attempting to get out of his duties (00:14:59) and reads an excerpt, in German, from the Sassen document (00:15:26). The Sassen document was comprised of a set of tapes and their transcripts of interviews between Adolf Eichmann and Willem Sassen. Sassen, Dutch by birth, was attached to an Einsatzgruppen unit during the war. Sentenced to death in his own country, Sassen fled after the war to South America where he met Eichmann. Their interview over a four month period in 1957 became the Sassen Document used in the trial. Eichmann denies this claim and states that he asked his superiors several times to be released from his duties (00:15:45). Hausner tells Eichmann that he told Sassen that he never tried to get out of his position and that he was aware of the statement having reviewed the tapes and transcripts. Eichmann is asked to read a portion of the document and is shown reading (00:17:53 to 00:18:07). There is some confusion regarding this document because the accused reads from the wrong section. Eichmann finally reads the correct portion of the document out loud (00:20:43). Again Eichmann denies having review or received the portion of transcripts he has just read. Defense counsel Robert Servatius asks the court that the accused be allowed to read a portion of handwritten notes from the document (00:25:57). Eichmann reads from the document (00:26:25). Judge Landau asks to end the session (00:29:20) and all rise as the judges exit the courtroom (00:29:24). Eichmann is shown leaving the booth (00:29:40). There are various shots of the audience leaving the courtroom.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 96 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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The camera fades in on a medium shot of the prosecution table. Attorney General Gideon Hausner is seated at the desk. Assistant to the Attorney General Ya'akov Robinson stands to Hausner's right talking to an unidentified man. Assistant State Attorney Gabriel Bach enters (00:00:40) and talks with Robinson. The camera cuts to a shot of the empty booth (00:01:29). Assistant State Attorney Ya'akov Bar-Or enters and walk right to the prosecution table (00:02:19). Dr. Servatius enters the frame, standing behind the defense attorney table (00:02:29). Eichmann enters the booth carrying documents (00:02:47) and is seated. There are various shots of the attorneys at their tables and of Eichmann. All rise as the judges enter the courtroom (00:05:11). Judge Landau opens the ninety-sixth session of the trial (00:05:32). Hausner begins the cross examination for the session (Session 96) by questioning the accused about the transcripts he received from Sassen (00:05:55). There are some discrepancies about whether Eichmann received three drafts or three packages from him. Hausner continues, asking about the accuracy of the transcripts and whether Eichmann ever corrected Sassen (00:07:32) Eichmann testifies that he can not remember precisely but is sure that he must have but after a while gave up making corrections (00:08:02). Cross examination concerning Eichmann's corrections to the Sassen transcripts continue with Hausner asking if he ever accused Sassen of falsifying his statements given during their interviews. Hausner states that Eichmann never accused Sassen of falsifying any of his statements (00:13:14). The corrections made in the transcripts are discussed at length as Eichmann attempts to show that the words inserted or changed by Sassen affected the content of his statements. Eichmann is accused of admitting that Sassen never falsified anything (00:19:42). Hausner reads an excerpt from the transcript noting that Eichmann was aware of how many tapes his interview with Sassen comprised (00:23:25). Eichmann states that he did not concern himself with the number of tapes used and if he did state a number, it was because Sassen had told him the number (00:24:00). The fact that Eichmann signed a contract with Sassen allowing him to edit the accused's testimonies and whether Eichmann suspected him of falsifying his statements is raised (00:26:16). Hausner asks Eichmann if his attitude towards the extermination of the Jews was the same in 1957 as it was expressed at the present during an earlier session (00:30:54). Eichmann states that his attitude has been the same since before 1945 however he avoids directly answering the Attorney General's question (00:31:41). When asked again, Eichmann, hesitantly states "no, that was not my attitude in 1957" (00:34:05). The following section is all duplicate footage found of Tape 2150. Cross examination continues with Eichmann being questioned about regret he expressed in 1957 that Jews managed to survive in Hungary which he denies (00:36:51 and on tape #2150 at 00:00:49). Hausner points out that this fact has already been accepted by the court and goes on to note that in 1957 the accused stated that it was Krumey and Wisliceny's fault "that the Magyar people were exposed to the terror of a Jewish secret police" (00:37:34 and on Tape 2150 at 00:01:15). Eichmann replies that he can not remember saying that but does recall saying something about the revolt (00:38:05 and on Tape 2150 at 00:01:46). Hausner reads an excerpt from the Sassen interview in German (00:38:42 and on Tape 2150 at 00:02:25) in which Eichmann states that he has no regrets. The paragraph read by Hausner in German is not complete and the English translation is not given. Footage cuts (00:39:23), (00:39:34 to 00:39:43), (00:39:52) Hausner presents a document, accepted in its entirety by the accused; containing no hint that Eichmann felt that the crimes against the Jews should not be repeated (00:39:53 and on Tape 2150 at 00:10:56). Footage cuts (00:40:52 to 00:41:02) Footage resumes without missing any portion of the session. Cross examination of the accused continues. When asked if in 1957 he had the opinion that the Jews were an enemy and should be destroyed (00:41:32 and on Tape 2150 at 00:12:34), Eichmann replies that his opinion did not relate to the physical extermination of the Jews (00:41:47 and on Tape 2150 at 00:12:50). The following footage is not duplicated on Tape 2150. Eichmann is presented with a document in his own handwriting concerning the supposed declaration of war by Chaim Weizmann in which Eichmann writes "The slogan on both sides was `the enemies must be destroyed!' And Jewry throughout the world had obviously declared war on the German Reich through their leader, Dr. Chaim Weizmann." (00:43:16). There is some confusion about the passage read and Eichmann replies noting again that the word "destruction" did not mean physical destruction (00:45:58). Hausner asks the accused if he agrees that he did not give the slightest indication that the extermination of the Jews had been a crime (00:50:21). The following section is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2150. Hausner reads a passage, in German, of the accused's reflection on the survival of a portion of the Jewish population (00:51:37 and on Tape 2150 at 00:13:45). Eichmann responds that he is unable to say definitively "yes" or "no" that these were his opinions (00:52:11 and on Tape 2150 at 00:14:18). Another quote is read in German by Hausner (00:54:15 and on Tape 2150 at 00:16:23) and again Eichmann states that he does not know if these statements were his (00:59:18 and on Tape 2150 at 00:20:19). Hausner asks to turn to another topic. Eichmann is asked about Dannecker, Wisliceny, Brunner, Guenther and Richter and whether they received instructions from him (01:01:55). Eichmann begins to answer when the footage cuts. This last segment is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2151 (at 00:00:23).
Eichmann Trial -- Session 46 -- Testimonies of Salz and Arnon regarding Yugoslavia
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Session 46. Judges enter, and open the 46th session of the trial. The consolidation of Jews and Freemasons in Belgrade is recommended, and the deportation of them to an island on the Danube River is suggested, assuming that this is an easy task. The discussion of statistics, along with dealing with the Roma quarter, are brought up. 00:12:46 Tape jumps. Dr. Hinko Salz is testifying, saying that he wore an armband badge as a soldier, but it was often covered by his medical badges. 00:14:05 Tape jumps. Dr. Salz is still testifying, saying that his superior told them that he would give them vouchers to deal more efficiently with economic issues at the military hospitals. He says, as he takes the voucher, that he is a Jew, and the man answers that he is a human being, and he too should take the card. He remembers that he had a friend from Essen who supported the Jews and often had to get off his chest the horrible things he had seen. 00:19:51 Tape jumps. Dr. Salz is still testifying, saying that at one point, he stood up and shouted that he protested, that he relies on the Geneva Convention. The Germans rebuke him, and he shows them a paper issued by the Germans saying that he is a prisoner of war. A few members of his family, also doctors, were kept with the Germans as the rest, including himself, were led away. He says that they never heard from each other again, only rumors shootings. 00:27:07 Tape jumps. The Judges enter and resume the session, presumably after a break. Alexander Arnon is testifying, describing Jews being shot, and other non-Jews, unconnectedly, sabotaging German efforts in Zagreb. He describes the makeup of various concentration camps near him during the war. He describes trips to camps, seeing that they were always far too crowded, and people were sick, and starving. 00:37:03 He describes attacks on synagogues. He says that the one that was not destroyed was used as a store room. He says that he was assigned to get in contact with the Gestapo in Budapest. When asked about his trip to Palestine, he says that he was arrested for 100 days, and after his release, he learned that everyone was killed.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 108 -- Evidence regarding Hungary's anti-Jewish legislation
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Session 108. Dr. Servatius reads from the affidavit of Vessenmayer, examined on May 23, 1961 before the Court of First Instance in Darmstadt. He says that there was a plan to decentralize the Jews in Hungary into different camps to prevent any kind of uprising. 00:05:45 Servatius finishes reading passages, and Hausner decides not to cite any passages from that testimony. Dr. Servatius submits extracts from the Nuremberg judgment in the case of Veesenmayer. Hausner insists that Servatius submit all of the documents rather than just the few passages that he chooses to read. This is discussed at length. 00:11:22 Dr. Servatius begins reading sections of the testimony into the record. The plenipotentiary of Hungary, which at the time was an ally of Germany, said that Hitler wanted to exterminate the Jews and that any Jews that have asylum are against his wishes. He says that his successor wanted to make Hungary a harbor for Jews, and use that favor gained after the war. Eliminating the Jews became a requirement for Hungary entering into the protection of the Reich. 00:20:12 The notes in the margin are discussed, including a plan where for every Hungarian killed by bombs, 100 rich Jews would be killed and their possessions used for compensation. All of the aforementioned ideas were adopted. Servatius argues, using the reports of Veesenmeyer, that it would not have been acceptable that the task of deporting the Hungarian Jews could be given to Eichmann. 00:33:17 After suggesting that Eichmann was not responsible for executing the extermination but rather for being the creator of the idea, Servatius reads a letter from Veesenmeyer saying that because of an uprising of Jews in Hungary, at least the male Jews must be removed and moved down the Danube. Since Hungary had no means to do this, they contacted the Foreign Ministry. This, Servatius argues, shows that they were the ones who created the idea of relocating the Jews. Then it was asked by the Hungarians if the Jews could be liquidated on the spot, and the logistics of shooting them were figured out, first being used in the case of Jewish Communist agitators. Hausner objects to Dr. Servatius using documents that discredit his own witness. 00:43:00 Dr. Servatius ridicules the court for its treatment of Eichmann in light of this evidence. The bench declines comment. 00:46:02 Servatius submits the testimony of von dem Bach Zelewski to the Nuremberg courts. He believed that the name Eichmann had been an invention. The cooperation of the Einsatzgruppen with the head office of Reich Security is then discussed. It is also said that Eichmann's name was absent from many conversations discussing these things. Tape cuts out midsentence.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 109 -- Submissions of additional evidence and Vrba's affidavit
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Session 109. Attorney General Hausner discusses the translation of the word 'sonderbehandlung.' Whether or not this affects the testimony of the witness Krumey is discussed. 00:04:42 It becomes apparent that the exhibit has not been submitted by the Defense, and Dr. Servatius argues that parts of it are advantageous and other parts detrimental to the Defense. The Judges discuss this with each other at length. We cannot hear what they are saying. The affidavit concerns Krumey's statement on the Lidice Children. 00:13:58 The Judges ask a question about a Czechoslovak translation, one of the members of the Prosecution helps to translate. They resume private discussion. 00:18:47 The document is admitted as an appendix to the Krumey testimony. They say it is unclear who submitted the document. Dr. Servatius asks to submit sections from the Poliakov book concerning special treatment, the book is titled "The Third Reich and its Servants" and a second book where Lahausen and Keitel are quoted. The entire testimony is to be submitted. 00:25:17 The book is given to the official translator to be read. Keitel discusses his orders to eliminate certain groups from Poland, including the Polish intelligencia, the clergy, and the Jews. He says that this was done to scare the Jews and the Poles. 00:28:13 Reading the text is concluded. Silence follows. Hausner stands and waits patiently, then sits. The Judges are reading through the book. 00:30:47 The Judges note that the testimony continues through multiple volumes, and all are entered into evidence. 00:36:16 The affidavit of Rudolf Vrba has just made it to the court, and the Prosecution attempts to submit it. The topics of the Vrba affidavit are summarized by Hausner including his time in Auschwitz and his estimates on the number of victims there. The ability of the Prosecution to submit this affidavit at this time is discussed at length.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 110 -- Prosecution continues summing up
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Session 110. Hausner argues that Eichmann has been lying in his testimony, trying to weasel out of responsibility at all times (some duplicate footage on Tape 2213). He decries Eichmann's meticulous corrections of the Sassen documents as too detailed, all of this under the guise of a book. 00:05:06 Hausner begins his conclusion. He asks the court that if Eichmann is decided to be a liar, that the debunked documents be readmitted as evidence. Even if he is not, there is enough evidence to convict him. 00:13:50 Using the compilation of all of the witnesses, Hausner claims that the rumors of Eichmann were widespread, blaming him for the murder of Jews; he was the central figure of extermination. He cites testimony from Nuremberg of people who blamed Eichmann for the extermination of the Jews. He says that it would not make sense for all of these different people to blame someone in charge of only timetables. Slate. 00:26:36 Tape resumes halfway through the previous statement, where Hausner contrasts the witness statements saying that Eichmann was given the job of extermination at the Wannsee Conference, whereas Eichmann said he was there as an observer. Hausner cites numerous times where Eichmann blamed Mueller for his actions despite evidence to the contrary. 00:43:20 The Judges ask for a recess. Hausner says he is in the middle of analyzing testimonies, but the Judges prefer to interrupt and recess. They leave. Shots of the courtroom.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 98 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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Footage begins in the middle of Session 98. Cross examination of the accused continues with Attorney General Gideon Hausner questioning Eichmann about his refusal to allow parcels to be sent to Jewish deportees in the General Government from their relatives in the Reich. Eichmann replies that there was nothing he could have done on his own initiative (00:01:14). Hausner continues, asking Eichmann why this matter concerned him and if he had to receive instructions from Heinrich Müller, head of Section IV (Gestapo) of the Reich Main Security Office, first (00:03:28). After giving insufficient answers, Judge Landau angrily tells Eichmann to stop and answer the question (00:05:52). Eichmann's refusal to give his opinion to Müller and his superiors is discussed at length (00:06:57). Hausner asks Eichmann why, if he was such an insufficient and useless official, did Müller boast that if they had fifty Eichmann's they would have won the war against the Soviet Union, England, and France (00:11:39) and Heinrich Himmler had said that they were sending "the master" to Hungary (00:15:35). Judge Halevi asks the accused why he did not use the section head's right to make decisions and give order if he was a section head (00:17:27). This entire segment is duplicate footage found on Tape 2159 (from 00:27:52 to 00:47:53). Footage cuts (00:20:31 to 00:20:34) A large portion of the session is missing. Footage resumes with questions concerning Eichmann's role in orders being sent to Zichenau for the extermination of Jews. Hausner asks the accused what these Jews had done to deserve a public hanging in Zichenau (00:22:33) and whether ever order for executing Jews went through the accused (00:24:33). This segment is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2160 (from 00:09:57 to 00:14:19) Footage cuts (00:24:57 to 00:25:00) A small section of the proceeding is missing from the tape. Footage resumes with Eichmann being asked if he was considered the official channel through which Himmler passed on orders to the State Police and received confirmation that the hangings had been carried out. Eichmann testifies that this was not always the case, that Müller was sometimes the channel. When asked why he dealt with these matters and not department IVC2, Eichmann replies that he does not know. This segment is duplicate footage found on Tape 2160 (from 00:17:47 to 00:20:30) Footage cuts (00:27:53) Some of the session is missing and footage resumes later in the proceeding. Eichmann replies to questions regarding sending Jews from the Reich to Litzmannstadt/Łódź. There is a commotion in the courtroom and Judge Landau tells the guards to remove a man from the audience because he is shouting (00:28:35). The camera cuts to a man in the audience being taken out of the courtroom by guards (00:28:43). The English translator is heard saying that the man pointed to a concentration camp number on his arm and shouted "you dog, you dog." The camera turns back to the proceeding and shows shot of Hausner and Eichmann as a passage read by Hausner is translated. This segment is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2160 (from 01:02:08 to 01:06:14) and Tape 2162 (from 00:00:08 to 00:04:06).
Eichmann Trial -- Session 112 -- Prosecution continues summing up
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Session 112. Hausner gives examples of instances showing that Eichmann was in control of the fates of the Jews at Auschwitz (Duplicate footage from Tape 2220). This includes his visits to Auschwitz, discussing how they would be unnecessary if he was only in charge of getting trains there. He says that the requests to Auschwitz for skeletons for medicinal and educational use went to Eichmann. Everything points to Eichmann as the leader, not a follower, and that his office was in fact directly related to Auschwitz. 00:14:09 Tape cuts out. Judges enter the courtroom. They read the schedule for the upcoming sessions. Hausner resumes summing up and discusses Eichmann's Blood for Goods trading proposals, saying that it was independent from the foreign ministry. 00:21:39 The possibility of Eichmann being angry at Becher is discussed, describing the various times where Eichmann became angry when someone tried to take control of Jewish affairs from him. Eichmann's ruthless words are read from the Sassen documents, multiple times he condemned the Jews and describes horrid functions of the camp happily. 00:29:15 Tape cuts, and begins again with Hausner reading the words of Eichmann, where he says that the Jews would be removed from Hungary no matter what, there would be no repeat of Romania. He says that it was a known fact that he was the architect of the deportation. He describes the horrible conditions that deportees faced. 00:39:48 The Krumey testimony is analyzed and compared with Eichmann's testimony. Its correlation with other testimonies is discussed, along with Eichmann's claim that the entire story is a fabrication. The Slawic testimony is compared as well. 00:43:10 Tape cuts. Hausner discusses the evidence where Eichmann overstepped his orders, saying that he did not do only what was demanded of him. 00:44:57 Hausner admits that Eichmann did not issue orders, but instead when the orders were issued, he would take command and press to have everything possible done within and at times beyond those orders. He says that the camouflage of the camps was proof that they knew it was illegal and against humanity. 00:51:42 Hausner begins quoting the minutes of a Zionist Council meeting, and the court questions the ability of submitting this quote at this time, as it was not submitted as evidence prior to this time. It is eventually allowed, as it was previously referenced by the court. It says that the Jewish people should be on the side of the Allies, and thus the Nazis would have had the opportunity to deal with the Jews as combatants, to put them in POW camps, but they did not. These things prove that Eichmann knew what he was doing and was willing to do so.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 112 -- Prosecution continues summing up
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Session 112. A near empty court, people milling about. 00:05:31 Judges enter. They begin reading the schedule of the next few sessions (Duplicate footage from Tape 2221). Hausner resumes summing up. He discusses Eichmann's Blood for Goods trading proposals, saying that it was independent from the foreign ministry. 00:13:37 The possibility of Eichmann being angry at Becher is discussed, describing the various times where Eichmann became angry when someone tried to take control of Jewish affairs from him. Eichmann's ruthless words are read from the Sassen documents, multiple times he condemned the Jews and describes horrid functions of the camp happily. 00:16:33 Hausner quotes Eichmann saying that his words were retouched, but cites numerous other pieces of evidence that suggest that he is lying. He reads Eichmann's quote concerning Jews as fuel for the furnaces, and that a live Jew was an option for this. 00:20:09 Hausner talks of Eichmann's creation of a special action against the Jews in Budapest. He says that Eichmann insisted on moving the date earlier, and was the only one who was pro-deportation during this entire ordeal. 00:26:40 Hausner reads the words of Eichmann, where he says that the Jews would be removed from Hungary no matter what, there would be no repeat of Romania (Duplicate footage from Tape 2221). He says that it was a known fact that he was the architect of the deportation. He describes the horrible conditions that deportees faced. 00:33:07 The Krumey testimony is analyzed and compared with Eichmann's testimony. Its correlation with other testimonies is discussed, along with Eichmann's claim that the entire story is a fabrication. The Slawic testimony is compared with this. A comment about Hausner concerning a discrepancy between the testimonies is questioned by the Judges, and they blame the Prosecution for not analyzing this further at an earlier time. 00:44:13 Eichmann, according to the decisions of the Nuremberg Trials, cannot use the defense of following orders. The context of this case and the specifics of why Eichmann cannot use this defense are given, including the legality of the orders.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 102 -- Cross-examination of the Accused re: Sassen Document
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Session 102. Eichmann reads a document of the Sassen memoirs. The tape resumes just a few minutes prior to the end of Tape 2176. Eichmann reads his answer to Sassen concerning his role in the concentration camps, saying that the Gestapo was in charge of all of it. He explains, using as many hypothetical terms as possible, what would happen with the camp, especially with insubordination and problems with the Jews. He also describes the transfer of control from the Archives department to the Gestapo. When asked if these were the words of Eichmann, he says he cannot remember, but it was partially correct. 00:13:14 After mentioning some reservations, Eichmann reads another heavily corrected section of the Sassen memoirs. Eichmann's quote describes the various offices relevant to the camp system and the qualifications involved in the deportations. This includes the revocation of citizenship and the revocation of property. He says that the document is all distorted, with small changes altering the entire meaning. 00:23:25 Hausner asks Eichmann to read a document that he gave to the men in his office that has many corrections. Eichmann says that there are corrections here in handwriting other than his own, and he is assured that he will not be held responsible for those. He is describing Guenter, who he says was a very hard man, unlike the rest of the office. He describes some of his subordinates who always questioned him and his orders, and that it drove him insane. When asked about this quote, Eichmann says that this does not make sense because Guenter would not have accepted such questioning, that it must be a mistake by the typist. When asked about Eichmann's comments about Guenter being able to verify his claims, which would mean he assumed he was alive, counter to what Eichmann said earlier. He also says that he does not know what happened to Mueller, either. He says that he only had assumptions to work on concerning these people. 00:40:21 The last quotation is read by Eichmann. It concerns his closest cohorts at Eichmann's office, and he says that he did say such things. Hausner says he will finish his questioning in the following session. The court adjourns.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 102 and 103 -- Cross-examination of the Accused re: Operation Units
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This tape begins near the middle of Session 102, during a discussion about a meeting held in a cinema pertaining to the issuing of orders to the Einsatzkommando/Einsatzgruppen. Eichmann is cross-examined by Attorney General Gideon Hausner about the number of people who attended the meeting and his own role. Eichmann talks of his personal ambitions to be the commander of an Einsatzkommando, which he claims he thought were military units operating at the Eastern Front, and his disappointment when this did not come to pass. 00:09:08 Later in session 102: Hausner questions Eichmann about his interviews with Wilhelm Sassen and the creation of a manuscript for a book based on their meetings. Eichmann testifies that he used poetic license, writing as if he were present at certain events in order to make the book more interesting. 00:12:35 Later in session 102: Hausner asks Eichmann to verify the statement(s)/corrections made by Eichmann to a document. Eichmann testifies that he is unable to guarantee that the corrections are his. As Eichmann is asked to read another passage the footage cuts to a later part of session 102. Eichmann is asked about statements he made in the Sassen manuscript. He is asked about comments he made about Wisliceny and Krumey and whether he knows where his associates Müller and Günther are now, and about Abromeit, Wisliceny, and Krumey (00:14:38 to 00:31:13). The camera focuses briefly on Eichmann's hands as he speaks. Eichmann complains that the statements he is asked to read are garbled and incorrect. The remainder of session 102 is not on this tape. Early/middle part of Session 103 (dupe of Session 103 on Tape 2179, which is more complete): Cross-examination of Eichmann about how many Order Police he had at his disposal. Eichmann is asked about his duties and describes his role in Hungary as being technical, that he was in charge of timetables and schedules and making reports on the arrival and departures of trains (00:31:13 to 00:35:33). Most of the middle of Session 103 is missing. The final segment covers the last portion of session 103 and ends with the close of that session. Eichmann is asked to explain his role in the "Blood for Goods" transaction in Hungary, which was the attempt by members of the Hungarian Jewish Relief and Rescue Committee to negotiate the exchange of one million Jews for trucks and other materials from members of the SS, particularly Eichmann and Kurt Becher. Eichmann is also asked about his implementation of "lightning" deportations in Budapest. He requested that the date of deportation of Jews from that region be moved from August 25 to August 20. He is questioned about his meetings with the commander of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss. Session 103 adjourns for the day.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 110 -- Prosecution begins closing statement
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Session 110. Waiting for the Judges to enter. 00:04:29 Judges enter and Session 110 begins. 00:05:57 Hausner begins summing up his case. He says that this is the trial of one of the ghoulish personalities which history will forever remember. He reminds everyone of the struggles of the witnesses, of Auschwitz, of religious leaders being degraded, of torturous activities, of murder. He says that man cannot create a nightmare so terrible, and yet it happened, created by Eichmann. He says that after hearing all this, Eichmann got his turn, and 16 years later he does not have one ounce of remorse or regret, and speaks of the suffering of the German people. He does not believe in regret, yet believes that his oath of loyalty justifies his actions. 00:13:49 Hausner continues, saying that Eichmann denied proven facts as he poured over the documents. He has recanted his own statements and confessions. He has said that documents are forged. He dramatically asks in whose mold have these Nazis been cast? He says that they have been stripped of human compassion, unable to return to normalcy; they are so wrapped in documents and orders. He says that if there is regret, it is because their task was not completed. They could not think morally. They were enthusiastic to carry out the orders they believed in: the Final Solution. 00:21:00 Hausner, continuing, asks how this happened. He says that a hate-filled dictator can lead his followers wherever he chooses. This created a people who crushed those beneath them and obeyed those above them. These people, in the eyes of their friends and colleagues, remained normal people, even good citizens. He says that Eichmann wanted to hang himself in public as a warning to future generations, which was so different when he wrote of the Final Solution and said that he would jump laughing into the grave at the end of the world, meaning that it was all verbiage. Eichmann admitted to relapsing into his old ways while living in hiding; he would believe in racist murder though there was no leader above him. 00:27:40 Hausner, continuing, asks that when the time comes to judge Adolf Eichmann, keep in mind the connection of the evidence to the statements and accusations via the proofs that will be admitted. He says that the Holocaust DID happen, that it all did happen, and Eichmann did not dispute a single witness who told only a small fragment of what went on. Eichmann blames everyone else for this though. He references the quote of a child who asked his mother if they could cry yet, and compares the horrors to Dante's Inferno. He says that he will prove that Eichmann aided, abetted, and planned the crime committed by the SS. He was in charge of the practical application of the crimes in all sectors. 00:34:25 Hausner, continuing, says that this was not planned and committed in one night. It was in three slogans, of removing Jews from Germany, then from Poland into camps, then into the crematorium. This was all began with an open statement by Heydrich, and later Eichmann proclaimed himself the ruler of Jewish light in Austria, and his plan was to eliminate all of them. Many others would copy Eichmann's plans. 00:47:15 Hausner, continuing, says that Eichmann, by his own words, was enjoying this, felt that he was being constructive, and only after was he remotely apologetic. Tape ends midsentence.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 110 -- Prosecution continues summing up
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Session 110. Begins midsentence as Hausner sums up his points of evidence, saying that Eichmann could not have done any of this without the Nazis, they created the situations from which the Jews fled. 00:02:06 Tape jumps, and Hausner is now finished, and gives copies of his summations to the Judges and the Defense. Hausner justifies the hearsay evidence mentioned in the previous session through the duty of an officer to accurately note the goings on and actions around him, and that the burden of proof is on the Prosecution to show that any testimony is a lie. He talks about the logistics of the camps, followed by discussion of the death marches. 00:11:36 Tape jumps, and Hausner points to the legal principle of conspiracy. Though it might be difficult to charge Eichmann with specific crimes, surely, he says, it is impossible to acquit him of conspiracy to commit heinous crimes. He cites a prior case which ruled that the act of any one conspirator was for the advancement of all conspirators and makes them all guilty. 00:27:17 Tape is interrupted by slate, returns, and repeats the last question, concerning whether or not Eichmann joined the SD accidentally. Through the law of conspiracy, Hausner says that if Eichmann remained loyal to his oath, then he is guilty for all the acts of the Nazis, comparing them to a gang who commits a murder. 00:31:17 Hausner admits that all of his examples are odd, but this case is unprecedented, and he must use normal precedents to argue. He cites Nuremberg decisions concerning "aggressive war" to convict Eichmann even if he is considered held into the Nazis against his will. 00:34:59 Hausner argues against the possibility of the Defense bringing up Nuremberg's selected acquittals of certain persons accused of conspiracy to commit crimes against humanity. He gives examples proving that this is not one of those cases. 00:39:49 Tape is interrupted by a slate and repeats the previous statement. The Judges asks about the availability of a document mentioned concerning the official results of the Nuremberg trials. This condemns the oath of loyalty and considers it no excuse for crimes committed. 00:45:55 Tape is interrupted by a slate, rewinding, gray screen, rewinding, the time code returns to the beginning, gray once again, and then the tape ends.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 110 -- Prosecution continues summing up
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Session 110. Repeats part of Tape 2212, where Hausner gives examples from Nuremberg where people were exonerated, and he shows that this is not similar to those instances. 00:02:21 Court takes a 20 minute recess. Various shots of people milling about the courtroom. Fade to slate. 00:04:15 Eichmann in his booth and Hausner organizing papers. Various shots of the crowd. 00:10:33 Judges return. 00:10:45 Tape jumps, Hausner is speaking, citing decisions from Ulm that decided that duress is not an excuse for murder. He also cites that bodily harm in the case of refusing to cooperate is also not an excuse for murder. 00:15:15 Hausner describes the process by which the conspiracy occurred, beginning with the Madagascar Plan that Eichmann attempted to use in his defense. He details it, and suggests that perhaps his anger concerning that plan's rejection, and led to his creation of the next plan. 00:22:34 Hausner begins quoting the Sassen memoirs where Eichmann detailed his being selected for the job because he was able to do it, and putting his all into that job. He said that he did not just take orders, that he relished the experience. In testimony, he claims that all of that was a fabrication. In the Defense's use of that same quote, he admitted that he said it, and eventually said that he did it with joy and vision. 00:29:57 Hausner quotes Rudolf Hess's writings concerning getting to know Eichmann. 00:30:38 Tape jumps, Hausner discusses Eichmann's bragging about the six million dead. The role of Eichmann within these horrors is the only question left, he says. He says that Eichmann's testimony is a jumble of contradictions contrary to all of the evidence. He says that no office could have functioned in the way Eichmann described, and that the Nazis were by no means inefficient. He says that Eichmann is trying to describe himself as a victim of circumstance, and has mentioned that he as accused has the right to lie. The mountain of evidence stands against only his own testimony.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 105 -- Servatius re-examines the Accused
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Session 105. Tape begins with Eichmann midsentence, reading a quotation. This is a duplication of a segment of Tape 2187. It is a description of what Eichmann told his subordinates as Berlin was under siege. He said he was glad it was the end, and expected to die gloriously in this final battle. 00:02:39 After the tape is interrupted by a slate, the translation of Eichmann continues. He describes how many millions died in the war, including, he estimates, 5 million Jews. He says that the text following his statement is forged. 00:09:17 Court adjourns, shots of crowd, Dr. Servatius, and others.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 66, 67 and 68 -- Testimonies of S. Srebnik, A. Lindwasser, D. Wdowinski, A. Oppenheimer
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Session 66. Witness Simon Srebrnik talks about dismantling the camp of Chelmno. He was shot, shows wound to court. He describes how he pretended to be dead and then escaped. 00:04:07 Describes the Russians arriving and being liberated. 00:05:51 Asked about his mother, explains that he cannot sleep at night. 00:06:59 Cuts out. 00:07:00 Witness Avraham Lindwasser. Worked as a dentist in Treblinka - pulling out teeth. Until he came across the body of his sister. 00:10:06 describes how he then told Dr. Zimmerman, a Jewish Kapo, he could not carry on anymore. Talks of amount of gold collected. 00:12:50 Cuts out. 00:12:52 Session 67. Witness Dr. David Wdowinski is asked how he managed to bake Matzoh. German soldiers, having returned from the front, jeered at the Obersturmführer for not going to war and instead dealing with the Jews. 00:15:39 End of this witness's testimony. 00:16:32 End of session. 00:17:00 Session 68. Empty courtroom. 00:20:38 Cuts in and out as court is about to begin session. 00:21:09 starts again. The showing of film is permitted. 00:22:50 Cuts out. Witness Alfred Oppenheimer. Describes hiding in the toilets of Auschwitz, because the Nazis were burning the huts and shooting people as they ran out. Describes liberation by the Russians, and how much he weighed at the time of liberation.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 69 -- Testimony of A. Beilin and Y. Bakon
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Session 69. Court room. 00:00:59 Witness Dr. Aharon Beilin is asked about whether he saw Jewish boys who had had experiments carried out upon them. He describes seeing 40 Greek Jews who had burns on their genitals from x-rays - tests performed by Dr. Schumann. 00:02:10 Describes giving them treatment - ointments. Mengele would come and look at the wounds, one day he took them away - disappeared. Also describes a case of castration. 00:03:35 Describes Schillinger as committing the worst atrocities in Birkenau. Schillinger was murdered by a woman in transport [Note: accounts of his death vary]. 00:06:05 The witness is asked to speak about Dr. Globersohn, the liquidation of Sonderkommando, and Globersohn's role as physician of Sonderkommando. Globersohn poisoned himself - Moll, commander of the Sonderkommando, beat him for trying to avoid his job by killing himself. 00:09:38 He describes being transferred to the sick quarter in January 1945; the closeness of liberation, being forced to march - describes the route they took. 00:13:15 Describes the process of the walk - mercy shooting, counting the number of shots - work out the number of deaths. Entering a bunker to sleep - turned out to be air tight, people suffocated during night, 1000 people died. 00:17:00 Claimed to be a chemist to get out of the march - told they would be sent to Flossenbuerg "to forge dollars", ended up at Götterland - Reichenau - factory for radio sets. Made to pave the road. Given bread by woman - SS found the bread, was going to give him an injection of petrol in the heart but the syringe was being borrowed. 00:24:30 Just before liberation he lost consciousness, woke up in clean bed with flowers next to him. 00:27:22 Talks about being chosen as a physician. 00:29:34 Mr. Yehuda Bakon continues his testimony - asked to read a passage, signed by Bakon. Passage contains information about the Edelstein family being put to death under special instructions from Eichmann. A discussion on accuracy of translation and witness ensues. 00:36:29 Judge Halevi confused by Bakon's story - Mrs. Edelstein was promised by Eichmann to see her husband - went to meet him twice. She was eventually executed. 00:38:13 Testimony is finished. Judge announces that session will end and that tomorrow the films will be shown, there is a discussion of the practicalities of showing the films. 00:40:06 Court adjourns.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 105 -- Servatius re-examines the Accused
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Session 105. Tape begins midsentence from a question asked on Tape 2186. Eichmann is correcting a passage where he is quoted. 00:00:49 Eichmann is asked about the Declaration of War by Dr. Chaim Weizmann and if he believed that it was a propaganda lie. The answer is interrupted by a slate. 00:03:10 Eichmann is asked about the request of a Dr. Loewenhertz for the remains of Theodore Herzl. Eichmann enthusiastically denies that he is anti-Semitic. His statements in the Sassen Document backs that up. 00:13:05 Dr. Servatius is finished with the re-examination of Eichmann. He will now face questions from the Judges. 00:14:16 Tape jumps. Eichmann is being asked about when he could not live up to the Categorical Imperative of Emmanuel Kant, in which he believes. 00:19:09 Tape jumps again. Eichmann is now describing something he wrote while in Israel. 00:22:13 Eichmann is interrupted by the slate. Tape resumes without any loss. It is a description of what Eichmann told his subordinates as Berlin was under siege. He said he was glad it was the end, and expected to die gloriously in this final battle. He says the text after that is forged. Eichmann twice estimated the number of Jews killed at five million. 00:30:23 Court adjourns, shots of crowd, Dr. Servatius, and others.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 105 -- Servatius re-examines the Accused
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Session 105. People are standing a chatting in the courtroom. The Judges enter, and the 105th session of the Eichmann Trial is begun. 00:06:26 Eichmann is to be re-examined by his Counsel following the cross-examination by the Judges. Dr. Servatius is questioning Eichmann, first asking whether or not some of the documents presented in cross-examination were forgeries. Eichmann answers that he doesn't know them as forgeries, but they are quite strange to him. 00:11:57 Eichmann is asked about the efforts to publish his memoir. He is presented with a translated article from a French magazine concerning this. It is the story of the reporter meeting Eichmann at a restaurant. He talked to this reporter named Sassen, telling his story under a false identity until he slipped, and was forced to reveal everything. Eichmann says that this story is not correct, only what he said before was correct. Eichmann wanted to write a book with this reporter about the events as they happened. The Judges ask if there was a slant to this book, and Eichmann says that the reporter wanted to show him as responsible for the goings on, and Eichmann thought it would not be believed if Hitler, who gave the orders, was excluded. 00:35:19 Eichmann is asked how the information was given to Sassen, and he explains that it was always in a pub setting where he would talk to a recording device. He says he had no control over the device and was not coached in his answers. He also insists that he never exceeded his authority as a department head. 00:41:27 Dr. Servatius begins to ask Eichmann about a particular statement of his from a document not yet entered into evidence. A debate over the legality of this ensues. It is finally read, it is a quote from Eichmann where he says that he never had any special positions, but always followed orders, and Eichmann quotes a man named Miller saying, "Had we had 50 Eichmanns, we would have automatically won the war," insisting that this was not about Eichmann's effectiveness, but rather his ability to follow orders. Eichmann says that while he cannot attest to the accuracy of every word, he says that he did say something to that effect. 00:50:02 Dr. Servatius asks what the ranks were of the people Eichmann dealt with in Hungary. He answers in German, but is cut off by the slate before the translation can be given
Eichmann Trial -- Session 105 -- Servatius re-examines Eichmann
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Session 105. There is some overlap from Tape 2185, where Eichmann is being read a passage to which he is attributed, Eichmann said that he never had any special positions, but always followed orders, and Eichmann quotes a man named Miller saying, "Had we had 50 Eichmanns, we would have automatically won the war," insisting that this was not about Eichmann's effectiveness, but rather his ability to follow orders. Eichmann says that while he cannot attest to the accuracy of every word, he says that he did say something to that effect. 00:01:33 Dr. Servatius asks what the ranks were of the people Eichmann dealt with in Hungary. He describes various people of relatively high rank. He is then asked about his low rank and his actual power, and he answers that it was the highest rank he could reach in his position, and he did not have much power. He goes on to explain this. He also notes that Hess had shifted blame from his Ministries to the office Eichmann was in charge of and discusses his hypotheses as to why. 00:13:37 The Roethke Affair, presented by the Prosecution, is discussed, where Eichmann says that if he had informed his superiors about the problem of a lack of rolling stock from France, they would have worked very hard to fix this problem. 00:20:28 The tape is interrupted for a slate reading "Eichmann Trial 4.2.2. NTSC-PAL" for a few seconds. Afterwards, the footage resumes with the beginning of the previous statement. Eichmann says that he had no power to control anything involving the deportations. He is asked if he had helped plan the redistribution of the goods of departed Jews, he answers that he did not, it was not his jurisdiction, but there was a lot of discussion about this, and one military group suggested it. He also mentions the Wannsee Conference as part of this. 00:39:37 Dr. Servatius moves on to the "Gas Affair." Apparently Eichmann reprimanded a man for being too nosy. Questions are asked related to the extermination of the Jews. Eichmann describes the circumstances of an arrest warrant issued against him by the Nazis. He was wrongfully accused of involvement in a diamond theft. He was acquitted and apologized to. 00:51:13 Eichmann talks about his role with the Madagascar Plan, it's advantages, and why it failed. He says that emigration was preferred by the Jewish leaders because of the oppression they faced following the annexation of Austria. Eichmann reviews a statement said to be a quote of his saying that he could not stop the exterminations at Auschwitz; Eichmann says that there are some errors in the quotation, but it is mostly correct.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 108 -- Affidavits concerning Reich Security office and emigration
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Session 108. Dr. Servatius reads the affidavit from witness Herbert Kappler, an Obersturmbahnfuehrer who was charged by Himmler to round up the Jews of Rome. Eventually the order extended to an unlimited area. He says that he never heard of Eichmann in any of these orders. 00:14:18 Attorney General Hausner begins reading selections when a matter of procedure is raised with one of the mentioned documents, a cable. Questions arise involving certain affidavits from there. The Judges consult for some time about whether or not to admit the affidavit and book of a lawyer from Holland, Mrs. van Taalinger-Dols. It is accepted. 00:30:17 Dr. Servatius begins reading sections of the book into the record. In 1942, this Dutch lawyer submitted a request for his Jewish client and his family to emigrate. He was trying to get a meeting with Eichmann, but could not, and was delayed by the Swiss bank withholding payment. He learned that the head office of Reich Security was incompetent in matters of emigration, and only Himmler could do anything. The SS made it impossibly difficult to obtain a permit for emigration, not Eichmann's department. 00:53:08 The translator is interrupted and Dr. Servatius is asked how much more time he needs and whether or not there needs to be another session the following morning. He wants more time, he gets it for the following morning. 00:55:43 Hausner begins asking whether or not he can read sections of the affidavit into the record by summarizing them all. The Judges decide that one of his witnesses must stay in Jerusalem for the night because there is no time to hear his testimony. 01:01:53 Session 108 is adjourned. Various shots of people leaving the courtroom.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 104 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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The footage begins near the middle of Session 104, with Eichmann reading portions of statements from the Wilhelm Sassen document about congratulations Eichmann received for the foot march [death march] which occurred in November of 1944. Some 70,000 men, women, and children were forced to march from Budapest to Vienna. Some of this footage is duplicated on Tape 2181 (at 00:40:35). Eichmann is then asked to describe his role in the implementation of the foot march, which he insists was technical (00:12:55). The camera switches between Eichmann and the civilians sitting in the courtroom. The footage is cut at points in the translation of Eichmann's statement. There is a slate from 00:16:10 to 00:16:48. At 00:16:52, the time code jumps to 12:49:53. After the translation, Attorney General Gideon Hausner questions Eichmann about who was the originator of the proposal for the foot march. Eichmann is then asked whether he remembered watching the march and the presence of children and elderly persons. Judge Landau asks for a recess and people stand, the judges exit, and Eichmann is escorted out. People talk and file out of the courtroom. A slate indicates the trial date and session time. Eichmann's defense lawyer, Dr. Robert Servatius, enters and sets things on his desk. Eichmann, escorted by guards, enters the booth. All rise as the judges enter (13:01:39). Hausner asks Eichmann if he knew whose house he occupied in Budapest, whether Jews worked on the property, if he had an amphibious vehicle, and whether he was aware of an incident in which a Jewish boy was beaten to death for stealing fruit (13:05:23). This section is duplicated on Tape 2182 (00:07:00- 00:11:07). Eichmann is asked to identify a picture of his assistant, Novak. He is questioned about the establishment of a Gestapo unit in the near East with the aid of the Mufti [Grand Mufti Hajj Amin al Husseini], a Palestinian nationalist who rejected Zionist political ambitions in Palestine and had close ties with the Nazi party. The appointment of Wisliceny as an advisor to Husseini is also discussed (13:12:47). Eichmann is asked about the his relationship with Kaltenbrunner and with Kraus and whether he recommended that Kaltenbrunner promote Kraus. The rest of the segment concerns the "camouflage" of Jewish affairs in Slovakia (13:25:59). Hausner accuses Eichmann of foiling attempts made by the Slovakian government to visit their deported Jews and of taking the Red Cross representatives in June 1944 to Theresienstadt, a camp which was "beautified" prior to a Red Cross visit, in an elaborate attempt to hide the truth about the deportations and terrible conditions of the camps (13:28:48). Hausner turns to the previous day's testimony, which covered a meeting Eichmann held in March 1944. At the meeting he assured the Jews that nothing would happen to them upon deportation. Hausner accuses him of lying, stating that he knew they were being sent to Auschwitz (13:31:12). This last segment is duplicated on Tape 2184 (00:00:44). The footage ends as Hausner asks Eichmann to read from the Sassen document.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 104 -- Cross examination of the Accused concluded
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This tape begins near the end of the morning proceedings of Session 104. The footage begins with cross-examination by Gideon Hausner concerning a meeting in March 1944 in which he promised the Jews that nothing would happen to them after deportation. Hausner accuses Eichmann of knowing that they were being sent to Auschwitz. This duplicates footage on Tape 2183 at 13:31:12. Cross-examination by Hausner turns to Eichmann's intent to write and publish a book with Wilhelm Sassen in 1957, in which Eichmann intended to describe what happened to the Jews as being "one of the greatest crimes ever committed." (00:08:17) Hausner says that despite this statement, Eichmann's true belief was that the measures against the Jews were necessary for the protection of the German blood and people as formulated in the 1935 decree for the "Protection of German Blood and Honor" issued by the Nazi government. Eichmann then gives a long answer denying any knowledge of these statements. Duplicate footage on Tape 2182 at 00:11:14. The footage is cut and resumes with Hausner asking the court to visually examine various sections of the Sassen document for consideration. Hausner and the presiding judge discuss the need to look at these documents. The defense's lawyer, Dr. Robert Servatius, gives a statement suggesting that this evidence is not admissible (00:25:30). Presiding Judge Landau adjourns the court for the morning. Spectators rise, Eichmann is escorted out and Hausner exits. The camera focuses on Servatius and then on the civilian audience leaving. This section is also found on tape 2182 at 00:20:42. The footage resumes with Dr. Servatius at his desk. Eichmann nods in the direction of Servatius and wipes his mouth with a handkerchief (00:34:36). The tracking on this section of the tape is very poor and it is difficult to see the footage. The video freezes on a frame of Eichmann in the booth and the video/audio ends.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 34 and 35-- Witnesses Dr. Melkman and David Melchior
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Session 34. Tape begins with Dr. Joseph Melkman (Michman) being sworn in as a witness for the Prosecution. He was born in Holland and immigrated to Israel. He was the director of Yad Vashem. 00:03:17 Tape jumps. Dr. Melkman is testifying, being asked about a man who helped organize the Judenrat in Holland because the Jews did not know how to deal with the Germans. Edelstein's status is discussed. He describes that at first, many Jews wore the yellow stars with pride; that they were not ashamed to be Jewish, and many Christians supported them in protesting the act. 00:08:21 Tape jumps. Dr. Melkman is asked about when he was detained, saying that he held out until 1943 because he was a teacher in a Jewish intermediary school. They were moved into a certain area, and then that area was raided by the Germans. They were able to hide their son with a willing Gentile family. 00:11:00 Tape jumps. The Prosecution asks about their hiding son, that the list the Germans had listed their family as having three people. They came upon a young mother whose husband had already been killed in a camp. She gave them her son, who was nearly the same age, and she was sent to Sobibor. The son survived the war. 00:14:19 Tape jumps. The organization of the deportations is discussed. The Jews were told by their leaders a day before it happened, and they were forced to supply a list of names, slightly larger than the requested number to make up for those who died en route. He says that nothing stayed in his memory quite like those nights, where lists of death sentences were read out every week at 3am, and that even today that they hold a certain feeling towards Tuesday. They did not know that it was certain death, but they thought that it would not be good. He describes his family's story, with quite a few surviving the Holocaust. He describes what it was like to be in hiding, and tells of one boy who was not allowed to walk or speak normally for fear of being found. When he was finally found, he kept talking in hushed tones. He was told that he could speak normally, and he began running about the courtyard shouting at the top of his lungs. At the time, they thought perhaps that was better than living in hiding. The boy was sent to Auschwitz after three days. 00:27:00 Tape jumps. Melkman describes the different camps, and his job of carting coal. He describes an instance where two women grabbed some food left at the bottom of a barrel, only to be beaten by a woman officer. He then talks about cannibalism that he witnessed, and that there were 13 instances of it at the camp. 00:30:03 Tape jumps. The Prosecution says that it intends to corroborate the testimony of Melkman, and to show Eichmann's direct connection to all of this. They submit a document concerning a letter about the concentration of Jewish property. A letter concerning the treatment of half-Jews is submitted. It recommends identical treatment for half-Jews as full Jews, though the Wehrmacht has some objections, considering that soldiers might be affected by this. Eichmann is cited directly as wanting this, and other evidence that they will submit later says that Eichmann was more strict about this than Hitler himself. 00:35:14 Session 35. The Prosecution wishes to focus on Denmark, and calls the witness Werner David Melchior. He is sworn in. He is asked about the treatment of Jews in Denmark, and he says that they were treated equally in all aspects of life. 00:41:16 Tape jumps. Melchior is asked about when the deportations began. He describes news that arrived from the German high command, and they fled as best they could from this coming terror. He describes the people rounded up and taken to Theresienstadt, as well as many Danish police being sent to Buchenwald. 00:50:20 Melchior describes his escape, he was delivering warnings to his neighbors and friends. They went by rail to a clergyman's house, packing only essentials and planning to stay together. They then took a boat to Sweden, where they were not sure if they would be accepted. Court adjourns a few minutes early to maintain narrative.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 107 and 108 -- Submission of extracts of statements from Baer, Winkelman, Novak, and Veesenmeyer taken abroad
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Session 107. Hausner is asked if they marked any passages (duplicate of the end of Tape 2199). He answers that they marked several, some of which had already been read by the defense. The Judges decide those overlapping passages will not be reread. Cuts out as the first passages are being read for the Prosecution. 00:05:10 Hausner argues that he cannot admit part of a document and not the whole thing. Servatius argues that some parts defend the Accused while some incriminate him, and he would only like to submit certain parts. 00:07:37 Dr. Servatius submits the Richard Baer testimony; he was one of the last commandants of Auschwitz. He says that he never knew Eichmann and never had any contact from him. 00:10:33 Session 107 is concluded. People begin to mill about the courtroom. 00:12:39 Shots of Eichmann's empty booth and other various shots of the courtroom. 00:16:12 Session 108. Judges return. Session 108 begins after the President of Court accidently says it is the 110th Session. The Winkelman testimony is submitted. He worked in the embassy, and never received orders from anybody but Himmler. He says that Eichmann took his orders directly from the head office of Reich Security. He reads that a previous trial featured testimony that said Hungarian Field Marshall Faragho planned the deportation of the Jews from Hungary (Duplicate footage on Tape 2201). 00:29:28 Hausner is asked if he'd like to read any passages from the Winkelman affidavit. He reads one passage that says Eichmann was preferred over another officer who was rather haughty. He says that Eichmann had no problem "exceeding his orders if he felt it was in the spirit of the man who gave the orders." 00:33:57 Dr. Servatius, after accidentally attempting to submit two affidavits that were already submitted, submits the Franz Novak affidavit. He says that Eichmann was summoned to his superiors daily, though he had no idea if he got his orders from them. 00:38:35 The Veesenmeyer affidavit is submitted by Dr. Servatius. Dr. Edmund Veesenmeyer claimed to be in charge of many aspects of acquiring Jews from Hungary that Eichmann was previously accused of. Questions arise over the actual position of Veesenmeyer. He says that towards the end of the war, his department lost a lot of clout. He assumes that Eichmann negotiated with Hungarian authorities under orders of the Reich, because it would have been very dangerous to do so without. The tape is cut off midsentence.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 32 and 33 -- Presentation of documents; Wellers testifies about the plight of children
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Session 32. Iranian Jews are being discussed in the reading of a document into the record by the Prosecution. This document includes Iranian Jews who practice other faiths in the extermination, to be treated the same as the Jews of Europe. The document is signed by Eichmann. 00:03:54 A document is being read into the record by the Prosecution, signed by Eichmann, saying that as soon as transports were possible from the General Government area, children are to be included. Six transports of children are to be sent. 00:05:37 Tape jumps. George Wellers is brought in as a witness, asked to cover his head, and sworn in. He saw the French children transported, in four transports from Beaune-la-Rolande and Pithiviers transit camps (from these transit camps Jews were then transported to the killing centers in occupied Poland). The children were accompanied by 200 adults. They arrived at the camp by bus. He is asked some very basic questions about himself, including his profession. He is the Director of the Physiology Research laboratory of the Sorbonne, Paris, France. 00:08:14 Tape jumps. Wellers describes the children's transports, of these children with adults who were not their parents. They were brought into the camps in buses. He describes these young children being put into groups of 80 or so, and led to places with only mats on a dirty floor. They were too young to know their family names, and were impossible to keep track of. He describes the practice of attempting to identify the children by putting names on disks and hanging them around their necks. Soon it was realized that the children were playing with the disks, and that many exchanged them, so boys would be carrying girls names and visa versa. 00:16:35 Tape jumps. Wellers describes the look of the children, their tattered clothes, often without buttons or with shoes missing. They were covered in wounds. They had diarrhea, and could not make it to the lavatories in the courtyard, and the chamber pots given to them were too large for small children to use. Some women who were going to be removed from the camp were chosen to wake before dawn to go and care for the children. They had nothing with which to work, but attempted to mend clothes and clean them, but had no cloth or soap. When soup arrived, there were no spoons anywhere in the camp. They had tins, but they were too hot for the children to use. They did not know to raise their voices in protest. Nobody was allowed to be with them at night. They would wake and cry, calling for their mothers. Sometimes all 120 would wake together, waking each other up with their crying. This would wake up other barracks of children, and it would continue. 00:22:59 Tape jumps. Wellers is testifying about the Germans ridiculing the yellow badges that the Jews were forced to wear, making fakes that featured other inscriptions, and put them on their dogs and paraded them around. They were arrested, sent to camps, treated like the Jews and wore yellow stars that said "Jew-Lover" on them. 00:25:02 Tape jumps. Wellers is testifying about a well dressed man walking through the camp, asking questions of a happy boy, who said that his parents were in the office, with his mother playing the piano. He asked if he would be leaving to rejoin his parents soon. They all knew that they were lying when they said that the children would be reunited with their parents later. They continued to lie. The boy pulled part of a ration biscuit, and said that "this half I save for mother". The German put his hand on the boy, and he burst into tears. 00:28:44 Tape jumps. Wellers is asked about the amount of suicides in this camp. He says that there were some, but every time there was a suicide, someone had to take their place on the transport in order to maintain the shipment of 1,000 people. 00:31:13 Tape jumps. Wellers is testifying about trucks arriving at the camps filled with furniture from the apartments of deported Jews. They had to be sorted to be given to "needy Germans". Certain objects of higher value were set aside at another warehouse, and high ranking Germans would sometimes arrive, select something, and have it sent to their house. He says that 50-60 trucks a day would arrive. 00:35:38 Session 33. The Judges are just entering the court. They open the 33rd session of the trial. Documents are being submitted by the Prosecution. These documents describe the beginning of the transportation and the authorization to round up children and then take care of them. A secret cable from Gunter says that children should be mixed into all transports to Auschwitz. Individual transports of only children should be avoided; it should be done in stages. Documents concerning numbers of deportations are submitted. 00:49:12 The President of Court scolds the Prosecution, demanding that they stay to the point. Documents are submitted by the Prosecution concerning the special treatment of certain peoples, their requests to not be deported, and the ordered deportation of many to the East. All of these are signed by Eichmann, or were sent to Eichmann.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 106 -- Examination by Judge Halevi
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Session 106. Tape starts midsentence with Judge Halevi explaining to Eichmann that the Nazis did not conduct typical war; they singled out the Jews and began to exterminate them. (This is duplicate from Tape 2190.) The Judge then begins asking about Aryan racial classifications, specifically Slavs who were not considered equal with regular Aryans. 00:13:18 Eichmann says that, like Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and the bombings of civilians in cities, these are all crimes against humanities. However, he says, the crimes at the time were legalized by the state. He swore an oath to the Fuehrer, and through the SS, loyalty to Himmler, which was important. He reads a lengthy quote from Himmler, which was not translated into Hebrew because there were already Hebrew translations for the Judges. 00:22:20 Eichmann says that his outlook has changed since the war. He has slowly moved away from being loyal to his oath. He explains the meaning of the word "Blutkitt" which is debated by the court and evolves into a discussion about Eichmann's treatment of his subordinates. 00:37:38 Eichmann speaks about the plan of action for the extermination of the Jews initiated by Himmler, Heydrich and Pohl. Eichmann says that the details were figured out as it happened, not with any single meeting. 00:46:46 They discuss the beginning of the Judenrat, its purpose to the Nazis, and their role in reducing necessary manpower. The impact of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising on future actions, including its effect on the Hungarian deportations, are then questioned, along with the possibility of a Jewish uprising towards the end of the war. 00:54:08 Eichmann is questioned about his objection to someone's making an exception to spare a Jewish man. He believed that one exception would lead to others and lead to the collapse of the entire system. 01:00:48 The Judge cites that Eichmann ordered the release of a group of Jews from the ghettos in eastern Hungary. Eichmann says that this, along with other examples, were ordered by his superiors, and he explains how and why this was. He is cut off midsentence some time into this.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 109 -- Courtroom before judges enter
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Session 109. This tape features mainly the courtroom before the Judges enter to open the 109 Session. The Prosecution and Defense wait for the arrival of the Judges. Eichmann and Dr. Servatius talk over their private microphone line, we cannot hear what they are saying. Hausner consults with others over a book. Various shots of the crowd and Eichmann growing impatient.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 106 -- Examination by Judges
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Session 106. Eichmann's empty booth, he enters nearly a minute later. Various shots of Eichmann and the crowd as the court awaits the Judges. 00:06:51 The Judges enter and open the 106th Session of the trial, reminding Eichmann that he is still under oath. The Prosecution and Defense inform the Judges that they have come to an agreement to submit into evidence a handwritten document of Eichmann's. 00:11:37 Eichmann says that he gave numeric estimates to Reinhard Heydrich for the Wannsee Conference getting his information from Jewish Yearbooks, local information, and questions to specific places. Numbers, the information, and his sources are questioned and debated, along with the acceptance and use of various words, ranks, and his subordinates. 00:33:02 Eichmann, after avoiding the question a few times, answers once and for all that all the plans of his subordinates had to cross his desk for approval, meaning that he not only knew of all the actions his office committed, but could have stopped them. Eichmann tries to dispute this, and many details of the intricacies of his office are discussed, including many examples of exceptions and the analysis of a draft of action. Eichmann insists that many people would not change orders, think for themselves, or ask questions of the order or whether or not it had been implemented without being commanded to do so. 01:11:36 Tape ends mid-sentence with Eichmann explaining another example of his not giving any comments or suggestions for a written plan of extermination.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 6, 7 and 8 -- Eichmann pleads not guilty
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Sessions 6, 7 and 8. The contents of the tape are not sequentially consistent with the official transcripts; rather the footage is arranged erratically starting in the middle of Session 6 with Attorney General Hausner's opening statement and ending in the beginning of Session 6 with Adolf Eichmann's plea hearing. Begins during Attorney General Hausner's opening speech. He states: "There was only one man who had been concerned almost entirely with the Jews, whose business had been their destruction that was Adolf Eichmann." There is a blip at 00:22:45 to 00:23:15, and the recording backtracks to an earlier portion of Session 6. Judge Landau asks Adolf Eichmann to be seated, and reads Decision 4, which dictates that Hausner's speech will be recorded by a stenographer. Hausner is then given permission to proceed with his opening statement; he begins his speech with references to the six million people unable to speak for themselves: "I will be their spokesman and in their name I will unfold the awesome indictment." There is another blip at 00:31:59 to 00:33:51 and the recording backtracks to an earlier portion of Session 6. The courtroom is empty, and court officials are seen readying the courtroom. The Judges enter, and Judge Landau opens the sixth session of the trial. Judge Landau announces Decision 3, in which he addresses Dr. Servatius's two preliminary concerns. Regarding the validity and objectivity of the court, the Judges find: "While on the bench a judge does not cease to be flesh and blood, possessed of emotions and impulses. However, he is required by law to subdue these emotions and impulses when this case is brought before us, we are obliged to overcome emotions while sitting judgment" As to the jurisdiction issue, the Judges find: "We have come to the conclusion that Defense Counsel's objections should be dismissed. The source of our authority to deal with this case is to be found in the "Nazis and Nazi Collaborators (Punishment) Law 5710-1950." The Judges also dismiss the use of "Acts of State" as it contradicts the Court's jurisdiction. Furthermore, the circumstances of Eichmann's extradition are declared irrelevant as the Court has jurisdiction to try the case. There is another blip at 00:50:44 and the recording backtracks approximately two minutes within Judge Landau's announcement. Lastly, the Judges declare it unnecessary to hear either Mr. Zvi Tohar or Mr. Jack Shimoni, two witnesses involved with Eichmann's capture, as the circumstances surrounding Eichmann's extradition were deemed irrelevant. At this point, there is a cut in editing at 00:52:11 and the tape switches to Judge Landau asking Adolf Eichmann how he pleads to the fourth through eighth counts of the indictment. For all counts, Eichmann states: "In the sense of the indictment, No." The tape ends as Eichmann answers the eighth count.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 6, 7 and 8 -- Hausner's opening statement
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Sessions 6, 7 and 8. Begins during Attorney General Hausner's opening speech. He describes the terrible conditions inflicted upon the Jews in concentration camps. There is a blip at 00:04:42 and then Hausner continues his description by quoting eyewitness accounts of Nazi violence. There is another blip at 00:08:50 and the prosecutor refers to the extermination of Galician Jewry; he states, "The accused, as head of the Gestapo Department for Jewish Affairs, as Special Commissioner for the extermination of the Jews, bears direct responsibility as the initiator and implementer of this blood bath." Hausner continues to describe Eichmann's actions as a member of the Nazi regime. He moves on to discuss Germany's annexation of Poland, and the establishment of the Warsaw Ghetto. There is a blip at 00:16:47. Hausner uses eyewitness accounts to illustrate the conditions in the Warsaw Ghetto. He talks about the youth movements, and the Polish underground; through collaboration with the Polish Underground, a group of Jews led by Mordechai Anielewicz and Yitzhak Zuckerman were able to temporarily resist the Germans in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Hausner quotes from the Einsatzgruppen records including testimony from the Commander of the Einsatzgruppen D, Otto Ohlendorf about the murder of 90,000 Jews. The prosecutor further describes the records as "blood-curdling and hair-raising documents." The tape ends as Hausner continues his discussion of mass killings by deportation in Latvia, Estonia, and Vilna.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 5 -- Excerpts of Attorney General's reply
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Session 5. Begins while the courtroom is empty. The attorneys enter, and the camera focuses on Attorney General Hausner and Defense Attorney Servatius as they exchange pleasantries. The judges enter the courtroom and Judge Moshe Landau declares Session 5 open. Hausner discusses the Nuremberg Trials and its influence on the establishment of international laws and principles. He then quotes from the International Military Tribunal. The judge questions the relevancy of the documents being presented by the prosecution. To answer Landau's question, Hausner refers to the "Nazi Punishment Law," and explains that the law transfers responsibility from lower members of government to heads of state. The Judge continues to question Hausner's objective in presenting such laws. Hausner believes that Eichmann will plead innocent based on "Acts of State," Section 19 of the Criminal Code Ordinance of 1936; "Acts of State" lists that soldiers/government officials are not responsible for their actions as they were following the orders of their superiors. Hausner believes that Eichmann cannot claim innocence based on Section 19 because his role in the Holocaust went beyond following orders. On a less personal level, the prosecutor states that Eichmann cannot plead innocent under Section 19, regardless of his actions during WWII as Section 8 of the "Nazi and Nazi Collaborators Punishment Law," directly invalidates "Acts of State." The Judge disagrees with Hausner, and reminds the prosecution that Eichmann has not yet entered a plea. Hausner relents, and explains he referred to foreign legislation because he wanted to highlight the correlation between Paragraph 8 of Israeli law and International Law. Hausner continues to present international precedents for war criminals. He quotes a Supreme Court decision in West Germany: "an illegal order does not constitute justification for an illegal act." Judge Landau and Hausner discuss the differences between the Israeli and German courts. This conversation is followed by Hausner's conclusion. Dr. Servatius is given permission to respond. The defense asserts Eichman's lack of responsibility; it is his superior, Adolf Hitler who should be punished for crimes against humanity, and he is dead. Hence, Adolf Eichmann should not be prosecuted. Furthermore, Servatius claims that Eichmann has the right to protection by his native country-Germany, and denying him that right would trivialize the legality of the court. The Judges pause to consider both arguments, and announce that a decision will be presented on the following Monday. The tape ends as the Court is adjourned.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 89 -- Decision of the court to cancel session
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Session 89. Courtroom. People sitting and waiting for the Judges to enter. Almost immediately, Dr. Servatius runs out of the courtroom (duplicate footage from Tape 2124). 00:12:23 Judges enter. They open the 89th Session of the trial. The President of Court says that the Defense requests this session be cancelled because the medical condition of Eichmann prevents him from being cross examined in both the morning and afternoon. They cancel the morning session, and adjourn. Shots of people leaving.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 3 -- Attorney General's reply to preliminary introductions
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Session 3. Recording begins while the court is in recess. There are several camera shots of audience members, court officials, and Adolf Eichmann as he enters the courtroom. As the trial commences, Attorney General Hausner introduces precedents and protocols established by the United Nations and the International Military Tribunal regarding war crimes trials. He cites several documents such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as the proceedings from such conferences as the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Hausner also refers to the "Knesset Reports" when discussing the right of Jews to prosecute Nazi perpetrators. As the tape continues, Hausner addresses both Dr. Servatius' concern for the trial's venue, and Servatius' assertion that the German nation has already atoned for the Holocaust thereby rendering the Eichmann trial somewhat irrelevant. Hausner states in response: "For such crimes there is no expiation, there is no forgiveness or forgetting." The court is adjourned for a fifteen-minute recess. Upon the court's return, Presiding Judge Moshe Landau calls forth two witnesses, Mr. Zvi Tohar and Mr. Jack Shimoni, and dismisses them for the present. Following their exit, Hausner continues his argument against the defense's allegation that the court is incompetent and unable to objectively oversee the Eichmann trial. He refers to various international laws and studies to prove Israel's jurisdiction regardless of the circumstances surrounding Eichmann's capture and extradition. Hausner's speech turns to the Israeli state; he discusses the reasoning behind its foundation. After his explanation of Israel, Hausner focuses on previous war crimes trials in which war criminals were prosecuted outside of the territory where the crime was committed. The tape ends as Hausner addresses the questions surrounding Eichmann's extradition from Argentina.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 88 -- Hausner cross-examines the Accused about his antisemitism
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The footage begins in the middle of the session. Attorney General Gideon Hausner cross-examines Adolf Eichmann about a statement Eichmann made: that he would gladly jump into his grave knowing that the war had taken the lives of five million Jewish enemies of the Reich. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2120 (at 00:17:49) and Tape 2121 (at 00:50:23). Tape 2120 is more complete. Hausner then questions the accused about a written statement in which Eichmann asserts that Adolf Hitler had already declared war on the Jews before the start of World War II (00:14:43). Eichmann says that he does not remember this statement. Hausner reads from the document in German. There is some confusion regarding the location of the specific paragraph. Hausner reads another passage from the same document which concerns a direct order from Hitler for the "physical liquidation of the Jewish enemy" (00:24:52). Eichmann is again asked by the prosecution whether he regarded the Jews as enemies of the Reich. Hausner questions the accused about his reasons for going into hiding after the war and his identification as a war criminal (00:32:21). This is duplicate footage found on Tape 2120 (at 00:30:24), however the footage on Tape 2120 is less complete than on Tape 2123. Eichmann is questioned about whether he thinks the death sentences handed down by the International Military Tribunal held at Nuremberg were just 00:40:30). This is duplicate footage found on Tape 2120 (at 00:34:16). Hausner asks the accused whether he had always been a strong antisemite (00:42:42). The footage on Tape 2120 is less complete than the footage on Tape 2123. The footage cuts out between 00:46:18 and 00:46:30. Part of the previous footage is repeated. Confusion arises about a document which Hausner has cited. The cross-examination continues with questions about the antisemitic terminology found in Eichmann's official correspondence (00:51:03). Hausner reads a passage about Persian Jews from one of Eichmann's letters (00:51:48). Someone in the audience laughs at Eichmann's excuse that he had not written the letter, even though he signed it (00:54:54). Judge Landau calls for order and reprimands the audience. The remaining footage concerns Eichmann's dismissal from the Austrian Vacuum Oil Company and whether he was dismissed because he joined the NSDAP or due to his marital status (00:59:32). Part of this footage is duplicated on Tape 2122 (at 00:00:36) but the footage on Tape 2123 is more complete.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 89 -- Decision of the court to cancel session
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Session 89. Empty chairs of the Defense and Prosecution. People milling about the courtroom. 00:19:51 The Judges still haven't entered, and everyone is seated. Attorney General Hausner and Dr. Servatius are pulled and walk out of the courtroom. 00:31:06 Judges enter. They open the 89th session of the trial. The President of Court says that the Defense requests this session be cancelled because the medical condition of Eichmann prevents him from being cross examined in both the morning and afternoon. They cancel the morning session, and adjourn. Shots of people leaving.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 81 -- Examination of the Accused re: Office of Reich Security, visiting a camp, Polish Jews, executions
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Session 81. Dr. Servatius talks, citing pieces from a letter and asking Eichmann if they are valid. Eichmann says that a different conception arose in the SD circa 1938 with respect to the Jewish question. Emigration was encouraged, and creating organizations in favor of that were created. Eichmann says that he had to inform those in Vienna about this new mentality. 00:14:42 Tape jumps. Dr. Servatius submits a letter from Eichmann. It concerns Dr. Loewenherz and his interventions at Eichmann's office, working for the release of arrested persons. 00:19:23 Tape jumps. The judges ask if there was anyone in charge of Eichmann. He says that there were levels of this, where someone could be trusted to do something, assigned to do something, or be the leader of something. Eichmann says that he was the first. 00:26:18 Tape jumps. Eichmann is being asked why his name is on a certain document. He says that all Jews of Polish nationality were to be arrested, and that most Jews had not waived Polish nationality, especially in the south. 00:29:11 Tape jumps. Dr. Servatius asks Eichmann what he did after getting a cable. Eichmann says that he was shocked when he heard that Jewish buildings were to be set on fire. He claims to understand the importance of getting documents and archives out of these buildings before anything like this could happen, and was saddened when he learned that it had already begun, and it was too late to do any such things. 00:35:20 Tape jumps. Dr. Servatius submits a memorandum concerning the confiscation of Jewish bank accounts. He says that he dictated this memo. He says that after Kristallnacht, many Jews were withdrawing large sums of money, and that concerned the Reich. 00:39:40 Tape jumps. Eichmann is being asked if he had anything to do with housing situations. He says that he had no part of that. He says that he heard that many offices were treating Jews "arrogantly", and his office must not have been or else Dr. Loewenhertz would not have come to him. 00:41:39 Tape jumps. Eichmann is being asked about Guenter being in charge of the Central Bureau. He says that his memory of that is very fuzzy, but he would not have been subordinate to him. Coordinating the various functions of the Central Bureau are brought into question, implying that Eichmann was effectively in charge. He denies any of that, saying that the SD was in command. 00:49:35 Tape jumps. Dr. Servatius submits documents concerning those listed for bribing officials, a crime punishable by death, supposedly ordered by Eichmann. He says that he never gave such orders, and never ordered an execution; he was not competent to do so. 00:53:36 Tape jumps. Eichmann is saying that [unspecified] camp was not under his jurisdiction and should not have been there, but sometimes his superiors would order people to visit camps on behalf of the entire office of Reich Security. Eichmann then describes his visit to the camp, with the Jewish Affairs Council asking Eichmann to lift the ban on correspondence, and he says that he wasn't competent to deal with such a thing, but would try get it to the right people. 01:02:57 The President of Court orders the end of the session and adjourns the court. Tape ends as everyone begins to get up to leave.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 82 -- Eichmann's testimony re: Bohemia and Moravia and France
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The footage begins near the opening of Session 82 with Servatius questioning Eichmann on the stand. Servatius presents communications between Himmler and Kaltenbrunner about the deporation of 5,000 elderly Jews from Theresienstadt to Auschwitz. There is some confusion regarding the date of the document. Servatius presents another document, which describes a change in the Jewish leadership of Theresienstadt from one person, a Dr. Edelstein, to a triumvirate consisting of Eppstein, Löwenherz and Edelstein. Servatius asks Eichmann if this was a demotion for Edelstein. Some of the proceedings are missing and footage resumes as Servatius presents an extract from an International Red Cross pamphlet reporting on a visit to the Theresienstadt camp. Eichmann is named as the direct representative of the Reichsführer-SS in "concentration camp matters." Eichmann denies this completely. Continuing to draw from the report in the Red Cross pamphlet, Servatius asks Eichmann about an evening discussion he had with a Dr. Weinemann about his theories relating to the "Jewish Question." A large section of the proceedings is missing. The footage resumes with discussion of a document authored by someone named Roethke, which states that Eichmann arranged for the deportation of children from France. Eichmann maintains that Himmler had ordered all Jews to be deported, without restriction, including children. He was thus merely passing on orders. A document is presented in which Müller states that the general attitude of the Italians is in contradiction to Hitler's. Judge Raveh asks Eichmann who drafted this document and is then reprimanded by the judge for attempting to give a longwinded answer to a simple question. The footage resumes somewhat later in the proceedings with Eichmann attempting to explain a document in which he requested the resumption of deportations of Jews from France. Servatius asks him if he inquired whether evacuees could be accommodated at the death camp and introduces a document in which Himmler instructs Müller that Jews with influential relatives in the U.S. are to be kept alive and held in a special camp because of their value as hostages. Servatius asks the accused if the Security Police in Paris had jurisdiction in Belgium. For the rest of the session Eichmann testifies about the order not to let the Jews know their destination when they were deported. He acknowledges that Auschwitz already had a bad reputation among the Jewish population (00:56:22). Judge Landau asks for a recess for the day and all rise (00:59:58) as the judges exit. Eichmann stands and is escorted out of the booth. Hausner confers with Servatius.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 83 -- Servatius examines Eichmann re: Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Serbia, Croatia, Greece
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The video begins in the middle of Session 83. Eichmann, having previously stated that he had nothing to do with postal matters, discusses a document in which mail censorship is mentioned. Eichmann explains that censorship of the mail was very important in Holland, given the country's proximity to England. Servatius presents a set of documents about diamond dealers and other tradesmen and the plan to deport these people to Auschwitz. Eichmann testifies to the role of SS Gruppenführer Gluecks and why he himself was sent to Holland for the meeting about the fate of these individuals (00:07:34). Part of the session is missing. Servatius introduces a document that states that the emigration of some Jews is permissible if it is "positively in the interests of the Reich." Referring to the document, Judge Halevi ask the accused why Professor Mayer, an intellectual, was denied permission to emigrate. Eichmann says he does not know and when Halevi presses him for an answer Eichmann says that intellectuals were perceived as threatening to the state once they were allowed to go abroad. Servatius refers to a statement given by a man named Harster during an interrogation by the Dutch Police after the war. The document concerns the removal of patients from a mental hospital in order to convert the establishment into an SS hospital. The document states that Eichmann played a role in the removal of the patients but Eichmann replies that he had nothing to do with this matter (00:18:53). Some of the session is missing. Eichmann attempts to explain the contents of a document about a proposed deportation operation in Denmark. Eichmann acknowledges the operation but states that he was not in charge. The document also quotes Eichmann as saying that Hitler and Himmler were furious at the failure of the operation at which Eichmann retorts that he did not make that statement. After a break in the video, Judge Halevi asks Eichmann whether he had the authority to make proposals in the favor of Jews. Eichmann answers that he did not have this authority. Part of the session is missing and resumes with Servatius presenting a document written to the Foreign Ministry by a man named Benzler. Benzler reports that accommodation for Jews in labor camps in Sabac (in Serbia) are impossible and suggests deportation to the Generalgouvernement or Russia. A hand-written note attributed to Eichmann suggests that the Jews should be shot. Servatius also presents a declaration by Rademacher that Eichmann had given the order to shoot "rebellious" Jews. Servatius asks Eichmann to comment on these documents and Eichmann gives a long explanation detailing the reasons why he could not possibly have made such a statement.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 79 -- Eichmann's testimony re: Wannsee Conference, sterilization, "Lidice Children", and evacuation
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The tape begins in the middle of Session 79. Defense Attorney Dr. Robert Servatius questions Eichmann about his feelings of satisfaction at the end of the Wannsee Conference, as indicated by the Sassen document. Willem Sassen, a Dutch fascist, conducted an interview with Eichmann in Argentina in 1956. This interview was used heavily in Eichmann's trial. Servatius' next question is missing and the footage continues with Eichmann testifying about how a particular memo regarding the final solution came to be written and circulated. Eichmann maintains that the letter, written as a consequence of the Wannsee Conference, was designed to elicit information about the number of Jews in the Reich and its Protectorate in order to draw up a timetable. The next question is missing from the video and footage begins again with Judge Benjamin Halevi asking the accused how he became Heydrich's authorized specialist. There are shots in this segment of the prosecution and defense lawyers. Eichmann testifies that he had nothing to do with the matter of sterilization. A portion of the proceedings is missing and the footage resumes with the presentation of a document about the collection of skulls and skeletons from the Strasbourg Anatomical Institute. A very small section of the proceedings is missing and the session continues as Servatius presents a summary of documents about Professor August Hirt's activities at the University of Strasbourg. Eichmann is asked to explain letters in which he (Eichmann) is asked to approve the establishment of this collection. Some of the proceedings are missing. Eichmann testifies as to whether he met with Dr. Wolfram Sievers, the director of the Ahnenerbe (Ancestral Heritage Society). Eichmann testifies that he was not authorized to transfer concentration camp prisoners from one camp to another, which is what Sievers requested. Sievers was tried and convicted in the Doctor's Trial. After another break in the footage, Eichmann states that he is not trying to avoid the questions posed to him and that he is limiting himself to the documents presented. A section of the proceedings is missing and the footage resumes with Servatius questioning the accused about the number of trains needed to accommodate one thousand people. He notes that one of the documents presented indicates that there was only room for seven hundred people. Eichmann testifies that it was not his responsibility but that the reason was that extra wagons were supplied for luggage so that more people could fit into each train car. A large section of the proceedings is missing. The video resumes with Eichmann explaining the directives presented in a document describing what wording is to be used when notifying people that they are to be deported. Some of the proceedings are missing and footage continues with Eichmann responding to a question posed by Servatius concerning telegrams giving the authorization to kill Jews. This last section skips to the portion of the proceedings for Session 79 concerning the murder of the Lidice children. Several documents are presented to Eichmann, who states that he had nothing to do with this matter and suggests that it must have been a special assignment given to Guenther.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 80 -- Examination of the Accused re: relocation, deportation, Lebensborn, Palestine, Bulgaria
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Session 80. Dr. Servatius reads a document about 1,000 Poles taken on each transport, and a request to get moving so that the Aktion can begin in November. Servatius then asks Eichmann when he was involved with this in Berlin. He says that these were in the Government General area, and Birkenau was requesting transports, so his office got together to figure out how to fill the order. He says that teenage Poles were to replace the Jews of similar ages working in war industries. He says that he was involved with this indirectly. He says that Mueller's orders demanded setting up children's camps, which had nothing to do with Eichmann's office, only the transportation of those people. 00:10:23 The President of Court tells Eichmann that they are not interested in general explanations of each document, only to answer questions directly. 00:11:20 Tape jumps. Dr. Servatius reads a letter from the Lebensborn Institute to Eichmann. He asks if a building in Eichmann's district used by Jews could be taken for the SS use in the "Essence of Life" (Lebensborn) institute. Another document, a thank you letter from the Institute, is read. Eichmann then discusses the seizure of Jewish property. 00:20:34 Tape jumps. Dr. Servatius addresses a document that discusses the large scale deportations by order of Himmler. He lists the numbers from each city deported, 45,000 in all, though only 15,000 could be counted on for labor. 00:26:30 Tape jumps. Eichmann recalls people discussing the forced legal divorces of mixed marriages, then the deportation of the Jewish divorcee. 00:33:14 Tape jumps. Dr. Servatius reads a letter to Eichmann concerning Persian citizenship. Eichmann says that he had no idea how they should be treated, and looked for orders from other departments. The President of Court orders a 20 minute recess. 00:38:22 Tape jumps. Eichmann says that the issue of Persians was not his department. Discussion ensues concerning proof that this letter was directed to Eichmann's office. The Judges then ask Eichmann if he initiated any actions against foreign Jews, and he said that he had no competence. 00:45:51 Tape jumps. Dr. Servatius reads that the British embassy was cleared to accept a large number of Jews into Palestine, but it was stopped. He says that all of this was stopped because there was no grand agreement. He says that the British knew that the deportation would only strengthen Germany and that would not be favorable for the British. 00:50:27 Tape jumps. Eichmann discusss halting deportations. 00:52:28 Tape jumps. Dr. Servatius asks about the emigration of Jews to Palestine, and that Eichmann said, contrary to other statements, that this was a bad thing. Eichmann says that he had no control over anything until the order to stop emigration was issued, and thus advocated relocation to Palestine before that, but not after. 00:54:39 Tape jumps. Dr. Servatius reads a letter concerning a Bulgarian letter requesting political assistance. Eichmann says that he was in contact with the Bulgarian leader, just once. When further pressed, Eichmann is asked if he was introduced as an expert on Jewish affairs, but says that he is not in a position to confirm nor deny that.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 14, 20, 21 and 27 -- Testimonies of Z. Grynszpan, A. Lichtman, Dr. M. Beisky, A. Kovner, Dr. J. Buzminsky
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Sessions 14, 20, 21 and 27. Witness Zyndel Grynszpan describes October 28, 1938; the Nazis came to his house and arrested his entire family. They were taken to the precinct and forced to sign a certificate for deportation. He and his family were deported to Poland: "The misery was great. We had no food, we had not taken any food since Thursday, we had not wanted to eat German bread anymore and we were starving." Assistant State Attorney Ya'Akov Bar-Or questions Grynszpan on the conditions of the Zbaszyn camp. There is a blip at 00:16:35 and witness Ada Lichtman describes her father's arrest by the Nazis in Wielicza: "There were all Jews, whom they took, lying dead already... My father was also dead. And all were spread out in rows of five, one after another." Lichtman later escaped to Krakow. She moved to Mielec and was forced to do hard labor. Attorney General Gideon Hausner questions Lichtman on conditions in Mielec including forced payments to avoid deportations. He also asks her about conditions in Dubink: "they broke hands and heads of youths, and later they killed them all... I saw the mutilated bodies of the youths." Hausner requests that Lichtman's testimony be continued in the next session as she has primary accounts of the Sobibor concentration camp. During a blip at 00:45:28 to 00:45:39, there is an old movie clip of a couple embracing, and then the tape returns to the trial. Witness Judge Dr. Moshe Beisky discusses an incident in the Plaszow concentration camp: "The boy was hanged and... the rope broke. The boy... began to beg for mercy... and then he was raised a second time to the gallows, and hanged..." Hausner asks Beisky why the 15,000 observers did not charge and overtake the guards rather than just watching the hanging. Beisky replies that Hausner's question is difficult to answer; Beisky recounts his experiences, as well as the general morale among the Jews in 1943: "...After eighteen years I cannot describe this sensation of fear... this thing is ultimately a terror-inspiring fear. People stand facing machine guns, and then... no ability remains to react." A blip at 00:54:30 moves the story to witness Abba Kovner on the stand. There is another blip at 00:54:48 and witness Beisky asserts that there is no explanation for the Holocaust. After another blip at 00:55:19, Hausner questions Kovner about a man named Anton Schmid. The Prosecution also asks Kovner about 'Operation Bialystok,' and Kovner's interaction with Schmid. Kovner explains that he met with Schmid to gain knowledge about Nazi leaders, and Schmid stated: "There was one 'dog called Eichmann, and he was organizing all this." Following a blip at 00:59:19, witness Dr. Josef Buzminsky describes an incident he observed; Keidash, an SS man murdered a woman pleading for her child's life: "... [He] fired two shots into her stomach, and then he took the child in his hands and tore him apart the way you would tear up a rag."
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 16 and 17 -- Documents admitted as evidence; witnesses M. Fleischmann and F. Meyer testify
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Sessions 16 and 17. Attorney General Gideon Hausner reads excerpts from Dieter Wisliceny's statement: "The Final Solution of the Jewish Question was Eichmann's life mission" After a blip at 00:03:40, Hausner continues to read from Wisliceny's statement about Eichmann's interactions with the Grand Mufti. Wisliceny mentions a Jewish child transport from Poland to the Theresienstadt camp to exchange for civilian prisoners. The Grand Mufti objected: "...he protested vigorously to Himmler, using the argument that these Jewish children would, within a few years become adults and would strengthen the Jewish element in Palestine." Blip at 00:11:30. Hausner discusses Huppenkothen's affidavit, and Eichmann's opinions about Huppenkothen. The Prosecution submits an affidavit, and examination of Eberhard von Thadden, officer in the German Foreign Office. Following a blip at 00:18:56, Court officials discuss the prospect of bringing von Thadden into Court rather than relying on his affidavit. Defense Attorney Dr. Robert Servatius believes von Thadden should be brought to Court as a witness. Hausner contends that von Thadden is a war criminal, and therefore he cannot come to Israel without threat of arrest. Servatius argues that von Thadden should receive free passage and temporary immunity as provided by the agreement of judicial aid with German Federal Republic. The Prosocution asserts it will not request von Thadden's presence, even if such a provision exists. After a blip at 00:27:02, Judge Benjamin Halevi comments on the validity of an article found in Life magazine. Another blip at 00:32:06. The Court discusses the possibility of bringing in witnesses for the Defense. Hausner states that von Thadden will not receive immunity, and should he appear, he will be arrested and prosecuted. After a blip at 00:38:55, witness Moritz Fleischmann describes SS treatment. He recounts a raid upon the synagogue on the Tempelgasse. 00:40:10 Fleischmann makes a statement that is not in the official transcripts: "And while I was lying down on my stomach doing this job, the SS sentries threw out the chief rabbi, Dr. Tagliech-a man of seventy, and he like myself was ordered to brush the pavements. I should feel the full force of the degradation and the inhumanity of it. He was thrown out wearing his gown and with his prayer shawl on-his talit. While he was lying down on the pavement, the same sentry asked him in a spirit of cynism, 'Well, how do you like it?' And he replied, 'If God thinks that this is right, then I am His servant'" Blip at 00:42:11. Witness Dr. Franz Eliezer Meyer discusses 1936-37 meetings with Eichmann in Prinz Albrechtstrasse. Assistant State Attorney Ya'Akov Bar-Or questions Meyer about Eichmann. After a blip at 00:49:10, Meyer continues to describe Eichmann, and he notes a change in Eichmann's demeanor between 1937 and 1939: "Now, here was this man with the attitude of an autocrat controlling life and death..." Meyer discusses Eichmann's request to transfer Jewish foreign currency for emigrations. Bar-Or asks Meyer about identity cards for Jews.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 14, 15, 16 and 21 -- Testimony of B. Cohn
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Sessions 14, 15, 16 and 21. Witness Benno Cohn describes the effects of Nazism on Jewish cultural life: "...we were no longer allowed to play music of German composers such as Beethoven, Bach, Brahms, Haydn or Mozart." Assistant State Attorney Bar-Or questions Cohn about book burning. Cohn replies: "The books of the most famous Jewish authors were hurled into the bonfire to the sound of shrieks and applause by the students who were present." Bar-Or and Cohn discuss the Nuremberg Laws; Cohn explains the Reichsbuergergesetz [German Citizenship Law], and reads mandates from the Reichsgesetzblatt that defined the differences between Jews and Aryans. The witness mentions a prayer written by Rabbi Dr. Leo Baeck, which the Nazis intercepted. Cohn recites the prayer: "Our hearts are full with mourning, with pain. Our soul is full to the brim. We shall give expressions to all this by our silence..." The Judges assess the session. 00:29:24 Witness Moritz Fleischmann is on the stand. He discusses a meeting with Eichmann. Presiding Judge Moshe Landau asks if the prosecution is finished with the witness; Bar-Or has one more question. After a blip at 00:30:36, witness Noach Zabludowicz describes his experiences with the Nazis. He was arrested after an altercation with two Nazi soldiers; Zabludowicz was taken to the Gestap and badly beaten. Later, the Gestapo asked him to reveal names of Jewish spies; he refused, and was severely beaten. Hausner questions Zabludowicz about hangings in Ciechanow. Zabludowicz describes the hangings, as well as deliberate murders by Nazis such as the killing of an infant child. Hausner also asks the witness to illustrate the conditions on the train to Auschwitz. Servatius does not question Zabludowicz, but all three Judges question the witness on his previous testimony. The tape ends as Judge Raveh asks Zabludowicz about the Jewish population in Ciechanow.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 95 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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Footage begins in the middle of Session 95 with the continuation of cross examination of the accused by Attorney General Gideon Hausner. Eichmann is asked to indicate when he learned about Rolf Günther's involvement with gassing operations. Günther was head of a subsection of department IVB4, headed by Eichmann, and was involved in procuring and delivering Zyklon B gas for the extermination camps. Eichmann maintains that he does not remember ever talking to Günther about this matter (00:01:36). Judge Landau reminds Eichmann that he should testify from his memory (00:06:17). While translating the Judge's comments, Landau interrupts the interpreter and gives the remaining German translation to the accused himself (00:06:54). Judge Halevi asks Eichmann to indicate when he first read the Gerstein Report (00:09:37) and follow-up questions trying to decipher when he learned of the report. The Gerstein Report was an eyewitness account written by SS officer Kurt Gerstein of his experiences involving the extermination process during the war. Gerstein was the head of the Technical Disinfection Department and involved in procuring gas for the extermination camps which he visited in 1942 and witnessed, firsthand, the use of Zyklon B gas. Hausner redirects his questions back to Eichmann's conversation with Günther about the gassing operations (00:11:49). Eichmann testifies that there was friction between him and Günther that arose after their conversation about Günther's "special assignment." Hausner presents a segment from Eichmann's interrogation in which the accused stated that while he was in Hungary Günther was involved in a gas assignment and he confronted him about it (00:15:08). The Attorney General presses Eichmann about what he and Günther discussed. Questions are raised about Eichmann's insistence that these "special assignments" were done in secrecy and implies that there was no reason for his supervisors to withhold this information because he already knew about the gassings taking place (00:21:14). Eichmann replies that the gassings were general knowledge but the order to procure gas was something new (00:22:46). Hausner tells the accused that there was no reason to keep the operation a secret from him and that the accused's answer that he was not told does not make sense. The Attorney General continues noting that if Eichmann considered Günther's task a "special assignment" the accused's statement that his supervisor would send him to hell for this does not make sense (00:24:43). Eichmann states that he was confused at the time (00:26:56). Judge Halevi asks Eichmann, in German, if he reported this to the head of his office (00:30:19) and Eichmann replies that he does not know. Cross examination continues with questions regarding the Gerstein Report. Eichmann is asked if he knew of the Gerstein Report then he must have known that Günther's first assignment with gas happened in 1942 (00:31:02). Hausner turns to section IVB4's contact with commanders of the Security Police and the SD and the issuing of instructions to them in special cases (00:33:08). Eichmann states that he could not give the Security Police or the SD orders but could write a letter signed "by order" on Müller's behalf (00:35:39). Hausner cites a document in which Eichmann gives orders to the Security Police and the SD in Prague to leave the Jews in Theresienstadt. The Attorney General continues to read from documents in German. The camera shows a close-up of Eichmann's hands (00:42:10) while Hausner reads. Judge Landau calls for a recess (00:50:27) and all rise (00:50:40) as the judges exit the courtroom. Eichmann can be seen exiting the booth (00:50:48). There are shots of the attorneys at their table and the audience filing out of the courtroom.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 93 -- Transports to Trawniki, Sobibor; Einsatzgruppen; discussion of the Fuehrerprinzip
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Footage begins in the middle of Session 93 during cross-examination of the accused by Attorney General Gideon Hausner concerning the Trawniki labor camp. Eichmann is questioned about the date of transfer of the camp to the Economic-Administrative Head Office and whether in 1942 the Jews arriving at the camp were immediately sent for extermination. The opening segment is repeated after a break in the footage. Hausner presents a document to Eichmann and asks him if Odilo Globocnik was Oswald Pohl's representative in charge of implementing extermination in Poland. [Globocnik oversaw the camp in Trawniki but was also a major participant in the extermination of Polish Jewry in the killing centers of Belzec, Sobibor, and Majdanek.] Judge Landau asks Eichmann why Globocnik never received any orders from Pohl even though the accused maintains that everything that went on in the camps was Pohl's affair (00:10:17). Eichmann does not give a clear answer to Judge Landau's question. Hausner again asks Eichmann why the Economic-Administrative Head Office did not receive notification of the transports to and from Trawniki while Eichmann did receive notification (00:12:02). Eichmann replies that he does not know the answer, he did not take part in discussions regarding these transports, and he was only following orders. Hausner questions Eichmann about why he is able to recall transports to Auschwitz but not these other transports to the General Government (00:16:11). Eichmann testifies that it is because most of the transports went to Auschwitz. Hausner presents a document in which Eichmann instructs Roethke to send transports to Cholm on 23 March 1943 and asks Eichmann to confirm that these transports were going to Sobibor (00:17:27). The accused seems confused about the name Cholm and a long discussion ensues in which the parties attempt to clarify where Cholm is and the town's proper name (00:18:44 to 00:24:11), or whether it has been confused with Kulmhof, better known as Chelmno. Hausner reminds the accused that he received many reports on transports to Cholm and asks Eichmann if the people in these transports were sent for extermination. Hasuner presents a map of the General Government and explains that Cholm is near Sobibor in eastern Poland. Eichmann is asked if he was notified about the destination of the transports (00:29:44) and if he authorized them. Further questions concern whether those unable to work were immediately sent for extermination and if Eichmann was the one who decided if transports of Jews from the Reich would go to Minsk or to Riga (00:32:36). Eichmann testifies that it was Reinhard Heydrich who would have made these decisions. When Hausner asks whether he knew the horrible fate that awaited the deportees Eichmann says that he did not know at the time (00:34:15). Hausner questions Eichmann about his knowledge of the Einsatzgruppen's activities, including whether or not he received reports in 1942 on the murders being carried out by these units (00:35:55). During this section of footage there are shots of the audience. Hausner questions the accused about whether the Final Solution applied to all Jews or only the Jews in the Reich. Eichmann says that he expected the Jews of the Reich to be treated differently, that he thought they would be resettled. The Attorney General accuses Eichmann of deceiving the Jews by telling them they were being resettled when he knew full well that they were to be exterminated. Footage on this tape (#2144) from 00:37:06 to 00:42:15 duplicates footage found on tape #2140 (at 00:25:47 to 00:30:52). The footage on tape #2140 is less complete. Hausner questions Eichmann who was responsible for giving orders and who merely followed orders. Eichmann is asked if Ernst Kaltenbrunner and Heydrich carried out Hitler's orders and in this sense received orders (00:42:20). Hausner asks if the accused feels that the International Military Tribunal's verdict for Kaltenbrunner was just. There is discussion of the Fuehrer principle (Fuehrerprinzip) by which everyone below Hitler received and gave orders in a hierarchical chain of command. This topic continues to the end of the session. Judge Landau asks to adjourn and all rise as the judges exit the courtroom. Eichmann exits the booth. There are various shots of the courtroom, people exiting, and the attorneys' desks.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 95 -- Cross-examination of the Accused about seizure of property, deportations, gassings
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The camera fades in on the courtroom. Adolf Eichmann sits in the booth and cleans his glasses. The camera pulls out to a wide shot of the courtroom. Various shots of Eichmann and Servatius. A shot of the defense and the prosecuting attorneys. Eichmann is shown sitting in the booth. He turns to his right and looks over his shoulder (00:04:33). All stand as the judges enter the courtroom and Judge Landau opens the ninety-fifth session of the trial (00:05:45). Servatius makes a statement about the Dutch witness van Taalingen (00:06:10). Hausner questions Eichmann about the issuing of orders and ordinances by section IVB4 (00:00:07:48) and the department's involvement in exempting people from deportations to Minsk and Riga. Eichmann admits that his department did give orders but he states that it was not responsible for the destinations of the deportations. Hausner ask Eichmann whether he gave orders that Jewish veterans wounded in World War I be exempt from deportation. He presents a document signed by Eichmann canceling the deportation of this group of people (00:11:42). Eichmann is asked about instances in which details for deportations were left to the discretion of the State Police. Hausner refers to the case of Gertrude Sara Hahn (00:15:11). The Attorney General questions Eichmann about his department's involvement in the disposition of seized Jewish property (00:18:20) and his involvement in individual cases such as the seizure of Baroness Sacconi's apartment (00:24:03). Eichmann testifies that his section had nothing to do with this matter and that it was handled by the local State Police. Hausner asks Eichmann about his department's involvement in postal arrangements at Westerbork (00:29:56). Eichmann maintains that he does not remember (00:30:12). When Hausner asks why section IVB4 dealt with this matter, Eichmann states that it was because it involved Jews (00:34:30). Eichmann testifies that he is responsible for those who worked for him with the exception of those who were involved in "special assignments." These assignments were given by his superiors, such as Heinrich Mueller, Head of Section IV (Gestapo). Hausner reminds the accused that he was responsible for Rolf Guenther, head of section IVB4-a (evacuations) and makes reference to a document (read in German by the Attorney General) in which Eichmann admits general responsibility for Guenther's actions. He adds exceptions to this general statement. Questioning about Eichmann's responsibility for Guenther's activities continues until 00:56:27. Hausner ask whether he knew of instances where Mueller imposed "special assignments" on sub-department heads and section heads (00:56:29). Eichmann is then asked if Guenther ever told him about any assignments he received from Mueller (00:57:17). Eichmann claims ignorance of one such specific assignment, the delivery of gas to extermination camps (00:59:26). Eichmann states that Guenther never told him that he was assigned this task by Mueller (00:59:53) but that he did confront him about it when he heard rumors (01:07:17). Eichmann admits that he must have know that "gas" meant cyanide gas. The accused goes on to ask the court to look at Walter Huppenkothen's testimony. Huppenkothen asserted that Mueller gave out "special assignments" without the knowledge of section heads (01:08:44). Hausner asks the accused why the gas assignment was given to Guenther in his section and not to Rauff from the technical section. He asks whether Eichmann knew, after he saw the gassings at Chelmno, that Rauff had provided the gas vans (01:11:09). Eichmann states that he was not involved in this matter. Hausner accuses Eichmann of learning about Guenther's involvement in the procurement of gas in connection with the plan to gas the inmates of the Theresienstadt ghetto. Eichmann's answer in German is half complete when the footage cuts off and the English translation of his answer is missing. This last section on the plan to gas the inmates of Theresienstadt is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2146 (at 00:00:17). The footage on Tape 2146 is more complete.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 63 -- Submission of documents; testimony of Y. Gutman
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Session 63. Attorney General talks about correspondence between Hajj Amin (Mufti of Jerusalem) and Bulgarian Foreign Ministry and Minister of Romania [T/1264] in relation to Oliver Stanley allowing Palestinian immigration permits for 4000 Jewish children. He is against their immigration to Palestine - they could side with the enemy, go into other Middle Eastern countries, threaten Arab persons. Wants them to go somewhere else under "strict guard", i.e. Poland. 00:07:30 [T/1266] Letter from Hajj Amin and Rashid 'Ali Kilani to Ribbentrop asking for union of Germany with Arab nations, and to destroy Jewish national home in Palestine. [T/1267] Diary of Hajj Amin - parts in Arabic - judges read, discuss translation. 00:15:42 Misgivings about handwriting differences in the diary. Photos of Himmler and Hajj Amin together [T/1270 and T/1271]. 00:24:52 Cuts out. Witness Yisrael Gutman active in Warsaw Ghetto uprising. Arrested, describes destroyed Warsaw. Went to Majdanek. 00:29:33 Describes experiences there. Selections. Role calls. 00:39:27 Survived because he was given medicine - rarity, sick Jews normally shot. 00:43:32 Met Jewish historian Dr. Yitzhak Schiper in camp. Latrines. Whips. Kapos. 00:48:19 Selections to change camps - failed three times, then went to Auschwitz A. Describes underground movement, Sonderkommando revolt. 00:52:50 Describes trying to organize getting explosives, smuggling them out of factory. 00:59:10 Taken to Mauthausen - death march.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 91 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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Footage begins late in the session during the cross-examination of the accused by Attorney General Gideon Hausner. Adolf Eichmann is asked a series of questions about the Madagascar Plan, including whether or not Reinhard Heydrich made efforts to implement it (00:04:05) and who opposed the plan. [The Madagascar Plan was an idea to resettle the Jews on the island of Madagascar]. Hausner asks the accused if the main objective was to send the Jews there to die (00:07:19). Eichmann maintains that the plan was not to exterminate or annihilate the Jews (00:07:49) and Hausner points out that there would have been no way for the Jews to earn a living in Madagascar (00:10:52). Eichmann replies to Hausner's statement but only part of the English translation is heard. Footage cuts out from 00:12:37 to 00:12:50. Eichmann's reply to the question of how the Jews were supposed to earn a living in Madagascar is repeated. The English translation to his answer, which was cut off in the last segment, is presented in full. Hausner then questions the accused about his reference to the deportations to the East and whether he was referring to deportation for extermination (00:14:23). Judge Benjamin Halevi asks Eichmann how many native inhabitants lived in Madagascar and where these people were to be resettled (00:19:42). Footage resumes with Eichmann testifying as to whether the plan had been approved (00:22:47) and why it had not been implemented (00:23:08). He is questioned about his resolve to carry out the deportations (00:25:00). Hausner accuses Eichmann of foiling every attempt made at emigration (00:30:40). Eichmann responds by stating that emigration was stopped by Heinrich Himmler and that Heinrich Müller was in charge of emigration (00:30:53). When asked if he ever fought Jewish emigration Eichmann testifies that he did not. Hausner presents the case of Gisi Fleischmann and Kollman and asks the accused if he was responsible for stopping their attempt at escape to Afghanistan in 1941 (00:33:23). Hausner reads from a document ordering their deportation (00:34:51). Eichmann testifies that although his name appears on the document, he signed "by order," and was therefore merely following orders. When Eichmann does not give a clear answer to Hausner's questions, the Attorney General accuses him of lying (00:38:51). Defense counsel Robert Servatius is shown rising from his chair (00:39:41) and tells the court that the accused is being charged with lying (00:40:08). Judge Landau dismisses the charge. The remainder of the cross-examination for this session is an attempt to clarify the terminology ("im Auftrage" or "i. A.") used in documents signed by Eichmann (00:41:20). Presiding Judge Moshe Landau asks to adjourn (00:48:32) and all rise as the judges exit the courtroom (00:48:56). Shots of the audience rising. Eichmann, escorted by guards, exits the booth (00:49:11). There are shots of the audience. Servatius gathers documents from his table. Hausner exits, followed by Servatius (00:49:37). The camera lingers on the empty booth.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 107 and 108 -- Testimonies taken from witnesses Six and Winkelman from abroad
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Sessions 107. Servatius is reading passages from the affidavit of witness Alfred Six. Six says that it would be impossible for a subordinate to issue orders contrary to or beyond the jurisdiction of their superiors; any who did this were quickly removed. Thus, Eichmann could not disobey his orders and had to obey his superiors. He also reads that Eichmann had no connection with the Einsatzgruppen. 00:07:20 Servatius finishes and Hausner introduces passages from the same witness, Dr. Six. Eichmann's department is said to employ more people than any other, and that when Six asked for an exception for a Jew, he would not go to Eichmann because he worked for "the other side." It also says that Eichmann was a veteran Nazi and a believer in National Socialism; it "filled his life." Six also says that it was possible to leave the Party. Session 108. 00:14:30 Tape jumps and Servatius reads an affidavit from Otto Winkelman where a previous trial featured testimony that said Hungarian Field Marshall Faragho planned the deportation of the Jews from Hungary. This testimony was taken on May 19, 1961 before the Court of First Instance in Bordesholm. 00:18:13 Hausner is asked if he'd like to read any passages from the affidavit of the same witness Winkelman. He reads one passage that says Eichmann was preferred over another officer who was rather haughty, and the tapes cuts out.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 107 and 108 -- Questioning Eichmann's loyalty and character
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Session 107 and Session 108. Eichmann is handed a paper and asked who wrote it. He wrote it recently, and says that he cannot feel completely innocent because his receiving orders is irrelevant thanks to retroactive paragraphs. He says that he has thought over his situation many times, and he decided that he was a tool of others, and at least to himself, he is innocent. 00:10:07 Skip to an earlier sequence duplicated in Tape 2193. Eichmann is asked about his statements concerning being brought to Israel against his will, and later saying that he was relieved to be brought there to justify himself through testimony. Eichmann says that he wants to clear away the lies concerning his reputation that have come about in the previous 15 years so that he can give his family something to tell those who question them, and that is why he has insisted on a long cross-examination. The Judge responds that this could be problematic because Eichmann would want to present the facts in a positive light. Eichmann says this has not been done. 00:17:50 Eichmann's courage to speak the truth and assume responsibility is questioned here based on what some witnesses have said about Eichmann's character. The shifting of the blame by so many at Nuremberg is mentioned, and the Judge says that he understands that the accused have a right to not tell the truth, to not incriminate themselves, but Eichmann has said that he is not doing that, he is telling the truth. The Judge states that they have no prejudice against Eichmann, despite being in Israel, but want to uncover the truth just as Eichmann wants. 00:27:01 Tape skips in middle of translation of the Judge's next statement and resumes at 00:27:58 with a Judge telling Eichmann that they do not take the words of witnesses as absolute fact (duplicate footage in Tape 2190). He tells Eichmann, who said earlier that he wanted to write a fair and frank book about what happened as a warning to especially the youth of Germany, that he can instead accomplish here what he wanted to do with his book, proving to the world and more importantly, to his sons, that he was innocent. 00:33:54 The Judge begins pressing Eichmann on his statements of civic courage and the will to stick to your morals, and Eichmann's apparent refusal to do that. Eichmann says that one could not really resist the nation, that one person's efforts were irrelevant. He says that his ideal was to carry out the National Socialist doctrine as efficiently and as loyally as possible. 00:41:49 After saying that there is a difference between responsibility and guilt, and saying he is guilty of taking orders, Eichmann is asked if he takes responsibility for the things he has done. He is asked if he takes responsibility for things he said in the Sassen memoirs. He says that he spoke truths in the corrections, and the Judge presses him, asking if he was drunk when he made corrections. Eichmann, becoming defensive, insists he was sober when he made corrections, and he told truths. The Judge says that he is mixing two stories, and Eichmann admits having relapses of nationalism as the nights wore on. The Judge pushes Eichmann about these recordings and writings, and then accuses him of not having civic courage. Eichmann gives an excuse, saying various parts of the submitted Sassen memoirs are not his writings, and he has in fact not read most of them. Judge Halevi finishes his questioning, and the Session is concluded.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 107 -- Affidavits of Merten and Krumey
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Session 107. Evidence of Defense witnesses taken abroad. The official translator reads long segments from a document that records the Attorney General's selections from the testimony of Witness Alfred Six, a defense witness. The testimony of Dr. Six is marked VII by the court. 00:02:10 Dr. Servatius chooses the next affidavit from Max Merten. The testimony was given at the Tiegarten Court in Berlin, Germany on May 29-31, 1961. Merten comments that he could not comment on Eichmann before his trial because his Defense attorney told him not to discuss any high ranking officials. Merten admits that some statements in this statement contradict statements he made at his own trial. The Attorney General Hausner does not wish to quote anything from this affidavit. 00:10:10 Dr. Servatius calls from his next affidavit, witness Hermann Krumey. There is some fuss by the Judges concerning documents being delivered to the court. The affidavit describes how Krumey organized trains to evacuate the Poles from Poland so that the Germans could move there. Krumey would refer his orders to Eichmann's unit, not to the Reich's Railway System. Krumey mentioned one instance where Eichmann's unit said that "special treatment" was not necessary for a transport of children; Krumey asked why and demanded "special treatment" claiming that he had no idea that it really meant extermination. He said that Eichmann got orders often and could not issue orders of his own. 00:36:25 Tape quality deteriorates to where it is unwatchable. A slate appears and the tape resumes to halfway into the previous questions. The witness Krumey speaks about the activities of Eichmann's office. He notes that Eichmann's typist was not overworked, Eichmann focused on his personal life, and he did not exceed his orders. In fact, Krumey said, Eichmann forced him to put all his requests in writing so that higher authorities could answer him. 00:50:27 Hausner is asked if they marked any passages in the affidavits. He answers that they marked several, some of which had already been read by the Defense. The Judges decide those overlapping passages will not be reread. Tape stops midsentence as the first passages are being read for the Prosecution.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 107 -- Eichmann explains his oath to the Party
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Session 107. Tape starts midsentence when Eichmann is asked what his opinion was concerning the Nazi outlook that the Jews must be removed from Germany. (Footage duplicated from Tape 2195.) Eichmann says that he never thought about it, which the Judge quickly disputes. The tape is interrupted by a slate at 00:03:32 and resumes with Eichmann explaining that he had to not make waves in his position in the Reich. 00:04:41 Tape is interrupted again by a slate and resumes with the same footage. Eichmann insists he worked as a low-ranking official in the head office of Reich Security and regretted taking that job. Eichmann says that he thought positively about forced relocation (emigration). Eichmann insists that he was doing good, the lesser evil, a solution to a problem, but had no actual inner feelings aside from that. 00:11:50 Eichmann is asked about his history as a soldier and the oath of loyalty that he has mentioned. He was never with the Waffen (fighting) SS, the closest he came to this was the Waffen SS Reserve. He was a Police Officer, mobilized by the SD for the war. 00:16:47 The Judge is brought the records of a previous session looking for a quote of Eichmann's. He cannot find it, but says he will do so later. Eichmann is pressed concerning his oath versus his ability to leave the Party. Eichmann insists, rather emphatically, that he could not break his oath and leave under any circumstances, not during the war. Eichmann is asked about the meaning of a red ticket. This meant mobilization for the duration of the war. He stresses his inability to leave his position or the party after receiving a red ticket. The Judge asks if he could have relinquished his post and gone to the front, Eichmann says he would never get any such permission. The Judge asks if anybody could have stopped him, Eichmann answers that he would have been reprimanded and could not have done it. The Judge presses, saying that a complaining employee would have been gotten rid of, and Eichmann says that those people were sent to task forces, not the front. 00:24:44 Eichmann is asked about how tough Mueller was, he answers that he was a true bureaucrat, and begins comparing him to Heydrich. (Footage duplicated from Tape 2195.) The Judge stops him, saying that Heydrich should be left out of this. Eichmann is arguing with the Judge about the toughness and tolerance of various leaders that Eichmann has previously referenced, along with his own. Eichmann is saying that he is not tough, not a hard man, that toughness towards others was unimportant, rather it was important to be tough towards yourself, to be obedient. 00:28:37 The Judge returns to a previously inadequately answered question, asking why Eichmann wasn't fired based on all of this information. He answers that he was organized, loyal, disciplined, and did not ask question. He became friends with his superior, Mueller, and had no ambition to take over. The Judge cites previous testimony where Eichmann said he was an inefficient bureaucrat, and he answers that Mueller was the same way with always asking for orders.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 78 -- Examination of the Accused re: gassing methods, the Final Solution
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Session 78. Examination of the Accused on: gas trucks and gassing methods and assignment of Special Operations Units, the preparations for the Final Solution of the Jewish Question, on the marking of Jews, on transportations (further), petitions submitted to him, and the Wannsee Conference. Begins with Servatius presenting documents, letters. Commander of Security Police, Eastern District, signed Rauff re. supply of vans. Second document, 2D3, originates in Belgrade and deals with trucks, written by commander of police security in Belgrade. Fourth letter, White Ruthenia. Sixth letter, Belgrade. I ask the witness if he requested the supply of vans. Eichmann replies, "I had no connection whatsoever with these affairs....Not my department at all." Servatius reading, translator rendering quotes: "Would it not be more humane to liquidate those Jews incapable of work, rather than letting them starve to death.... more pleasant." Eichmann declares he never saw this letter, and would surely remember if he had, because of its drastic contents. It would also indicate an earlier knowledge of the intent to exterminate the Jews than he experienced; he first heard it mentioned by Heydrich.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 77 -- Questioning Eichmann
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Adolf Eichmann is examined on the Madagascar Plan, the Würzburg Files and the Düsseldorf Files. The footage begins shortly into Session 77 as Dr. Robert Servatius asks Eichmann about a letter dealing with the Jewish Question. While the translator speaks, the courtroom is shown and Eichmann sits in a booth looking over documents. In his response, Eichmann states that he "never took part in any discussion in the Foreign Ministry," and suggests that there was a rivalry between Heydrich and the Reich Minister over the Madagascar Plan. It is then clarified that "Territorial Final Solution" refers to the island of Madagascar. After being questioned about a notation on the letterhead, Eichmann explains the different ways that a message could carry the number IVD4, which referred to his Section. He says that he was transferred against his will in 1939 and was unable to make any decisions on his own, but always asked for confirmation or instruction from his supervisor. As the translation is given, various shots of the courtroom are shown including different views of people in the audience. Eichmann stands and the footage cuts out. A portion of the proceedings are missing. 00:14:25 Dr. Servatius brings up a document regarding the resettlement of displaced persons. Eichmann explains that his agreement mentioned in the document refers to the evacuation of 430 Weichsel-German families and not the "setting up of a resettlement office in Danzig," since the office itself had already been approved. He is then asked why his agreement was necessary and Eichmann responds by saying that the place where the Poles were to be evacuated was not convenient and "might actually have been outside the area of competence of the Danzig Resettlement Central Office," among other things. The Presiding Judge says that that question was not answered and repeats it. 00:21:52 Eichmann then reiterates that the local office asked the Head Office whether or not the matter should be taken care of by local authorities. He received instructions to represent his superior and thus adopted the Office Chief's decision as his own. Eichmann sits down, adjusts his microphone, and flips through documents as the translation is given. The footage cuts out and part of the proceedings are missing. 00:25:58 Dr. Servatius asks who drew up The Madagascar Plan and Eichmann states, "It may have been sixteen or eighteen heads of administrative departments of the different central authorities." It is then confirmed that the idea was his, but that the other authorities are included. He adds that jurists worked to put together the constitutional form of the document, which he was not interested in and did not contribute to. Eichmann states that his "sole endeavor" was that "land be placed under the feet of the Jews." The Presiding Judge silences the courtroom and the footage cuts out, missing part of the proceedings. 00:29:11 The video continues with Dr. Servatius questioning Eichmann about a meeting where officials, including Dr. Rajakowitsch and Government Counselor Neifeind, discussed depriving "all Jews holding German nationality, inside the country as well as abroad, of German nationality, and [making] them stateless." Eichmann, who was not present at the meeting, first clarifies the positions of these leaders and then explains that this regulation made it much easier for authorities to deport Jews on a legal basis and say that it was "based on principle." As the translator speaks, Eichmann takes off his glasses, puts on another pair and adjusts them. A short segment of the proceedings is missing. 00:39:35 Dr. Servatius follows up by asking about Eichmann's involvement in the aftermath of documents discussing the disposal of Jewish property and the possibility of illicit trafficking. In response, Eichmann states that he, nor Rajakowitsch or Neifeind, were responsible for ordering the regulation and since it was completely judicial, they could not oppose it and only followed directions from their supervisors. 00:43:29 Footage cuts out again and picks up later in the proceedings as Eichmann denies having any responsibility in hastening the evacuation process. He states that deportations may have been sped up to create a diversion and the Presiding Judge asks him to clarify. Eichmann switches his glasses again, stands and replies. He explains how after the Stalingrad defeat, the Reich ordered more deportations so that those being moved appeared to be at fault; ultimately repeating the scapegoat tactic without saying anything outright. Judge Halevi inquires after the date of Stalingrad and confusion over the year it took place is clarified. Since Eichmann admits to having mixed up when the peaks in deportations happened, the original question is repeated to him. He again states that he neither started nor caused the surge and that Muller intervened in all matters, despite their level of importance. The video cuts out and part of the trial is missing. 00:53:37 Dr. Servatius bring up a telegram from Mueller requesting that no more transports be carried out. It is then asked if Mueller interfered to stop aggressive evacuations that Eichmann had put in place. Eichmann states, "Not only was there no interference in arrangements that I had made - I could make no arrangements." He then reiterates his point by saying that Mueller's signature was required for anything to start or stop. In response to a follow-up question, Eichmann says that evacuations were halted due to large amount of troops being moved to the East during that time. Another document involving criminal law for Jews in the East is exhibited and Eichmann says he knows nothing about it. Eichmann also states that he had nothing to do with another document which discusses the annihilation of Jews, Roma, and others through labor. He adds that he only read this after the fact and that the Reich Minister would have taken this directly to the Concentration Camp authorities. The video cuts out before the rest of his response can be translated.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 76 -- Eichmann's testimony
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Footage begins with the judges entering the courtroom. The camera cuts to show Eichmann standing and then sitting down as the judges are seated. Judge Landau opens the seventy-sixth session, reminding the accused that he is still under oath. Defense attorney Dr. Robert Servatius questions Eichmann about the functions and duties of the Head Office for Reich Security (00:01:29). Eichmann is asked if he worked with Department II, which concerned itself with organization and legal matters, then whether group IID worked on Jewish affairs. Eichmann states that his section did have contact with the other group particularly, with Oberregierungsrat Dr. Bilfinger. Servatius continues to present documents and questions Eichmann about the involvement of various departments in Jewish affairs (00:06:51). Eichmann describes the creation of his section, Department IVB4, and its relationship to immigration and resettlement
Eichmann Trial -- Session 76 -- Eichmann's testimony
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Session 76 (approximately midway): Defense attorney Dr. Robert Servatius questions Eichmann about whether it was possible for him to act against the instructions of higher SS leaders in Hungary, to which Eichmann responds that it would not have been possible. Servatius questions Eichmann about a statment made by Huppenkothen at Nuremberg. Eichmann denies that he had a special position, as Huppenkothen had asserted. He says that documents he has seen since the beginning of the trial convince him that there were special duties assigned directly to Günther (Eichmann's deputy) by Müller (Eichmann's superior). Some of the session is missing and the footage resumes with Servatius asking the accused whether he was able to pursue his own policies if they were contrary to the wishes of the Foreign Office. Eichmann testifies that he received an assignment to establish in Berlin the same "apparatus" as was already operating in Vienna and Prague. He goes on to describe the deadline he was given, by which all Jews should have emigrated from the German Reich (00:07:36). Servatius questions Eichmann about the proposal for forcing Jews to wear badges (00:09:57). Footage resumes as Servatius presents a document which he asserts shows Eichmann was not in Berlin until 1939. Judge Landau asks the accused if from 1939 onwards he was the head of the Reich Central Office for the Emigration of Jews, which Eichmann denies (00:11:31). Footage resumes with Eichmann stating that he did not have contact with the office for the Strengthening of German Folkdom, nor with the confiscation of Jewish property. The beginning of Servatius' next question is missing. Eichmann is asked if he was involved in the resettlement operations. Eichmann states that he was responsible for nothing more than timetables and scheduling. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2099 (at 00:37:56). Servatius asks the accused if his section had anything to do with carrying out death penalties or other punishments meted out to Jews who violated the resettlement orders. Eichmann maintains that he did not deal with punishments ordered by the governor general but that he did deal with punishments decreed by the Reichsfuehrer-SS and Chief of the German Police. Footage resumes with Eichmann describing his role and duties in the planned evacuations of Jews and Poles. The German portion of his answer is complete but the English translation is not. The last two segments consist of the presentation of documents by Servatius and of Eichmann's explanations concerning his involvement in the evacuations and resettlement of the Jews and Poles. There is a cut at 00:28:57 to 00:29:00 but nothing is missing from the proceedings. This entire section is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2099 (beginning at 00:52:12).
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 75 and 76 -- Eichmann's testimony
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The video begins in the middle of Session 75, with defense attorney Dr. Robert Servatius presenting documents and questioning Eichmann about his attempts to learn Hebrew. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2097 (at 00:47:17). There are shots of the prosecutors listening to Eichmann's testimony and of people in the audience. Another document is presented and Eichmann testifies as to why he perceived the representatives of the World Service (an anti-Semitic news service) at a 1937 congress as "dubious" (00:07:49). Eichmann then talks about his opinions about Zionism (00:13:31). This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2097 (at 00:52:55). The footage resumes with Eichmann talking about the role of Hinckel, the Reich cultural administrator in the Reich Ministry of Propaganda, in the promotion of Jewish emigration. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2096 (at 00:35:24) and Tape 2098 (at 00:07:27). Servatius presents another document about Eichmann's choice of Madagascar as an emigration option (00:16:45). This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2096 (at 00:36:48) As Servatius begins to present another document, the footage cuts out (00:21:21) and resumes with Servatius questioning Eichmann about documents addressed to "Obersturmbannführer Eichmann." He questions Eichmann on the significance of this terminology. Eichmann describes the chaos that ensued after Himmler was appointed Reich Commissioner and Heydrich's establishment of a special taskforce for the coordination of deportations, for which Eichmann became the head (00:27:56). Eichmann testifes about the establishment of Department IVB4 of which he was the head. He describes it as a special division that was incorporated into a larger hierarchy and dissolved once its assignment had been completed. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2097 (at 00:54:54) and the later section on IVB4 is duplicated on Tape 2098 (at 00:14:57), although the section on Himmler and Heydrich is not included. Part of the proceedings is missing and the footage continues with Eichmann describing the role of his superior, Müller as department chief. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2098 (at 00:32:41). Presiding Judge Landau calls for the end of the session (00:37:19) and all rise as the judges stand (00:37:53). Eichmann removes his headphones. Cut to the next session. Session 76: Eichmann explains his role in the resettlement operation of the Jewish population, stating that his duties dealt only with the creation of timetables and direct negotiations with the Reich Ministry. Eichmann discusses his role in the deportations and resettlement operations. Eichmann rejects the idea that he was closely involved with the deportations in matters other than timetables and scheduling. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2100 (at 00:14:52). Some of Eichmann's testimony is repeated but continues with the presentation of documents and testimony about his role in the deportations/resettlement operations. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2100 (at 00:17:37 to 00:34:37).
Eichmann Trial -- Session 38 -- Testimony of M. Ansbacher and submission of documents
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Session 38. Modechai Ansbacher is testifying for the Prosecution, answering questions about witnessing the deportation of many children, he was one of them. He was in Belgium until the German occupation. He was sent to Calais by the Belgian government, and attempted to escape to England, but they could not. The Blitzkrieg had caught up with them. They were sent to a small concentration camp in Calais until the Belgium Red Cross sent them back to Brussels. 00:04:50 Tape jumps. Ansbacher is discussing the work he did, and says that he was involved in a clandestine school. He says that everything was very difficult, because everyone was greedy, wanted to make sure they had their food, that everyone was very hungry, but he speaks highly of one adult who kept them fair, made sure everyone had food, and tried to keep the celebrations of Jewish holy days as best they could. He describes being forbidden to sing Jewish songs, even to whistle them, though they resisted, even when chastised. 00:15:25 The Prosecution asks Ansbacher to look at a photo of a roll call, and asks to describe what is going on. He is unable to identify the location exactly, but he recognizes it as Theresienstadt. There was an incident where everyone, the sick, aged, babies, were forced to a roll call late in the night. They were forced to stand literally all day. They thought that the Russians were coming and perhaps the entire ghetto would be liquidated. They counted multiple times, and were beaten repeatedly for those missing. 00:19:41 The Defense asks Ansbacher about the time period in which a series of photos are taken, he does not know. He is then asked about gas chambers in Dachau, and he answers that he never saw any. 00:22:27 Ansbacher is answering the questions of the Judges concerning visits of the Red Cross. He describes the things set up only for the Red Cross, to make things look good. He mentions ponies, ice skating, cots with hearts on their beds, and food. Rehearsals were done with the children. 00:27:28 The Prosecution continues by submitting more documents about Germany. 00:27:54 Tape jumps. The Prosecution is still submitting documents, the account of a man interrogated by the Jewish department of the Gestapo after coming from England to Germany. He describes a war panic on the people, and they said that if a war happens, the Jews will be the first losers. Another document instructs the SS that when a Jew was sentenced for a crime, they would suffer their punishment and then be kept in a concentration camp for the duration of the war. 00:45:38 Another document describes the deportation of many Jews, and includes a report from the American Secretary of State to Berlin, saying that the topic will be broached with Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 88 -- Direct examination of the accused; decision on Sassen document
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The footage begins in the middle of Session 88. Eichmann, under direct examination, answers the question posed by Servatius about whether he talked to Theo Grell of the Foreign Office about the number of Jews being exterminated. Servatius asks Eichmann to comment on Grell's recollection that Eichmann said he had six million deaths on his conscience. Eichmann says that he was not referring to Jews at all but to the American and Russian bomber fleets. This is duplicate footage that also appears on Tape 2117 (at 00:59:17 to 01:07:26) and Tape 2120 (at 00:00:25), where it is more complete than on this tape. Servatius asks Eichmann if he was aware that the people he was responsible for deporting were being killed in the concentration camps (00:06:44). Eichmann testifies that he had to carry out his orders and admits that he knew that some of the people were being killed in the camps. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2118 (at 00:00:43). Servatius questions Eichmann about his feelings guilt. Eichmann gives a long reply in which he attempts to differentiate between his legal guilt and his ethical guilt. He states that he bears no political responsibility and therefore is not legally guilty. Eichmann testifies that he was subordinate to Heinrich Himmler and Heinrich Mueller, who were ranked higher than he was and he had to follow the orders given by his superiors. He says that in 1950, when he was planning on leaving the country, he did not feel guilty but was thinking of his family. Eichmann states that he was one of the millions who had no choice but to obey orders. This is also duplicate footage found on Tape 2118 (at 00:02:17). The duplicate footage is more complete on Tape 2118 than on Tape 2119. There is a break in the footage and the video resumes with Eichmann's answer to Judge Halevi's question about why he did not turn himself in to the authorities in 1950. Eichmann says that he felt that he would not have been given a fair trial in Germany. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2118 (at 00:20:19). The footage on Tape 2118 is more complete. Judge Landau announces that they will begin the cross-examination of the accused in the morning. There is a dispute about the Defense's suggestion to submit a written brief outlining the main points of the prosecution and the defense. It is decided that Servatius may submit this brief. Landau then turns to Decision 79 regarding the Prosecution's submission of the Sassen Document into evidence (00:33:33). The Sassen Document consisted of a transcript and tape recording of interviews between Dutch journalist (and fascist) Willem Sassen and Eichmann during a period of four months in 1957. Judge Halevi reads his decision on the document. A very small portion at the end of this section is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2121 (at 00:00:23) and is more complete on Tape 2121 than on Tape 2119.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 88 -- Examination of the Accused as witness, completed
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The footage begins in the middle of session 88. Dr. Servatius asks Adolf Eichmann whether he knew the people he was responsible for deporting were being killed in the concentration camps. Eichmann replies that he had to carry out his orders and admits that he knew that some of the people were being killed in the camps. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2119 (at 00:06:44). Servatius asks the accused about his feelings of guilt. Eichmann gives a long reply in which he attempts to differentiate between his legal guilt and his ethical guilt (00:02:17). He says that he bears no political responsibility and therefore is not legally guilty. Eichmann testifies that he was subordinate to Heinrich Himmler and to Mueller, who were ranked higher than he was. He states that he had to follow the orders of his superiors and that the punishment for disobedience was death. Eichmann states that in 1950, when he was planning to leave Germany, he did not feel guilty but was thinking of his family. Eichmann states that he was one of the millions who had no choice but to obey orders, that in the ethical sense he is his own judge, and that this is not something that can be dealt with legally. In conclusion he makes a general statement in which he denounces the extermination of the Jews but says that he was merely a tool in the hands of a stronger power. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2119 (at 00:08:18) and is more complete on this tape. Judge Halevi asks the accused why, in 1950, he did not turn himself in to the authorities instead of leaving the country (00:20:19). Eichmann replies that he would not have been judged fairly in Germany. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2119 (at 00:22:28). A large part of the session is missing and the footage resumes following a recess. The audience is seated and Judge Landau examines a document. There are various medium and close-up shots of the audience, the judges, and the prosecution. Attorney General Gideon Hausner contends that the defense's submission of testimony from Alois Steger is hearsay and thus inadmissable. Judge Halevi says that the court has already heard testimony that was hearsay. Hausner states that the Prosecution does not wish to delay the proceedings in order to oppose the submission of the document. Although not shown on this tape, the court decides to allow the submission of Steger's testimony. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2121 (at 00:32:52) and is more complete on Tape 2121.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 88 -- Cross examination of the Accused
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Camera fades in and zooms out on empty booth. People are heard talking in the background. Hausner is seen in the FG. Adolf Eichmann enters (00:01:35) carrying documents and sits placing headphones on the table and arranging the documents. MS, the prosecution desk (00:02:19) with Attorney General Gideon Hausner and Assistant State Attorneys Ya'akov Bar-Or, and Gabriel Bach seated examining documents. The camera zooms in on Eichmann. There is an overhead shot from the rear of the courtroom of the defense table with Servatius seated (00:04:24). All rise as the judges enter (00:06:42). Judge Moshe Landau opens the session (00:07:19). Judge Landau, speaking, cannot be heard but the English translation is given. The audio clears and all dialogue can be heard. Servatius asks to begin with questions pertaining to the depositions from testimony taken abroad which was reviewed in Sessions 85 and 86. The first testimony concerns Kurt Becher, an SS- Obersturmbannfuhrer, later SS-Standartenfuhrer and Special Reich Commissioner for all Concentration Camps, who was assigned work in Hungary and dealt with arranging the "Kasztner Transport," the attempt made by the Relief and Rescue Committee of Budapest to bring a train of Hungarian Jews safely to Switzerland. Servatius notes that Becher had stated that he had nothing to do with the seizure of Jewish property. There is some difficulty with this document because it was not submitted to the prosecution until the morning of the session. Footage cuts (00:14:03 to 00:14:15). A small portion of the preceding footage is repeated and the film continues without interruption. Servatius presents documents concerning the promotion of Christian Wirth, the SS major and head of the concentration camp organization in Poland and the first to implement the gassing of mental patients. There is some confusion regarding the wording in this document (00:18:34). Footage continues with Servatius noting the submission of a document during Hermann Krumey's interrogation, in the form of a telegram, which makes reference to the Lidice children (00:19:41). There is some confusion regarding the submission of these documents which were sent to Israel along with Krumey's testimony (00:22:02). Hermann Krumey, a member of the Security Police in Łódź and a leading member of Eichmann's Sonderkommando in Hungary, played an important role in organizing the Hungarian Judenrat and implementing the destruction of Hungarian Jewry. Direct examination of Eichmann by Servatius continues (00:33:02) with defense counsel asking the accused whether Dr. Max Merten came to see him in Berlin in September 1942. Max Merten, the Chief of military administration in Salonika, Greece, was responsible for the civilian population of that district and a key figure in the collection and deportation of the Jews of the Salonika region. Merten also played a role in the seizure of Jewish property. Reportedly, Merten placed the stolen property in trunks and sunk them into the waters off Peloponnesus. Eichmann maintains that he never went to Greece during the war or met with Merten. Servatius turns to testimony from Krumey. The accused is asked whether he talked to and gave instruction to Krumey concerning the "foot march," in reference to the forced march of Jews from Budapest to Vienna in November 1944 (00:45:12). Eichmann is then asked if Otto Winkelmann ever reprimanded him (00:47:42) and Eichmann states that he was never reprimanded. The accused is questioned about his privileged position with Ernst Kaltenbrunner and Reinhard Heydrich (00:53:41). Kaltenbrunner was responsible for the Central Office for Jewish Emigration in Vienna, headed by Eichmann, and later appointed to the Reich Security Main Office and the Security Service. He was one of the main initiators of the Reinhard Action. Eichmann maintains that he did not enjoy a special position and always went through Heinrich Müller a head at the Reich Security Main Office. The remainder of the footage concerns a statement made by Theo Grell of the Foreign Office that Eichmann had told him that he had the lives of six million on his conscious. Eichmann states that he was referring to the Russian and American bomber fleet. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2119 (at 00:00:37) and Tape 2120 (at 00:00:25). The footage is more complete on Tape 2119. The question posed to the accused and Eichmann's response, both in German, are complete. The Hebrew/English translation of Eichmann's statement is incomplete.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 87 -- Direct examination of the Accused re: his travel to Auschwitz, Chelmno, Lublin and his knowledge of the gassing program
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Footage begins in the middle of the session. Servatius examines the witness about the "Gordon Affair." Avraham Gordon was a witness for the prosecution who testified in session 54 on 26 May 1961. In his testimony, Gordon described how he worked as a forced laborer on the villa Eichmann occupied in Budapest. Gordon testified that Eichmann and a man named Slawik beat a Hungarian Jewish boy to death for allegedly stealing fruit from the property. Eichmann states that he does not know anything about this event and never physically harmed or killed a human being in his life. There is a large section of the proceedings missing from the tape. Footage resumes with defense counsel Robert Servatius reading from a statement given by SS member and judge Dr. Konrad Morgen which describes the beginning of the destruction of the Polish Jews. In 1943 Morgen was sent to investigate criminal activity among other members of the SS in concentration camps, where he came across evidence of the plan to exterminate the Jews. According to his (contradictory) testimony at Nuremberg, he set about attempting to stop the program by investigating and bringing charges against some of the particpants. Himmler eventually ordered him to halt his investigations. Among others, Morgen investigated Karl Koch, the camp commandant at Buchenwald and Majdanek. The document makes reference to the T4 euthanasia program, Christian Wirth (the SS major and head of the concentration camp organization in Poland and the first to implement the gassing of mental patients) and Rudolf Hoess, the commandant of Auschwitz. After a gap in the footage, Servatius presents a document that describes Eichmann's position. The accused does not have the document in front of him and Judge Landau orders that Eichmann be given a copy and that he read through the document. Judge Raveh questions Servatius (00:15:17) about a name, Hiller, which appears of the document. It is concluded that the name is a typographical error and should read "Himmler." Eichmann responds to what he has read in the document by saying that the description of his duties is incorrect (00:18:06). He then comments on the term "liaison man," which was used in the document. The English translation of this testimony is complete. The German response and Hebrew translation are hard to hear because the English translators are talking among themselves in Hebrew (00:24:44 to 00:25:22). The audio cuts out at 00:26:09 but the visual continues. The footage skips to a later section of the session. Eichmann recounts how Reinhard Heydrich told him that Hitler had ordered the physical destruction of the Jews. The accused then gives a long explanation as to how he was sent to Lublin to consult Odilo Globocnik. He states that he saw hermetically sealed huts that were to be used for gassing Jews and then returned to Berlin to notify Heinrich Mueller. A small gap in the video, then Eichmann describes orders he received for another trip to Kulm/Kulmhof. He asserts that only after these initial trips did he go to Auschwitz and he contests the date of his visit to the camp. Eichmann gives further description of his trips to Poland. He states that he never gave any advice to the staff at the camps, that his job was only to record facts to report to his superiors. During one trip to Lublin he witnessed a "blood fountain," blood shooting up out of the ground, which was caused by a build up of gas pressure from where Jews had been killed and buried. Servatius questions the accused about whether he received reports on the people who were being killed. Eichmann states that his office did receive statistics but they only concerned numbers prior to deportation, never statistics from the concentration camps or elsewhere. Servatius asks about testimony given by Hoettl who stated that Eichmann had given him statistics taken from concentration camps (00:55:32). There are various shots of the audience during this testimony. Repeat of footage from earlier in the session. Servatius presents testimony taken from Judge Konrad Morgen. The testimony concerns whether Morgen had intended on executing a warrant for Eichmann's arrest.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 86 -- Eichmann talks about Joel Brand and Hungary
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Session 86. Eichmann is asked about his encounters with Becher. Eichmann answers that he was forced to occupy his time with deportation and sent others to deal with his other duties, and had to present something that his superiors would approve concerning deportation. Joel Brand came to his office, and he began to throw numbers at him, including his invention of the ten percent clause. He knew that Brand could not negotiate with less than one million Jews. 00:12:20 Eichmann says he was amazed when his program was approved by Himmler. 00:15:37 Tape jumps and Eichmann says that he received foreign monetary contributions and he did as much as possible to facilitate Brand's activities. Becher was particularly interested in this transport and often haggled. A plane was obtained to take Brand to Turkey. He says that he never said he could stop the "mills of destruction" of Auschwitz and others, that was beyond his abilities. He did not promise that these transports would not be interrupted, and these trucks would not be used on the Western front, nothing more. 00:30:45 Court adjourns for a break. Tape jumps. Judges return, court resumes. 00:31:50 Dr. Servatius tells Eichmann to continue with his explanation. Eichmann says that he hasn't much more to say. 00:35:26 Tape jumps and Eichmann discusses the particulars and details of his deal with Brand. 00:41:15 Dr. Servatius submits a document about transportation to Switzerland, and says that if Jews could not be useful in munitions industries, they could be turned into cash.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 85 -- Written testimonies from von Thadden, Juettner, and Grell are presented to the court
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Session 85. An affidavit is read, describing Mueller acting without Eichmann's knowledge. It says that he was cautious to the point of exaggeration, and could often be called fearful. 00:06:53 They move on to Eberhard von Thadden's testimony. Dr. Servatius selects the passages he wants to use so that the interpreter can read them afterwards. Von Thadden describes himself, and then begins describing his time with the SS and his duties with respect to Eichmann's office. He also describes Eichmann's rank within his office. 00:25:11 The affidavit says that he cannot point to a single case where he could clearly state that Eichmann worked on his own in making a decision, but he could draw conclusions on whether or not he decided on his own or by orders. He says that everything that went through his office was signed by Eichmann or one of his subordinates. The Bondi children are mentioned, and how they wanted to be moved to Sweden, which was first refused by Eichmann's department. 00:32:15 The President of Court halts the session for a 20 minute break, and asks Attorney General Hausner to shorten the proceedings by having only outstanding sections be read into the record, with everything else only cited. 00:34:10 Tape resumes on an empty courtroom. People slowly enter and mill about. 00:40:59 Judges enter. Hausner states that he skipped numerous passages in this testimony and the next, and his people are working on further testimonies. The affidavit says that he could not tell what decisions were made by Eichmann personally. He says that Eichmann called him "weak in the knees" and he considered Eichmann "cruel". 00:44:30 Visits by the affident to the Sonderkommando are discussed. This is followed by a claim that Eichmann was directly responsible for a march on foot. 00:52:22 The affidavit of Hans Juettner is read into the record for the Prosecution. He says that he met long lines of Jews moving towards Vienna during a trip with Becher. They were to meet Eichmann. He said that he was told that Eichmann was in charge of all of this, he was to deal with the Jewish problem. 00:56:38 Theodore Horst Grell's testimony is begun. Dr. Servatius submits several passages. A section claiming that the concentration and seizure of Jews in Hungary was ordered by the Hungarian government. He says that Eichmann did not sabotage, but did not welcome, protective measures against the Jews.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 93 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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Session 93. Shot of Eichmann and then the Prosecution. 00:01:09 Judges enter. They open the 93rd Session of the trial. Eichmann is reminded that he is under oath. Attorney General Hausner asks Eichmann if it is true that he has a good relationship with Mildner. He says that Mildner claims that Eichmann was in charge of the deportations, the police, and the camps, according to a document submitted by the Defense. Eichmann says that he had to interrupt his Defense concerning this document and said that Mildner was making a mistake, and that this was very provable. Hausner says this is not an isolated incident, that Eichmann continues to say these things. 00:07:30 Image freezes. Tape ends.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 92 -- Cross-examination of the Accused about his position as a specialist
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The footage begins late in Session 92. Attorney General Gideon Hausner cross-examines Eichmann, who states that he was not in charge of the entire Final Solution. He states that he was assigned the task of writing invitations to the Wannsee Conference. Hausner asks the accused if he was in fact Reinhard Heydrich's specialist in charge of Jewish affairs (00:04:37). Eichmann maintains that he was not Heydrich's special officer for the Final Solution, but rather an officer on Jewish affairs under Heinrich Müller. There is a disturbance in the courtroom and Judge Landau calls for order (00:11:41). When cross-examination continues Hausner asks Eichmann if, during Ernst Kaltenbrunner's tenure as chief, Eichmann held the position of expert to the chief of the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA). The accused states that he was one of many experts. When asked by Hausner to name another person who dealt with the Final Solution, Eichmann attempts to avoid the question by stating that he dealt with transportation (00:14:55). Footage from 00:00:22 to 00:15:29 is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2133 (beginning at 00:39:44 to 00:59:10) but Tape 2133 is less complete. Hausner's question concerning who else dealt with the Final Solution and Eichmann's answer is repeated. None of the proceeding is missing. The Attorney General accuses Eichmann of being the only expert in Jewish affairs within the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA) (00:16:33). Eichmann states that other departments also dealt with Jewish affairs, in particular Department VII (00:21:48) and a lawyer named Neifeind. Eichmann says that Neifeind frequently attended meetings on Jewish affairs. The English translation of his statement is cut off. Eichmann's statement about Neifeind's presence at meetings on Jewish affairs is repeated in full, including the English translation. There are various shots of the lawyers' desks and the prosecution listening to Eichmann's testimony. Hausner smiles as he confers with Assistant State Attorney Bach. Eichmann's statement about Neifeind's presence at meetings on Jewish affairs is repeated once more. Judge Halevi asks the accused to explain the term "federfuehrend," which Eichmann explains was used when a section head was given the exclusive authority to oversee a particular subject. As an example, he states that he was "federfuehrend" on timetables and transportation matters (00:33:48). Judge Landau adjourns the session. All rise as the judges exit (00:38:00). Eichmann exits the booth.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 70 -- Servatius objects to screening of films
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Session 70. This tape begins in the middle of the session. Courtroom, camera being prepared, Eichmann sitting with three guards. 00:04:42 Attorney General introduces the viewing of the film, nine witnesses are present and are identified. They will be available to answer questions about the films after the screenings are completed: Raya Kagan, Yehuda Bakon, Nachum Hoch, Gedalia Ben Zvi, Mordechai Chen, Aviel, Salzberger, Melkman, and Hoter-Yishai. Servatius expresses his reservation to the film screening, and objects to particular segments of the films. Hausner reviews the issues that Servatius raises and decides what should and should not be considered as evidence. 00:18:50 He then announces that the viewing of the film can begin.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 55 -- Testimony of Dr. G. Gilbert re. Nuremberg witnesses
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Session 55. Court has not commenced. 00:05:33 Witness of general information - Professor Gustave M. Gilbert, Professor of Psychology at Long Island University, USA. Military psychologist (first Lieutenant), then intelligence officer during War. Then assigned to the Military Tribunal in Nuremberg. Questioned about role at Nuremberg. 00:13:38 Discusses the Nazi's knowledge and reaction to Gilbert being Jewish. Gilbert discusses the defendants' sanity (Rudolf Hess is talked about), psychological tests and personalities. 00:21:57 Gilbert explains about notes he took on the Nazis and a diary he kept. He also has essays written by the defendants. Part of his diary was published as "Nuremberg Diary." 00:29:06 [Exhibit T/1168] Gilbert is asked about Judge Musmanno, then commander of Navy. Explains about introducing Musmanno to defendants. 00:36:30 Discussion is not translated, Gilbert asks to know what is being said; told it is a legal argument in relation to psychological tests and Nuremberg. Comparison of Nuremberg and Eichmann. 00:40:46 to 00:46:00 Mute. Decision 58 - Gilbert can speak about Nuremberg and what defendants said to him. Asked about what Goering said to Musmanno - he denied that Jewish extermination was under his jurisdiction. 00:50:47 Asked about whether Gilbert and Musmanno spoke of Eichmann. Gilbert says he didn't - the major Nazi War criminals thought too little of him, plus he thought Eichmann was dead. Describes conversation Gilbert had with Kaltenbrunner (Eichmann's boss) - children thrown into furnaces. 00:57:44 asked about how much Eichmann was discussed at Nuremberg. Also talks about Pohl, Ohlendorf and Höss. 01:04:08 Höss, Commandant of Auschwitz is discussed. Höss talked a lot about Eichmann in connection to the extermination program.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 54 -- Witnesses A. Gordon, T. Ferencz
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Session 54. Cuts into testimony of witness Avraham Gordon, Hungarian Jew. Describes labor he was forced to do - digging trenches in Eichmann's residence under direction of Slawik (possibly Eichmann's bodyguard). 00:04:48 Gordon looks at photographs - identifies Eichmann. Picture submitted to court [exhibit T/1152 or T/37(7)]. 00:06:52 Gordon describes Eichmann, villa, boy (Salomon) being punished for stealing cherries. 00:12:59 Gordon asked to draw sketch of villa. Describes sketch and what happened to Salomon [exhibit T/1153]. 00:23:36 Gordon describes Eichmann and Slawik taking Salomon into shed. Screams, beatings. Silence. 00:28:35 Boy's body dragged out, thrown into the Danube. 00:31:28 cuts out and jumps to being asked how others reacted, knowledge of Jewish Committee, how many times drawn picture. 00:38:26 cuts out and jumps to being asked about Salomon again. 00:41:40 Presiding Judge ends questioning. Dr Servatius asks about the beating of Salomon. 00:45:33 Cuts out, then State Attorney Bach reads about the meeting of Eichmann and the Jewish council in Hungary. 00:52:16 Cuts out. Witness Dr. Tibor Ferencz, Hungarian Jew, is being questioned about deputy ministers Endre and Baky with relation to the deportation of Hungarian Jews.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 61 and 62 -- Testimonies of A. Breslauer, A. Fleischmann, L. Gordon
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Session 61 (beginning). State Attorney Bach describes two statements by Eichmann admitting his plan to deport all Jews from Budapest. Coughing and sneezing from interpreter. 00:07:17 Cuts out. Witness Arye Zvi Breszlauer describes leaving Hungary. What he saw at Hegyeshalom - thousand of Jews locked in a courtyard and barn having been forced to march 220 km; to be handed over to the Germans. 00:15:35 describes people he saw on his way back to Budapest, on arrival told his passport had expired. 00:17:12 Cuts out. Witness Aviva Fleischmann from Budapest. Describes being rounded up and taken to brick factory, locked in cells - children, women, and pregnant women. 00:20:58 describes being forced to march for eight days, people died on way. 00:23:49 Cuts out. Arrived at Lichtenwörth; describes spotted fever epidemic. 00:27:25 Describes food given and treatment of pregnant women and death of their babies. 00:30:30 Transferred, unloads transport of dying men. Not allowed to give them water. 00:33:17 Session 62 (beginning). State Attorney Bach describes Becher's interrogation/trial where he admits that funds of Hungarian Jews went into his possession [exhibit T/689]. 00:40:42 Cuts out. Witness Leslie Gordon, Polish citizen living in Hungary; forced to leave Hungary when Germans invaded Poland, transported back to Poland. Explains procedure of deportation. 00:45:25 Cuts out. Interrogated by Germans, beaten up for not handing over Jewish whereabouts. Identifies Eichmann.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 59 and 60 -- Testimonies of H. Brand, J. Brand, M. Rosenberg
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Session 59. Hansi Brand being questioned by Judge Raveh. Asked about Eichmann's role in Auschwitz deportations - she views him as the person who made all the decisions as far as the Jews were concerned. Discuss thought of trying to kill Eichmann. 00:07:21 Witness Joel Brand being asked about Lord Moyne (same footage as Tape 2071). 00:08:30 Cuts out. Questioned about telegrams and begging for Jews to be saved (same as Tape 2071). 00:09:57 - 00:10:22 Cuts out. Repeats above footage. Continues with Brand trying to convince colleagues of the Jewish plight and bargaining to save the Jews (same as Tape 2071). 00:16:25 Continues questions about Lord Moyne and Brand's interrogation and conversation with the British. 00:23:11 Cuts out. Servatius asks if Brand made up Eichmann's promise of blowing up the installations at Auschwitz. 00:26:00 Bach wants to cite two documents referring to Brand's mission [exhibit 447 - labeled T/1190] - BBC broadcast stating that Germany would save the Hungarian Jews if Britain and the USA would give drugs and transport. Reply [exhibit 448 - labeled T/37(151)] by Veesenmayer, German Ambassador in Hungary. 00:32:17 Quote by Eichmann about getting rid of the Hungarian Jews. 00:33:44 Court finishes. 00:34:24 Session 60. State Attorney Bach questioning witness Moshe Rosenberg. Eichmann determined how much Jews had to pay to get out. Rosenberg was in charge of self defense and arms for Jews. Asked about knowing of Eichmann agreeing to let some Jews cross border - he knew nothing of it. 00:38:30 Attorney Bach read document from Ribbentrop to Veesenmayer stating the Fuehrer's anger at Hungarian government with relation to lack of Jewish persecution [T/1214]. 00:41:37 Cuts out. State Attorney Bach introduces exhibit 182 [T/37(91)] letter from Eichmann to Günther about making emigration to Palestine more difficult. 00:46:09 State Attorney Bach introduces next exhibit - 156 [T/137(111)] from Veesenmayer to foreign office. Exhibit 976 [T/1218] - Grell reports details for plan of Jewish deportation from Budapest. Veesenmayer reports new developments [T/37(93)]. Two documents from Himmler's personal archive, No. 1421 cable from Becher to Himmler.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 102 -- Cross-examination of the Accused: sterilization, Einsatzgruppen, Sassen
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Session 102. Eichmann talks about his office's role in the taking of property of the displaced, and the scope of the duties of Section IVB4. 00:02:42 Eichmann is asked by Hausner about sterilization, he continuously cuts off Eichmann, insisting on yes or no answers. Eichmann is asked about a meeting called by Heydrich where he was included as an expert, and he claims that he had no real part of the meeting, which Hausner argues. 00:12:28 Hausner begins asking about Eichmann's contact with the Einsatzgruppen. Eichmann claims that the document pertaining to them was not created by his office, though he said that it was previously. The President of Court insists that he must be brief in his answers. The attendees of this meeting, along with the topics and the role of Eichmann are discussed. 00:23:50 The Einsatzgruppen's organizational details are mentioned, with Eichmann saying that those were not discussed there, and that he wanted to join that group, thinking that they would be special operations on the Eastern Front. He has some technical difficulties with the earphones. He says that nothing specific was discussed. 00:37:41 A series of documents not submitted to court are brought in for Eichmann to analyze concerning the Einsatzgruppen around the time of the declaration of war against the Soviet Union. The Judges go through the process of admitting these as evidence. He insists that these papers were not orders to destroy the Jewish people, but just reports on situations near the front. 00:48:00 The Attorney General switches gears, asking Eichmann to discuss a piece of the Sassen memoirs where there are numerous corrections by Eichmann. This is scrutinized thoroughly, with Eichmann saying that some things were mistakes by the typists, and others misunderstandings by Sassen. The difference between instructions and orders are discussed by Eichmann.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 106 -- Examination by Judge Halevi
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Session 106. Starts midsentence with Judge Halevi telling Eichmann that they do not take the words of witnesses as absolute fact. He tells Eichmann, who said earlier that he wanted to write a fair and frank book about what happened as a warning to the youth of Germany, that he can instead accomplish here what he wanted to do with his book, proving to the world, and more importantly to his sons, that he was innocent. 00:06:29 Judge reads the "Proclamation of War by the Jewish People Against the German People" that Eichmann had referenced previously. The Judge acknowledges that even if the proclamation did not exist, Eichmann could have believed it existed, and he quotes a passage that could be misconstrued as that. However, the Judge says, it does not mean that you could treat that nation any differently than any other nation at war, meaning that the Germans singled out the Jews in each nation they invaded. 00:22:10 Eichmann says that like Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and the bombings of civilians in cities, these are all crimes against humanities. However, he says, the crimes at the time were legalized by the state. He swore an oath to the Fuehrer, and through the SS, loyalty to Himmler, which was important. He reads a lengthy quote from Himmler, which was not translated into Hebrew because there were already Hebrew translations for the Judges. 00:31:09 Eichmann says that his outlook has changed since the war. He has slowly moved away from being loyal to his oath. He explains the meaning of the word "Blutkitt," which is debated by the court and evolves into a discussion about Eichmann's treatment of his subordinates. 00:46:24 Heydrich is discussed, along with the strategy and implementation of the extermination of the Jews, with some credit for it given to Pohl. Eichmann says that the details were figured out as it happened, not with any single meeting. 00:55:34 They discuss the beginning of the Judenrat, its purpose to the Nazis, and their role in reducing necessary manpower. The impact of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising on future actions, including its effect on the Hungarian deportations, are then questioned. Eichmann is cut off midsentence.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 105 -- Examination by Judge Raveh
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Session 105. This is duplicate footage from Tape 2187. Dr. Servatius begins by stating in the Sassen Document, he says things that are both anti-Semitic and the opposite. Eichmann says that he is not anti-Semitic, and was a part of the Nazi Party before it had such policies. He says that he never had a bad personal experience with Jews. 00:07:50 Dr. Servatius is finished with the re-examination of Eichmann. He will now face questions from the Judges. 00:08:22 Eichmann is being asked about when he could not live up to the Categorical Imperative of Emmanuel Kant, in which he believes. With this belief, he justifies his innocence because he followed orders unquestioned, and therefore all responsibility should be pinned on his superiors.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 49, 51, 53, 55, 56 -- Witness testimony
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Session 49. Testimony from Dr. Ernst Abeles, who describes receiving hundreds of postcards from deportees who had been sent to the extermination camps. Abeles tells of when he first learned about the existence of the camps (00:03:36) and describes the "Europe Plan," an attempt by the Jewish community to pay a large sum of money to stop deportations all over Europe (00:05:15). Section on the "Europe Plan" is abbreviated - duplicate footage found on Tape 2059. Session 51. Testimony from Pinhas Freudiger, who gives an account of what happened to Jews who escaped from Slovakia and reached Hungary and the relationship between his own family and the ruling circles in Hungary. Bach asks about his first meetings with heads of the Slovakian Jewish community (00:07:57) as well as his contact with Dr. Abeles (00:10:12). Freudiger describes his meetings with Eichmann's deputy, Dieter Wisliceny, to negotiate for the end of deportations. He tells of the events of March 19, 1944 when the Germans occupied Hungary (this is an abbreviated version of footage found on Tape 2061 at 00:44:13. Session 53. Footage resumes with testimony from witness Ze'ev Sapir from Munkacs. He recounts what happened to his family and describes the selections at Auschwitz. There are various shots of Eichmann. Part of the testimony is missing; it continues with Sapir showing the number tattoo that he received in Auschwitz. This duplicates footage found on Tape 2064 at 00:42:03 but is more complete. Sapir leaves the stand (00:25:38) and court adjourns. The judges confer and exit the courtroom. Eichmann is escorted out of the booth. Session 55. The beginning of the session is missing and footage shows the middle of testimony from Gustave Gilbert who speaks in German and English during this section. Gilbert served as a psychologist at Nuremberg and interviewed Goering and the other war criminals on trial there. He describes how people, like the accused, attempted to hide their war crimes following the war or to blame someone else. There is a short clip of the lawyers for both the prosecution and the defense standing and Eichmann leaving the booth. Gilbert's testimony is repeated but continues on and is more complete. Session 56. A small part of testimony from witness Joel Brand who speaks in German. Brand identifies Eichmann in the courtroom and describes a meeting he had with Eichmann and Becher.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 48 and 49 -- Testimony of Perla Mark and Dr. T. Lowenstein Lavi; Romanian documents
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Session 48. Testimony from Perla Mark who describes the burning of the main synagogue in Czernowitz and the murder of Jews including her husband, the town's chief rabbi. Mark gives an account of the deportation of her son and brother to Theresienstadt. She states that her brother died in Theresienstadt and that her son was sent to Auschwitz, where he was forced to play cello in the camp orchestra. Begins in the middle of testimony from Theodor Löwenstein. The witness speaks in Hebrew. Löwenstein describes the physical measures against the Jews in Romania including the pogroms in Jassy, Bessarabia, and Bukovina. There are various shots of Eichmann in the booth during this section. Löwenstein gives an account of the deportations from Czernowitz to the Transnistria and Bogdanovka camps (00:08:51). He also gives an estimate of the number of Romanian Jews that were exterminated. Part of the proceedings are missing and the footage continues with testimony from Löwenstein concerning attempts made to stop deportations and the various embassies from which he requested intervention. Löwenstein gives an account of the underground halutzim (Zionist movements) in Bucharest. He then describes the scale of forced labor in Romania, including the size of the camps (including Vapniarka) and the number of people being drafted to work (00:17:50). State Attorney Bach submits documents pertaining to the proposed emigration of Jewish orphans from Transnistria to Palestine and Eichmann's attempts to stop these emigrations. Eichmann takes notes throughout this segment. Other documents are submitted, including documents about the number of Romanian Jews with radio sets in their possession and the "Romanization" (presumably Aryanization) of Jewish property (00:24:18). Session 49. Testimony from Dr. Ernst Abeles. He discusses the Jewish Central Office and interactions with Eichmann's deputy, Dieter Wisliceny. Abeles testifies to the establishment by Wisliceny of labor camps. Only a few questions regarding labor camps are missing from testimony. Abeles gives an account of his first meeting with Eichmann in Bratislava. Eichmann takes notes. Abeles giving an account of attempts made by Rabbi Weissmandel to pay off Wisliceny to stop the deportations. The witness describes the "Europe Plan," an attempt made by the Jewish community to pay a large sum of money to stop deportations all over Europe. Discussions between the witness, Bach, and the judges pertain to the proposed "Europe Plan" and the attempts made to alert the world to the extermination of the Jews following the report made by two Slovaks who had escaped Auschwitz. There is some video interference towards the end of this segment but the testimony is complete.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 93 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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Footage begins in the middle of Session 93. Hausner questions the accused about the implementation of the Final Solution following the Wannsee Conference. Eichmann is asked whether, once orders had arrived from Reinhard Heydrich, the Final Solution could be carried out, dependent only upon the availability of places for the deported Jews at camps in the East and the number of trains needed to carry out deportations. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2138 (at 01:00:38) and Tape 2140 (at 00:03). The footage on Tape 2138 is less complete. Eichmann disputes Hausner's characterization and states that in addition to these two factors, each wave of deportations had to be specifically ordered by his superiors (00:02:25). Eichmann gives an insufficient answer to Hausner's question and Presiding Judge Moshe Landau repeats the Attorney General's question (00:03:39). Hausner presents a document issued by the accused's section, IVB4, after the Wannsee Conference, which indicates that the deportations to the East which had already been carried out were the beginning of the Final Solution (00:06:43). There is a brief discussion between Hausner and Judge Halevi regarding this document (00:10:44) and the footage resumes with Hausner referring to a section of the document in which it states that the two factors necessary for the implementation of the Final Solution have been secured (00:13:11). Eichmann recounts orders he received from Heinrich Müller to go to France and oversee the deportation of 130,000-150,000 Jews as directed by Heinrich Himmler. Hausner reminds the accused that this is the only document in which he specifically refers to carrying out orders from Müller (00:16:21), and asks whether this can be seen as an indication that Eichmann was in other cases operating under his own authority and not under Mülller's orders. The Attorney General charges that Eichmann did everything in his power to prevent any Jews from escaping the Final Solution (00:22:07). Eichmann is then asked a series of questions about his involvement in deporting the French Jews who tried to escape to Switzerland (00:26:33), mentioning in particular the case of Max Golub. During this section of footage Hausner yells his questions at the accused, becoming more agitated as Eichmann denies responsibility. The case of Karl Heinz Klinger is presented (00:34:13). When Klinger escaped to Budapest Eichmann contacted the Foreign Ministry and asked for the man to be extradited. The footage concerning Klinger is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2140 (at 00:14:21). Judge Halevi questions the accused about Max Golub and whether there was an intelligence network actively looking for escapees. Eichmann denies the existence of such an organization within his section. Eichmann is then questioned by Hausner about his involvement in ordering the deportation of the Norwegian Jews to whom the Swedish government had agreed to grant Swedish citizenship (00:42:05) and the Poles who escaped to Romania (00:44:37). Judge Landau calls for a recess and all rise (00:47:25) as the judges exit. Eichmann is shown leaving the booth (00:47:41). There are various shots of the counselors for the defense and prosecution and the audience.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 93 -- Cross-examination of the Accused about his position within RSHA
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The camera opens on Servatius and Bar-Or in conversation. Eichmann, escorted by three guards, enters the booth. There are various shots of the courtroom and the lawyers. All rise as judges Benjamin Halevi, Moshe Landau, and Yitzchak Raveh enter the courtroom. Judge Landau opens the ninety-third session of the trial (00:05:24). Attorney General Gideon Hausner resumes cross-examination of the accused with an affidavit from Dr. Rudolf Mildner, which describes Eichmann as the advisor on all Jewish matters. Eichmann testifies that Mildner was wrong in describing him thus (00:10:26). Eichmann silently reads the document. He then begins reading parts of the document out loud and attempting to explain them. Hausner tells Eichmann that he did not ask him to analyze the document. Servatius pleads with the court to allow his client to be allowed to explain himself but Judge Landau says that in this case a "yes" or "no" answer will suffice. Hausner shows the accused a statement from Karl Heinz Hoffmann, which states Eichmann dealt with special assignments given to him from the highest authorities. The accused testifies that this is untrue (00:23:40). Eichmann is presented with more documents which indicate that he held a special position in the leadership [Reichsfuehrung] of the SS, and operated on the same level of authority as Heinrich Müller (00:27:02). Much of the cross-examination in this session is devoted to Hausner's attempt to prove Eichmann's elite status within the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA). Hausner attempts to show that the accused was in a position of power while Eichmann maintains that he was subordinate to others who held higher positions of authority. The Attorney General presents the accused with numerous documents as evidence showing his high position within the RSHA. A small part of the session is missing.. Servatius asks that the document numbers be stated when an item is presented and Judge Landau notes that the Attorney General always states the document numbers. Hausner questions the accused about instructions for deportations given after the Wannsee Conference and whether or not these instructions were part of the Final Solution (01:00:07). Eichmann states that they were and Hausner proceeds to tell the accused that the Final Solution depended upon two factors 1) the number of places available in the East for absorption of the Jews into camps and 2) the number of trains to carry out the deportations (01:00:38). The footage at the very end of the tape, comprising a few minutes, is duplicate footage found on Tape 2139 (at 00:00:35) and Tape 2140 (at 00:03:16). The footage on Tape 2139 is more complete.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 88 -- Cross-examination of the Accused about membership in the Nazi party and antisemitism
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The footage begins near the end of Session 88 during cross-examination of Eichmann by Attorney General Gideon Hausner. Hausner questions the accused about his dismissal from the Austrian Vacuum Oil Company. Eichmann maintains that he was dismissed because of his marital status and not because he joined the Nazi party. A small part of this section is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2123 (at 01:06:39). Hausner then asks about Eichmann's membership in the NSDAP, the SD, whether he joined these organizations of his own free will (00:03:52), and whether he ever tried to leave the Nazi party. Hausner asks Eichmann where he was when the war broke out (00:11:13), to which Eichmann responds that he was in either Vienna or in Prague. Hausner questions Eichmann about his attendance at the 1937 Nazi party rally in Nuremberg and whether, while at that rally, Eichmann recruited an American named Elmhurst to publish an antisemitic pamphlet called The World Hoax (00:15:09). The last question posed concerns Eichmann's regard for the Jews in 1937 (00:19:29). Eichmann states that he viewed the Jews as adversaries but that he thought the solution to the Jewish question should be solved to the mutual benefit of both the Germans and the Jews, by placing them in their own country. A small section of this is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2120 (at 00:37:24). Hausner wants to continue questioning Eichmann, but Judge Landau concludes the session for the day (00:22:01). All rise as the judges exit (00:23:44). Eichmann is shown leaving the booth (00:23:56). Shots of the courtroom as the audience files out.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 88 -- Decision about admissability of Sassen document; Cross-examination of the Accused
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The footage begins in the middle of Session 88. Judge Halevi presents the court's decision as to the admissability of the Sassen document. The Sassen document consisted of transcripts from an interview Adolf Eichmann gave to a Nazi Dutch journalist named Willem Sassen over a four-month period in 1957. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2119 (at 00:51:30). Although this is only a small section of Judge Halevi's statement, it is more complete on this tape than on Tape 2119. Judge Landau calls for a recess (00:18:35) and all rise as the judges exit. Eichmann leaves the booth. The footage continues with a shot of the prosecutor and the defense attorney. The audio cuts out from 00:19:10 to 00:19:25. Shots of the courtroom during the recess. The camera focuses on the prosecution's table, where Attorney General Gideon Hausner, Assistant State Attorney Gavriel Bach, and Assistant State Attorney Ya'akov Bar-Or are seated. Eichmann enters (00:22:50), sits, and cleans his glasses. There are shots of the audience in the courtroom. Defense counsel Robert Servatius enters with an unidentified woman and both sit down at the defense table. All rise as the judges enter (00:31:00). The audience is seated and Judge Landau examines a document. There are various medium and close-up shots of the audience, the judges, and the prosecution. This section of the proceeding concerns the defense's submission of testimony from Alois Steger. Hausner contends that some of the witness's testimony is hearsay and not admissible. Judge Halevi reminds Hausner that the court has already heard hearsay testimony. Hausner says that the prosecution does not wish to delay the proceedings in order to oppose the submission of the document. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2118 (at 00:22:15) but is more complete on this tape than on Tape 2118. Servatius presents the deposition of Alois Steger to the court (00:39:50). In his statement, given on 28 March 1961, Steger describes the immediate confiscation of his car upon the arrival of the German army in Budapest, Hungary on 19 March 1944. He complained to SS Obersturmbannfuehrer Kurt Becher, who was assigned to work in Hungary and dealt with arranging the Kasztner Transport, the attempt by the Relief and Rescue Committee of Budapest to bring a train of Hungarian Jews safely to Switzerland. Steger's statement also mentions his personal involvment in the emigration of 318 persons from the Manfred Weiss Works and the delay of transports to Bergen-Belsen. There is a brief discussion about a typographical error on the deposition. There is a small section of the proceedings missing. The footage continues with Hausner questioning Eichmann about testimony he gave under interrogation in which he said he would have gladly jumped into his grave knowing that five million Jewish enemies of the Reich had died. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2120 (at 00:17:55 to 00:21:58) and Tape 2123 (at 00:00:43) but footage is less complete on this Tape 2121.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 88 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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The footage begins in the middle of Session 88. Eichmann, under direct examination, answers the question posed by Servatius about whether he talked to Theo Grell of the Foreign Office about the number of Jews being exterminated. Servatius asks Eichmann to comment on Grell's recollection that Eichmann said he had six million deaths on his conscience. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2117 (at 00:59:17) and Tape 2119 at (00:00:37). The footage resumes later in the session with cross-examination by Attorney General Gideon Hausner. Judge Landau warns Eichmann that he must answer Hausner's questions. Hausner asks the accused whether he believes that he was an accomplice to the murder of the Jews (00:10:49) and about his statement that he would have gladly jumped into his grave knowing that five million Jewish enemies of the Reich had already died (00:17:49). Part of this footage appears on Tape 2121 (at 00:50:23) and Tape 2123 (at 00:00:43). There is audio interference throughout this section, which makes parts of the tape hard to understand. Continued discussion of Eichmann's feelings about the murder of five million Jews. Hausner is visibly agitated at Eichmann's insufficient answers and he yells at the accused to give complete answers to his questions. Hausner asks Eichmann if he regarded the Jews as enemies of the Reich (00:24:36). This footage is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2123. The audio on this part of the tape is incomplete. Hausner asks Eichmann why he went into hiding after the war and whether he considered himself a war criminal. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2123 (at 00:32:21) but is less complete on Tape 2120 and more complete on Tape 2123. A small part of the session is missing and footage resumes with Hausner asking the accused about the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg and whether he believes that the sentences handed down at the trial were just (00:35:00). Hausner asks Eichmann if he has always been a strong anti-Semite. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2123 (at 00:40:30) and is more complete on Tape 2123. A large part of the proceedings is missing. Hausner asks the accused if in 1937 he considered the Jews enemies. Judge Landau ends the session (00:40:01). This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2122 (at 00:19:29).
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 30 and 31 -- Submission of documents
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Sessions 30 and 31. The Court is not in session. Presiding Judge Moshe Landau opens Session 30, and asks Attorney General Gideon Hausner to present the Prosecution's position on the evidence of Hoettl and Huppenkothen. Hausner explains that the Prosecution does not consider either man to be a war criminal; therefore, both witnesses are allowed to enter Israel without threat of arrest. A blip at 00:05:18. Exhibit T/384 is submitted, and Hausner concludes with his evidence for Poland and the Eastern countries. State Attorney Gabriel Bach will present the witnesses and evidence for the Western and Northern regions. Bach introduces his intent to connect Adolf Eichmann to the destruction of the Jews in Western Europe. After a blip at 00:08:26, Bach submits a series of documents pertaining to Jewish deportations from within Nazi-occupied areas including correspondence to and from Eichmann. The court assesses exhibits T/400 through T/410. Bach continues to submit relevant primary documentation to the Court.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 86, 81, 41, 51 and 53 -- Eichmann creating orders, ghetto visits, children
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Session 86. Eichmann says that he was in charge of organizing things insofar as he would write down the decisions made by his superiors. At the beginning, he says, he wrote down orders and passed them along to the Ministry of the Interior or other departments. He talks about his typist having nothing to do because of this, and he will return to this topic later. 00:14:38 Session 81. Dr. Servatius is submitting a document concerning visits to camps. Eichmann talks about visits from the Head Office of Reich Security happening whenever there were issues that could affect the entire Reich. There were inspection tours and visits concerning personal requests from Himmler. He lists some sentences from police of Theresienstadt prior to his visit ordering the execution of certain people. He says none of these were because of his visit. He was also asked to relieve the ban on correspondence, and said he was not competent, asking other offices to take care of it. 00:26:22 Court adjourns for the day. 00:28:29 Session 41. Henrich Grueber is testifying. He says that he was never under the impression that Eichmann was waiting for a reply from his superiors, he seemed to be the man who made the decisions, but he didn't know if that was only the image Eichmann tried to project. Dr. Servatius asks about Eichmann referring to superior's orders in the "I" form. He says that this was rather common, but not as much as Eichmann did it. 00:34:14 Session 51. The Judges enter the court and open the 51st session of the trial. The Prosecution begins submitting a document concerning Hungarian Jewish children deported by the Czechoslovakian government. 00:38:38 Session 53. Dr. Alexander (Sandor) Brody, a Hungarian Jew, testifies. He says that Eichmann gave them the children for deportation and forced them out. He says, when questioned, that he only speaks the truth, he is under oath.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 1 -- Answer to indictment reading of 15 counts
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Session 1. The end of Film ID 2001 is repeated here with Defense Attorney Dr. Robert Servatius requesting permission to voice two objections to the court before his client enters a plea. Judge Moshe Landau agrees, and Servatius asks for a change of venue and/or a case dismissal on the basis that the panel of Judges lack sufficient objectivity. Secondly, the defense suggests that the court is incompetent because it ignored international law by allowing and justifying the seizure of Adolf Eichmann. Furthermore, Servatius accuses the court of proceeding with trial despite Israel's lack of political sovereignty (i.e. Nazi crimes were committed in European states, not in Israel). There is a blip in the film at 00:03:06 and again at 00:24:00 where the story skips from Dr. Servatius expressing his concerns of the courts' level of objectivity to the end of the Defense's opening statement, in which Servatius discusses the importance of Witness #2 (Jack Shimoni), a participant in the Eichmann kidnapping. The tape ends as Attorney General, Gideon Hausner, begins his brief by countering the accusations of the Defense.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 1 -- Reading of 15 counts of indictment
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Session 1. German translation of the First Count, Letter (h). Judge Moshe Landau continues to read the fifteen counts against Adolf Eichmann, followed by the German translation. When the recitation is complete, Judge Landau asks Eichmann if he understands the charges against him, and Eichmann responds affirmatively. Defense Attorney Dr. Robert Servatius requests permission to voice objections against the court before his client enters a formal plea. Judge Landau agrees, and Dr. Servatius states a concern for both the objectivity and competence of the court. Dr. Servatius suggests that an Israeli court lacks sufficient objectivity due to biases produced by the circumstances for which Eichmann is being tried. The defense claims that any Judge with a personal connection to an individual(s) and/or event(s) involved in the Holocaust would be unable to maintain impartiality when making a decision on Eichmann's involvement. All comments are translated into Hebrew or German, respectively.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 1 -- Reading of indictment
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Session 1. Court officials are organizing the courtroom for the trial. Various individuals walk around the room, greeting and talking to each other. There is occasional sound as the trial commentators prepare for Session 001. The trial begins, and the camera focuses on Adolf Eichmann as he sits in the glass box. As the three judges, Moshe Landau, Benjamin Halevi, and Yitzchak Raveh enter the courtroom, the commentators detail trial particulars such as the trial number and specific court officials. Judge Landau formally ascertains the defendant's identity and choice of council. He then grants permission for the accusations to be read, and notes that all counts will be recited in Hebrew (the official language of the court), followed by the German translation. The tape ends during the German translation of Count One, Letter (g).
Eichmann Trial -- Session 102 -- Cross-examination of the Accused: corrections to the Sassen document
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Session 102. Attorney General Hausner asks Eichmann to read the corrections he made to the Sassen memoirs. Questions concerning the German Minister of the Interior and his connection to Eichmann are addressed. He then decries the entire document, saying that it is completely muddled, and that he cannot answer any further questions on it. The President of Court says that he will answer questions until he is relieved; Eichmann cooperates, but says that he feels he is being "roasted" until they get the answer they want from him. 00:10:48 Following Eichmann's comments about feeling "roasted", the court adjourns for a break. Shots of people leaving the courtroom. 00:12:22 People begin to get seated in the courtroom. Shots of Eichmann's empty booth, and the lawyers getting seated. 00:18:00 Judges enter. Hausner continues, asking Eichmann about a document that he mentioned in a prior session which would discredit the Sassen memoirs. Eichmann reads a passage concerning his meetings with Richter and other members of his office. The amount of contact between the foreign ministry Eichmann's office are also discussed. 00:32:05 Eichmann reads a passage from the Sassen memoir that he corrected and the Attorney General marked. A protest with Rademacher against Antonescu is mentioned, and Eichmann insists that it was Sassen's quote, not his own. It was concerning sending Jews to areas that they were not in command of, "Judenfrei" areas. He says that he does not remember saying any of this, and that it was possible that this was something he said because Sassen insisted that it was so important that he remember that he had to make something up in order to publish a good book. 00:50:00 Eichmann reads a quote by him saying that he was in a camp in the Lublin area, where exterminations were carried out, saying that he did not know how the exterminations were carried out, but it was not gas. He is talking about learning to drive a half-track. He talks about being told the story of a revolt and takeover by a number of the prisoners. Questions about this, a man named Hoeffle, and which camp this was, whether Treblinka or Majdanek, are discussed. He cannot remember when he made any of these trips to camps, frustrating the Prosecution. 00:58:01 Eichmann is given another document that he corrected heavily. Eichmann reads this document in German. It is Eichmann explaining his position with respect to concentration camps. He begins to discuss his role with the Gestapo, and the tape ends before any concrete answers are given.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 97 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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There is visual interference throughout the footage. Footage begins in the latter portion of Session 97 at the end of a discussion on an apology sent to Eichmann by the Foreign Ministry for actions taken in unoccupied France concerning Jews without his consultation. Footage cuts (00:02:39 to 00:02:50) Attorney General Gideon Hausner cross examines the accused about the agreement between Theodor Danneker and Alexander Belev to deport Bulgarian Jews reached after Dannecker had received authorization from Eichmann to draw up the agreement (00:04:35). Belev was the Jewish Commissar for the Bulgarian Government. Eichmann replies that based on the documents this is correct but that Dannecker went to Bulgaria based on instructions from Heinrich Müller and Luther. Dr. Servatius interrupts cross examination, asking the court to request that Hausner ask relevant questions to the accused (00:06:56). Judge Landau tells Servatius that he believes Hausner's questions to be relevant (00:07:38). Cross examination continues. Eichmann is asked whether or not he remembers the agreement (00:10:19) and if it is true that he gave instructions to Dannecker (00:11:46). The accused states that naturally he was involved in this matter (00:12:24). Hausner presents a document noting a telephone conversation between him and Dannecker (00:12:53) but Eichmann testifies that the conversation could only have been a notification from Dannecker that an agreement had been reached (00:13:31). Hausner proceeds with the examination, asking Eichmann if he was satisfied with the agreement (00:14:51) and why there was a paragraph within the agreement stating that the Bulgarian Government would not ask for the Jews to be returned (00:16:23). Eichmann's answer is that it simply meant that "the responsible parties in the Reich attached importance to no Jew who had been deported from some country - in this case Bulgaria - being able to come back again and telling what he had experienced and seen" (00:18:05). Hausner states that he knew that the Jews being deported were going to extermination camps and it was therefore impossible to bring them back and that is why the notation was in the agreement (00:18:38). A letter with a note by Franz Rademacher stating "Eichmann proposes shooting" is presented by Hausner (00:21:18). Rademacher was an official of the Foreign Office heading department D III, the so-called Jewish desk. The accused states that the document reflects Rademacher's poor documentation of facts (00:22:09) and acknowledges that the document is in Rademacher's handwriting (00:24:58). Hausner asks why Rademacher would write this statement (00:25:07) and Eichmann states that it was merely a correction Rademacher made to the document so that he would not be punished by Ernst von Weizäcker, an official in the Foreign Office (00:25:43). There is a discussion on the date in which the correction was made and about a telephone conversation between the accused and Rademacher during which Eichmann is said to have ordered shootings. Hausner notes that Rademacher had been surprised by the accused's proposal to shoot the Serbian Jews (00:30:25). Eichmann denies the allegation and suggests that the document is a forgery. Footage cuts (00:35:25) The camera focuses on Servatius talking to an unidentified man. The prosecution including Hausner, Bach, and Bar-Or are seen leaving the courtroom.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 96 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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Footage beings in the middle of session 96. Attorney General Gideon Hausner continues cross examination of the accused with questions regarding whether Theodor Dannecker, Dieter Wisliceny, Alois Brunner, Rolf Günther and Gustav Richter received instructions from Eichmann. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2149 (at 01:01:55). Eichmann concedes that they did receive instructions from him with the exception of those that were involved in missions abroad (00:02:47). This discussion continues and after a long reply by the accused, Judge Landau asks Eichmann to stop repeating general statements and give direct, concise answers to the Attorney General's questions (00:11:45). Hausner asks Eichmann to look at a document concerning his relationship with those abroad in Slovakia and Romania (00:13:29) in which Eichmann concedes that men such as Dannecker, Günther, and Wisliceny received his instructions. Eichmann testifies that, in general, the document is correct except for that the men, he states, were not subordinate to section IVB4 but to offices abroad (00:16:44). Cross examination continues with Eichmann being questioned about Richter and whether he belonged to section IVB4 (00:17:52). Eichmann contests this fact, stating that Richter was one of the exceptions and received his instructions directly from the chief of the Security Police and the SD. Hausner presents a document written by Dannecker noting that the "Paris office has been given practical responsibility for combating [hostile activities by the Jews and] that the chief of the Security Police and the SD is now the Jewish Affairs Commissioner for Europe" (00:22:11). Eichmann states that the document is incorrect (00:24:36). Hausner returns to the topic of Eichmann's authority over staff abroad, asking him if those men were designated IVB4 (00:33:19). The accused replies that not all of them were (00:33:44) and when asked whether he coordinated IVB4 activities in occupied countries (00:35:34) the accused states that he only passed on instructions given to him by his superiors (00:36:10). There is a long discussion about Eichmann's involvement in eliminating difficulties for those working abroad particularly with Security Police matters (00:36:32). A document is read, in German, to the accused by Hausner acknowledging his involvement in this matter (00:40:39). Eichmann testifies that it was his job to make sure difficulties did not occur at all and that operations ran smoothly. Hausner continues by asking about meetings held in the accused's office with staff operating abroad. Eichmann is questioned about who came to the meetings (00:48:30) and what was discussed (00:55:48). Cross examination continues as Eichmann is questioned as to whether the introduction of the Jewish badges was discussed at the meetings (00:57:23). When presented with a document by Hausner noting the simultaneous introduction of the badges in the occupied Dutch, French, and Belgian territories Eichmann testifies that he was aware of this order (00:58:29). Eichmann's answer in German is complete but the English translation is only partially given when the footage cuts. Footage beginning at Eichmann's interrogation about the Jewish badges to 00:59:35 is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2150 (from 00:24:05 to 00:32:09). The footage on Tape 2150 is more complete. Footage cuts (00:59:35 to 00:59:45) There is a short segment of Eichmann standing and speaking but no audio.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 100 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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Footage begins in the middle of the Session 100. Judge Landau warns the Attorney General that the matter concerning the liquidation of the ghettos is being dealt with a second time. Hausner continues with the cross examination of the accused. Eichmann is asked if he is familiar with "Operation Reinhardt" (00:01:42) and replies in the affirmative that he read that the operation involved the liquidation of Polish Jewry and the confiscation of their property. When asked if he was familiar with the operation in 1942 and 1943, Eichmann testifies that he did not concern himself with the matter because he was not responsible for it, not even for the scheduling of timetables. Hausner presents a document noting a meeting that took place in Berlin during which the expulsion of Jews from the General Government was discussed (00:03:52). Eichmann is also told that during his interrogation he said that it was possible that Franz Novak, one of his assistants, took part in the meeting (00:05:05) and is asked whether or not Novak did take part. The accused states that Novak took part in many meetings concerning timetables but that as far as he knows IVB4 never dealt with the General Government (00:08:43). Hausner continues to ask Eichmann whether or not Novak took part in the meeting. Another document is presented consisting of precise timetables for trains from various cities within the General Government and Eichmann is asked why, if he and his department were not involved, did Novak take part in such a meeting (00:11:27) or, if he did not take part, why did he refer to him at all. Eichmann states that during his interrogation he always tried to mention all possibilities. Hausner continues on this subject questioning the accused about who took part in a conference proposed by the Chief of the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA) following Reinhard Heydrich's death (00:16:49) and who could take part in meetings concerning timetable planning if not him since he was the expert (00:18:33). Judge Raveh asks Eichmann if transports from Romania were also discussed at the meeting held in Berlin referred to by the Attorney General (00:24:55). Eichmann testifies that he does not know and Judge Raveh proceeds to ask the accused several times whether Romanian transports fell within his department's jurisdiction. The accused states that he does not know if the timetables for Romania were drawn up by his department or by the Reich Transport Ministry and suggests that Novak be questioned. Hausner proceeds with the cross examination questioning Eichmann about Auschwitz. Eichmann is asked whether Auschwitz was outside the boarders of the General Government (00:35:47) and about the cooperation of two railroad administrations in order to carry out resettlement (00:36:06). Hausner notes that a political prisoner in Auschwitz named Rajewski who testified against Höss stated that all Jewish prisoners sent to Auschwitz came with papers signed by IVB4 (00:36:55). Eichmann states that this is impossible and untrue (00:38:26). Eichmann is further asked whether IVB4 was the authority which ordered transfers to Auschwitz (00:39:08) and replies that IVB4 did not have an office or branch office in the General Government. Hausner reads a portion of Rajewski's testimony for the accused (00:40:56). There is some confusion, brought to the Attorney General's attention by Judge Landau, regarding whether the document refers to only Aryan Poles or to Jews from the General Government (00:42:30 to 00:46:10). Hausner shows that the document does refer to Jews from the General Government. Eichmann is then asked how he can explain the fact that Rajewski precisely stated that Jews sent to Auschwitz were designated IVB4 (00:46:11). The accused states that he does not know since IVB4 did not have an office there and when asked about the designation of Poles from Zamosc sent to Auschwitz Eichmann is unable to explain why Rajewski states that they were also designated IVB4. Judge Landau calls for a recess (00:52:19) and all rise as the judges exit the courtroom (00:52:28). There are various shots of the prosecution and the audience.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 100 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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Footage begins early in the Session 100. Attorney General Gideon Hausner asks the accused whether he read Friedel's report on the Bialystok matter and notes that Friedel stated that the order to liquidate the ghettos came directly from department IVB4 (00:00:45). Eichmann testifies that Bialystok was part of the incorporated Eastern Territories and his section merely had to carry out the deportations ordered by Heinrich Himmler (00:00:58). Hausner asks Eichmann to indicate on a map (hung on the wall to the left of the accused's booth) the territories incorporated into the Reich (00:02:21). Judge Landau allows the accused to move out of the booth and go over to the map. Eichmann is escorted out of the booth by guards and given a pole to indicate places on the map (00:03:15). There are shots of Eichmann pointing to the map and of the audience watching him. The camera cuts to a larger shot of the courtroom and people can be seen watching Eichmann from the balcony (00:03:41). Eichmann is unable to locate Bialystok on the map and Hausner approaches and points to the city on the map with the queue (00:05:48). The Attorney General proceeds to present two publications noting the boarder changes of Europe during World War II (00:06:21). There is a brief summary about the possession of Bialystok during the war followed by a notation by Hausner that it was not until 1942 that the Political department in concentration camps was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Economic-Administrative Head Office. Hausner further states that as far as assignments and the release of prisoners from concentration camps is concerned that responsibility stayed with the Reich Security Main Office and did not change (00:09:21). There is a technical problem with the simultaneous translation (00:14:40). Judge Landau notes the problem with the translation and the camera cuts to a shot of the technician's booth (00:15:29). The interpreter begins to translate Hausner's previous statement in German (00:15:51). The footage from the beginning of the tape until this point is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2170 (from 09:07:15 to 09:23:09). Footage cuts (00:16:12 to 00:16:15) A large portion of the session is skipped. The following footage is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2169 (from 00:22:30 to 00:29:14). Footage resumes with Hausner asking who handed out death sentences in Theresienstadt. The accused states that he learned from the daily report from the Jewish Council of Elders that it was the Commander of the Security Police and the SD in Prague (00:16:20 and at 00:22:34 on Tape 2169). Eichmann is then asked a series of questions regarding whether he knows any German laws which authorized the Senior Commanders of the Security Police and the SD to impose death sentences (00:17:33 and at 00:23:47 on Tape 2169), the Commander or Commandant of an extermination camp to exterminate people (00:18:36 and at 00:24:50 on Tape 2169), or Globocnik to exterminate hundreds of thousands or a quarter million people from the General Government (00:19:54 and at 00:26:08 on Tape 2169). Eichmann is also asked if he knows of any laws allowing himself to carry out deportations (00:21:04 and at 00:27:18 on Tape 2169). The accused states that he either does not know or was not involved in these matters. Hausner continues, asking the accused whether he cared if what he was doing was illegal or not (00:21:41and at 00:27:55 on Tape 2169). Eichmann replies that he did what he was ordered to do and the subject of whether or not his instructions were or were not illegal never came up in conversation. Footage cuts (00:24:37 to 00:24:39) A large section of the session is missing. Footage resumes near the end of the session. Hausner questions the accused about hearing, during a visit to Holland that the Reich's Commissioner wanted to take Jewish Affairs away from Willi Zöpf, Eichmann's advisor in Holland. Eichmann states that he does remember reading it in a document but not the event itself. Judge Landau notes that Holland and France have already been discussed and tells Hausner that he is afraid that cross examination could continue for several days at this pace (00:26:18). Hausner acknowledges the difficulty of cross examination and tells the judge that he will be as brief as he can. Cross examination continues with Hausner asking Eichmann about his insistence that Holland's Jewish Affairs remain under his control (00:27:28). Eichmann looks over a document presented by Hausner but the accused's answer is not given as the footage cuts.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 42 -- Cross-examination of Grueber by defense attorney Servatius
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Defense lawyer Servatius is seated going through papers. He hands one of the papers to a man who passes by his table. Shot of the courtroom, Eichmann's booth; Eichmann is escorted in carrying documents. One of his guards delivers a note to Servatius. The camera focuses alternately on Eichmann and Servatius for several minutes. All rise as the judges enter court. Judge Landau announces the opening of Session 42 (00:05:41). Continuation of interrogation of Dr. Heinrich Grüber, Protestant Dean of Berlin by defense attorney Robert Servatius. Grüber describes his association with the Confessional Church. He notes that the Evangelical Church or Official Church separated from the Confessional Church because the Evangelical Church followed National Socialism (00:08:34). Servatius asks the witness about the Berlin Evangelical Sunday Paper and its welcome of Hitler following the Enabling Act in 1933. Grüber states that this was a method of appeasing the regime, although he personally did not agree with this tactic. (00:12:05). Servatius reads from the aforementioned paper and tries to suggest that Eichmann was convinced that he was on the right path based on the anti-Semitic propaganda in the excerpt from this paper. Someone claps in the courtroom and Judge Landau attempts to remove the person from the courtroom (00:22:33). Servatius reads from another German newspaper from around the same time. Gruber talks about the blindness of the German people to the negativity of National Socialism and his belief that by November 1938 they had realized that it was the wrong path. Servatius turns his questions to a book by W. Poliakov-Wolff "The Thinkers of the Third Reich" (00:35:09) in which scholars and professors acclaimed Hitler's actions. Dr. Gruber gives testimony concerning the arrest of and deportation of clergymen to Dachau (00:39:40). Describes the frequency of mass arrests and transports of clergymen to Warthegau (00:46:35). Questions in this section are being asked by Judge Raveh. Judge Halevi asks about Gruber's role in the rescue of Jews (00:55:52) which Gruber states that it was an honor but that he did not want to divulge the name of the man that also helped and that he had in fact received hate mail for his actions. Halevi then asks about the difference between the reaction of ordinary people and scholars to the persecution of Jews (01:00:02) at which Gruber replies that it was very clear by the November pogrom that the working class was more sympathetic and willing to help.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 29 -- Testimonies of A. Aviel and H. Behrendt
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Session 29. Court is adjourned. There are shots of the audience, frontals of the courtroom, and a conversation between Defense Attorney Dr. Robert Servatius and Adolf Eichmann. Following a blip at 00:05:21, excerpts from Tape 2040 with witness Avraham Aviel are repeated. He discusses the liquidation of the Radun ghetto, and his escape to the group of Jewish men being used for labor. After joining the second group, Aviel recounts the death of his mother and younger brother: "Only afterward did I learn that I had been the only one who somehow managed to escape from that situation." Aviel discusses the reactions of the labor group. He, his older brother, and the other Jewish men went back to the ghetto, and were registered as 'working Jews' by the Nazis. Aviel and his brother decided to escape, and fled into the forest bordering the Radun ghetto. In another repeat of Tape 2040, Hausner questions Aviel about the Jewish partisan movement against the Gestapo. Following a blip at 00:19:32, more repeated contents of Tape 2040 as Aviel discusses the assistance he received from gentiles-particulatrly a man named Ancilowitz, who housed many Jews despite Nazi interrogation and threat. Aviel describes Nazi actions against the displaced Jews. After a blip at 00:27:10, the Court discusses Defense Attorney Dr. Robert Servatius's ability to take evidence abroad. The Judges request that questions of the Court not be publicized prior to witness interrogation. Court officials argue further over whether to publish examination questions, and courtroom discussions prior to witness interrogation. After much deliberation, the Court submits Decision 15; the Court decides not to publish defense or prosecution questionnaires before relevant questions have been used. The Court discusses protocol for sending information abroad for the purpose of examining foreign witnesses. Hausner notes that all intended witnesses for the Defense are war criminals under the Nazi and Nazi Collaborators Punishment Law of 1950, and therefore may not enter Israel without threat of arrest and prosecution. However, Hausner agrees that the testimony of Eichmann's former colleagues is important to the trial. Following a blip at 00:51:10, Hausner questions witness Haim Behrendt, a Minsk ghetto survivor, about the conditions in the Minsk ghetto. Behrendt states: "They [the SS] killed about 30,000 Jews there..." The tape ends as he continues to describe the killings in Minsk.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 42 -- Testimony of Heinrich Grueber, Charlotte Salzberger; affidavit of Bernard Loesener
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Under questioning from the judges, the German theologian Dr. Heinrich Grueber testifies about his role in the rescue of Jews. He says that he receives hate mail and threats for his rescue work and for agreeing to come to Jerusalem to testify. He refuses to publicly state the name of a fellow rescuer for this reason. He quotes Leo Baeck as he describes the difference between the reactions of working people versus scholars to the persecution of the Jews. (Duplicate footage also found on Tape 2052 at 01:00:02 and Tape 2051 at 00:31:04). Judge Halevi asks Grueber what happened to Dr. Bernard Loesener, who testified at Nuremberg. After hearing about the 1941 massacre of Jews in Riga Loesener asked to be relieved of his position in the Ministry of the Interior. Judge Halevi then asks Grueber whether Losener had the same duties as Dr. Globke in the Ministry of the Interior and whether Grüber received help from high authorities in the Catholic church in Germany, including Pope Pius XII. (Duplicate footage found on Tape 2051 at 00:34:07). A small part of the proceedings is missing from the video. Judge Halevi asks Grueber about the lack of moral courage in Germany that helped lead to the annihilation of the Jews. Grueber discusses Eichmann's character and his anti-Semitic beliefs. Grueber characterizes Eichmann not as a man consumed by hatred, but rather as a man who exhibits a "cold rejection" of humanity. Grueber leaves the witness stand and sits in the audience of the courtroom while the translation of his personal statement about his hope for forgiveness and for good relations between Germany and Israel is read in English. The woman sitting beside him (his wife?) wipes away tears as his statement is read. Assistant State Attorney Bar-Or speaks of a minor problem with the gathering of a witness's testimony in Rome. He then enters documents into evidence and states that Eichmann's department was responsible for the efforts to "politicize" the churches. He enters an affidavit by Bernard Loesener into evidence. Bar-Or summarizes part of the document in which Loesener discusses his duties to enforce the Nuremberg Laws, the massacre in Riga, and his efforts to leave the Interior Ministry (00:42:34). Bar-Or contends that it is clear that Eichmann's department was heavily involved in matters concerning Jews. Bar-Or reads part of this document in German, in which Loesener names Eichmann as an "especially fanatical Jew hater." Various shots of Eichmann taking notes. First part of testimony from witness Charlotte Salzberger (00:47:46). Mr. Bar-Or asks the witness about her arrival in Holland, how long she stayed there, and whether her family had to register as Jews. Salzberger shows items that she kept in an album, including the Jewish star she was forced to wear and the deportation order sent to her sister. (Identical footage found on Tape 2051 at 00:41:02). She is asked about the summons for deportation that she received in 1942 and she states that she did not report for deportation as ordered. Salzberger testifies that her nationality in 1941 was "stateless" and that her family received Ecuadoran passports but not exit visas.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 41 -- Witness Dr. Grueber re: knowing Eichmann during the war and concentration camps
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Session 41. Dr. Servatius complains that the numerous witnesses from abroad fall within various courts, and that it would take too much time to attain all of these witnesses, their affidavits, and their testimony. They list the witnesses whose addresses they do not yet have. That court will make the request to the German courts, and Dr. Servatius says that his assistant will attempt to do just that. Attorney General Hausner requests that the Defense be instructed to supply the names of all of the witnesses to be questioned, as it is becoming global. The Judges agree. Dr. Servatius says that he is overburdened with his work, so he does not know that he will be able to submit all of his witnesses immediately, but he will do his best once he is able to assess his work. Hausner says that they would prefer, in all cases, to bring the witnesses to the court rather than have an affidavit if at all possible. 00:14:50 Dr. Heinrich Karl Ernst Grueber is called in to testify. He is sworn in on a Bible, as he is a Christian clergyman, the Protestant Dean of Berlin who risked his life to save Jews from Nazi persecution. They move the interpreter next to the witness, as he is hard of hearing. They ask him basic questions about his past, and he answers that he was a clergyman in various places around Berlin prior to the war. 00:22:29 He says that Jews were second class citizens, not allowed to freely express themselves like others. He says that he had to become more prominent as he was not restricted in his actions, meaning that when someone had to visit a government office, or needed to acquire supplies of some sort, he had far more success than his Jewish partners. He describes that on Jewish holidays, there would be days of further oppression, and they would all hide together to try to avoid the beatings. He also mentions that he knew Eichmann's name before the war, and had been in his office, though he had never actually met him. 00:37:39 He describes the impression that Eichmann made, the transformation of his name into a symbol of oppression. 00:43:20 Tape jumps, and Grueber is being asked whether Eichmann ever referred to orders from above that he received. He says that Eichmann relied on the "I" form for everything, that "I will order" and such. He does not know whether he did that to raise his own prestige or because he was in charge, but he never said that he had to check with his superiors on anything. He describes the men who he associated with and requests not to give any names. He says that some were germane with the Jews, but not all. He describes how differently they see the concentration camps now than they did then. Then they did not understand what exactly they were doing, they did not comprehend how someone like Eichmann could act with such cruelty, it simply did not sink in. The Judges order a 20 minute recess when Hausner says he wants to switch topics.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 41 and 42 -- Testimony of H. Grueber and C. Salzberger
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Sessions 41 and 42. Two male translators sitting in a booth. Near the beginning of Dr. Heinrich Grüber's testimony, Assistant State Attorney Bar-Or asks if Grüber knows the accused, when he first saw him, and about the discussion he had with Eichmann in their first meeting, which concerned Jewish immigration. Grüber describes Eichmann as a block of ice or marble and says that he never received from him a favorable reply to his entreaties on behalf of the Jewish community (00:08:14). Grüber states that he had tried to find an explanation for Eichmann's virulent anti-Semitism. Bar-Or questions Grüber about the treatment he received in Sachsenhausen but Grüber insists his experience was a "trifle compared to the sufferings of my Jewish friends." The next part of his testimony is missing; the footage resumes with the latter part of Grüber's statement that there were often no witnesses, no documents to tell of the worst experiences suffered in a place that was like Dante's inferno. He tells of his transfer to Dachau. A large part of Grüber's testimony is missing and it resumes with defense attorney Robert Servatius questioning Grüber about his negotiations with Eichmann. After another interruption in the footage, Servatius pressures Grüber to answer his questions concerning his meetings with Eichmann. 00:31:04 The early part of Session 42, where Grüber testifies about the difference between the reaction of ordinary people and scholars to the persecution of Jews. This duplicates footage found on Tape 2052 at 01:00:02. Skips part of the proceedings and continues with testimony pertaining to Grüber's contact with higher Catholic clergymen in Germany, including Pope Pius XII. Skips only a few moments in the proceedings and continues with Grüber's testimony about the willingness/unwillingness of Switzerland to let Jews emigrate to the country. Grüber's testimony ends. Judge Landau thanks Dr. Grüber and he exits the witness stand and is seated in the audience. A translation of Grüber's statements about his personal feelings, his testimony, and his hope for a relationship between Germany and Israel is read to the court Charlotte Salzberger takes the witness stand and is sworn in. Mr. Bar-Or asks the witness about her arrival in Holland, how long she stayed there, and whether she and her family had to register as Jews. Salzberger shows the court her Jewish registration document and a picture of the star she had to wear. Salzberger testifies that in February-March 1945 she and her sister were released from Ravensbrück and taken by train to Theresienstadt, were they were held for four weeks, isolated from the rest of the camp's population (this part of her testimony is not on the tape). She and her sister were taken to the Dienststelle office in Theresienstadt where they were interviewed by SS men, including Eichmann. She states that she knew it was Eichmann because of the way he spoke, that he was notorious for using many Jewish expressions. Eichmann wanted to know how much Salzberger and her sister had found out about the extermination program while at Ravensbrück, since Ravensbrück had begun to receive large numbers of transports from Auschwitz and other camps in the second half of 1944. As she is talking Eichmann writes a note, which is delivered to Servatius. The witness says that Eichmann told her they would be allowed intoTheresienstadt but if they told anyone about their experiences in Rabensbrück they would "go through the chimney." She says that despite their promises not to tell of the extermination of the Jews they reported their experiences to the other inmates, who did not believe them. Bar-Or asks her whether she heard about the organization of a second transport to Switzerland in April 1945 organized by the SS (00:58:30). Salzberger states that the transport never left the ghetto because the Red Cross intervened and took over Theresienstadt from the SS. Throughout this segment there are various shots of Eichmann in the booth.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 26 -- Testimony about children and the Polish underground
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Session 26. Witness Adolph Avraham Berman testifies. Dr. Berman talks about the numbers of children in Warsaw. The Judges ask him questions. He says that there was help for Jews from the Polish underground, especially for the children. He says that Jewish children were smuggled into the Aryan section of Warsaw, and then lists the Polish underground organizations, including Janusz Korczak, that helped. He says that they worked to get the news out of what was happening. 00:08:30 Dr. Berman finishes, and the Judges call Dr. Duvdevani. He discusses the search for a cache of items stashed in the Warsaw Ghetto, including a book written during the war. He reads some of the passages from the book, from an historian, discussing the horrors that he had seen in 1943. He describes some of the troubles, and that everyone was willing to lay down their lives for their religion. He says that they know that they were persecuted only because they were Jews, and that the Germans were attempting to exterminate them. 00:21:43 He reads about the persecution against the sons of the Jews. He describes Pharaoh taking the infants, and the Nazis doing the same. "The most cruel tortures are those endured by those little sons and daughters," he reads. 00:24:03 The Judges call upon Ms. Rifka Cooper. She describes the deportation from Krakow towards Lublin. She says that they were robbed on their way and had no way to make a living, but they were still alive. They were then forced to set up the ghetto early in 1941. She describes the efforts of people to save the children from the horrors of the ghetto, but largely it was unsuccessful. Robbery, breaking and entering, attacks on the street, and persecution against religion were normal. She describes, with some difficulty, that they managed to light candles for special days, fasted on Yom Kippur, and ate bread when they could. She describes a book written on toilet paper that managed to survive the war in the ghetto. Se describes some of the key parts of the revolt in the ghetto. 00:40:33 She talks about her jobs at Auschwitz, including the bringing down of houses and draining swamps. She says that she was arrested for the smuggling of information. She was within the prison of the camp. They did the worst labor, worked from 3am till after sundown, with smaller food rations. She was smuggled onto a transport to Breitenbach. She describes the work of the underground, smuggling people into the Aryan district. 00:45:30 Ms. Eisen is called to the witness stand and sworn in. The Attorney General asks her if she was a liaison to the underground in Krakow. She was. She received her orders from the Warsaw ghetto and they worked to smuggle people to a house on the outside. She describes the rescue of a disabled girl to a house with no roof from a hospital, because hospitals were the first to be deported. She said she was caught once with illegal papers, but managed to destroy it. She also smuggled in the dynamite for a campaign in Krakow. 00:56:48 Ms. Eisen is let go, the Attorney General says that he has no further witnesses for the day, and would like to submit documents. People begin leaving the court. The document concerns the OKW's leader, and the friction between the army and the police. It says that the Reich authorities were so angry about this that those responsible would be banned from the party after the war. Tape ends midsentence.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 59 -- Witness Joel Brand testifies re. negotiations with Eichmann
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Session 59. Joel Brand being questioned again. 00:01:12 Cuts out, starts from beginning again - the Wehrmacht's role in the destruction of the Jews. Talk of Bandi Grosz, Hungarian Jewish quadruple agent. 00:05:22 to 00:06:32 Court has break. Between 00:06:32 and 00:10:54 The court is preparing itself. Mr. Brand is looking at "Report of the Jewish Rescue Committee" - asked by Judge Halevi to read certain pages. Brand claims the report to be untrue. 00:19:33 Brand is challenged as to why he went to Turkey, what he thought of Eichmann's deal. 00:24:45 Asked about the Hagana, the Jewish self-defense organization. 00:29:27 Discuss Jewish property and Officer Becher becoming rich by plundering Jews. 00:34:31 Judge Halevi finishes, now Brand is questioned by the Presiding Judge. Questioned on the telegraphs Brand received about the Hungarian deportations. 00:37:47 Queries over the "pleading with Jews" over numbers killed and necessity of the mission. He informed many countries and no one listened or believed what was going on. 00:41:40 Wants to hear about Lord Moyne, explains about the conversations and interrogations with the British about whether the Nazis would really let the Jews go as promised. Moyne asked "what shall I do with one million Jews?" 00:49:38 Attorney General wants to see Brand's certificate of Judenrat. Asked about other certificates which provided benefits for Jews in Budapest (ie. freedom of movement). Questioned on the exclusion of Reszö Kasztner [Rudolf Kastner], Brand negotiating with Eichmann alone whilst Kasztner spoke with Wisliceny. 00:59:33 Talks about whether Kasztner was excluded from Eichmann. 01:02:29 Dr. Servatius asked Brand why he had not mentioned the proposal to blow up installations of Auschwitz to Mr. Shertok. Brand says he did, but report isn't thorough.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 6, 7, 8 and 9 -- Hausner's opening statement and the first witnesses, R. Bar-Shalom and A. Less
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Sessions 6, 7, 8 and 9. The bulk of this tape is a compilation of points within the prosecution's speech. Attorney General Gideon Hausner's opening statement as he discusses concentration camps, specifically Majdanek: "...in one day, 18,000 Jews were shot." There is a blip at 00:06:54 and the story skips from examination of Majdanek to Auschwitz: "...this camp was established with the sure knowledge that it was to be a slaughter house." Hausner continues to describe conditions and methods of punishment at Auschwitz. There is another blip at 00:17:14, where the prosecution begins Section X: "A World That Has Vanished." Hausner discusses the intellectual, cultural, and social destruction of the Jewish people. Another blip follows this discussion at 00:34:38. Hausner notes Eichmann's involvement in child deportations: "Within a period of about three weeks... 4,000 children were transported..." The blip at 00:39:55 skips the story to Hausner beginning Section VIII: "The Extermination of Hungarian Jewry." He describes the deportation of Hungarian Jewry to concentration camps. Hausner also notes the 'blood for goods' deal: "Jews were to be saved in return for trucks, coffee, tea, and soup." After two blips, the prosecution calls its first witness, Rav-Pakad Bar-Shalom, an Officer in the Israeli Police. State Attorney Bach questions the witness who testifies he served in Bureau 06, a special task force established to conduct research for the Eichmann Trial, since June 1960. He discusses his duties, and details the process of sorting documentation. There is a blip at 00:47:35 and the second witness, Avner Less, is called to the stand. Avner Less is a Police Captain; Hausner questions Less on his duties within the Israeli Police. Less was appointed Eichmann's interrogator; Less explains the process of recording Eichmann's interrogation. Hausner requests the court adjourn before the prosecution presents the interrogation audiotapes. The Judges agree, and court is adjourned for the day. The tape ends as the courtroom clears.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 -- Testimony of A. Less
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Sessions 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Attorney General Gideon Hausner questions Avner Less on his interrogation of Adolf Eichmann. In between three blips, the prosecution presents the audio reel tapes of Eichmann's interrogation. The recordings are in German; therefore, the excerpts are translated into Hebrew and English after each excerpt is played. Following the blip at 00:18:00, Eichmann's statement is translated into Hebrew/English. Eichmann discusses his inability to view injuries: "I am often told that I could never have been a doctor." During the recording, Eichmann makes excuses for his faulty memory, and claims time has stripped his mind of particulars. There is a skip at 00:23:03; the translation of Eichmann's interrogation continues. Eichmann describes a room with Jews who were forced to strip naked and get into a truck. The truck "...drove up a long ditch, the doors were opened, and the [now dead] bodies were thrown out..." After a blip at 00:30:16, Hausner presents more excerpts from the interrogation where Eichmann reveals his interactions with the concentration camps. Eichmann describes trips to Minsk and Bialystok, and recounts watching a woman being shot by Nazi police. The Acussed expresses abhorrence for the action, and states: "This is terrible what is going on there." The contents of the audio reel tapes continue to be presented. Eichmann discusses a department in the SS that is solely responsible for producing fake documents for the officers who want to change their identities. Eichmann claims he did not want to change his name, and instead prayed for death as the Allies attacked Berlin. There is a blip at 00:51:10 which moves the story to Session 10. The recording of Eichmann's interrogation plays briefly, followed by the translation. After another blip, Eichmann notes during his interrogation that he is not entirely innocent; although he was not directly responsible for the events of the Holocaust, he was an accomplice: "I am ready to hang myself in public, as a warning example for the last anti-Semites of the countries of this world." Hausner continues to present Eichmann's interrogation to the court. In between blips, excerpts from the interrogation are translated; Eichmann and Less discuss 'special treatment.' Less questions Eichmann on the meaning and intent of the term 'special treatment,' and Eichmann replies: "Special treatment means killing."
Eichmann Trial -- Session 95 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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Footage begins near the end of Session 95. Attorney General Hausner questions the accused about a book written by Gerhard Boldt. Boldt had criticized Hitler throughout the war. Hausner reads a statement given by Eichmann in 1955 that Boldt should be flayed alive for his criticism of Hitler and it was because of him that the war was lost. Eichmann testifies that this statement was correct but asks that it be kept in context (00:01:36). Judge Halevi asks Eichmann if Boldt had broken his oath of loyalty after Hitler's death (00:03:08). The accused replies no and explains that the reason for his statement was because it was indicated that Boldt had criticized Hitler during the war when he was still alive. When asked by Judge Halevi if a person is released from their oath of loyalty after Hitler's death, Eichmann replies in the affirmative stating that he is also released from his oath (00:04:41). This is duplicate footage also found on tape #2148 (from 00:00:41 to 00:05:17). Hausner asks Eichmann about still being furious with Boldt in 1955 (00:05:17) and Eichmann replies that he felt that oath breaking was one of the worst crimes that can be committed (00:05:39).The Attorney General follows up Eichmann's statement by asking if he regards it as a greater crime than the murder of six million Jews, including one and a half million children (00:06:07). Eichmann responds stating of course not but that he did not deal with extermination (00:06:22). Hausner turns the topic to questions regarding the criminality of those involved in the extermination of the Jews (00:07:45). Eichmann does not give a clear answer to Hausner's question and when asked if he regarded Höss as a criminal after seeing what he was doing in Auschwitz (00:08:19), Eichmann states that he had told Höss he could never do his job (00:08:30). Hausner continues to ask Eichmann, in German, how he regarded Höss without a sufficient answer from the accused. Finally Eichmann states that he pitied him (00:09:47). Hausner tells the accused that he can not evade his questions regarding his feelings towards the extermination process and those involved (00:11:30). Eichmann replies that it depends on the individual involved and that it is not up to him to pass judgment on others who received these orders (00:11:53). This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2148 (at 00:05:17 to 00:07:33). The footage on Tape 2148 is less complete. Hausner asks the accused about a statement he made during his interrogation in which he had stated that had the Reichsfuehrer told him his father was a traitor he would have personally shot him (00:13:49). Eichmann replies that he probably would have if he was presented with proof (00:14:16). Hausner continues asking if it was proved to him that the Jews had to be exterminated (00:14:33). Eichmann testifies that he did not exterminate the Jews and plans, after the trial, to put all of his views into a book for the next generations (00:14:37). Judge Landau tells Eichmann that it is his duty to tell the court everything he would have put into this book (00:17:30). Eichmann replies to Judge Landau that he considered the extermination of the Jews to be murder and one of the most heinous crimes in history (00:18:10). Judge Halevi then asks if this is something that he believed in the past or only in the present (00:19:21). Eichmann gives a long reply stating that he was shocked by the murder of the Jews and had asked repeatedly to be released from his duties. He goes on to state that he never thought that the solution to the Jewish question was justified but was unfortunately bound by his oath of loyalty (00:19:33 the translation into Hebrew and English begins at 00:23:02). This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2148 (from 00:07:33 to 00:14:57 the Hebrew and English translation begins at 00:11:12). The footage on Tape 2148 is more complete.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 21 and 22 -- Testimonies of H. Pachter, Y. Gurfein, N. Zabludowicz, L. Wells
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Sessions 21 and 22. Court is not in session. Court officials interact; Adolf Eichmann enters his booth; Attorney General Gideon Hausner and Defense Attorney Dr. Robert Servatius converse; and Servatius exchanges information with Eichmann. The Judges enter the courtroom and there is a blip at 00:04.52. Witness Hirsch (Zvi) Pachter discusses Nazi treatment in Hrubieszow, a town near Chelm: "They took hold of a man... they hit [him] on the head with their rifle butts... They kept on asking each other: 'How many did you manage to kill by shooting...'" Blip at 00:08:19. Witness Ya'Akov Gurfein describes Nazi treatment and Jewish morale in Poland 1943. Hausner asks about Gurfein's escape to Palestine. After a blip at 00:10:56, Judge Benjamin Halevi questions Gurfein about family separation in Belzec. A man in the audience cries out, "blood hound" at the Accused; the audience member is removed from the courtroom. Witness Noach Zabludowicz is on the stand, following a blip at 00:11:51. He details repeated beatings by the Nazis; he was kicked, hit, and subjected to electric shock torture. Blip at 00:16:53. Halevi questions Zabeudowicz about specific comments from his earlier testimony. Blip at 00:21:12. The court interpreter reads a document about the Final Solution signed by Eichmann. Blip at 00:28:48. Hausner questions Leon Weliczker Wells; Wells discusses his experiences with the Nazis. He participated in a small group uprising but many were shot, and the rest returned to the Janowska concentration camps. The Nazis made Wells and his fellow Jews march; Wells knew he was walking to his death: "Everybody got a shovel and we started to dig our own grave... two walked down to the grave, had to lie down and were shot." Wells continues to recount his story.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 21, 59 and 61 -- Excerpts of five witnesses
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Sessions 21, 59 and 61. (Sessions and individual witnesses to be verified.) Attorney General Hausner asks the Judges about the upcoming afternoon session. He says that delays should be expected considering that the submission of evidence includes witness testimonies. 00:02:00 Court adjourns until the afternoon session. People leaving the courtroom. 00:02:49 Tape jumps. Document 212 is submitted by the Prosecution, concerning Eichmann's dealings with the new Hungarian government, where the Minister of the Interior acquires a one-time transfer of Jews for the Jaegar (or fighter plane) program. 00:05:21 Tape jumps. A male witness, a man, is testifying concerning a seven day march. The witness, at the question of Dr. Servatius, says that it was the Hungarians who did all the shooting. He also admits that the German-run sections received better treatment. 00:13:04 Tape jumps. A female witness is talking about cleaning up the damage following an air raid. She describes a group of men being brought to where she was, and them asking for water. They were forbidden to give them water. The woman she says that she got one of their canteens and tried to get some water from the well, but was seen. The tape cuts. 00:14:56 A male witness (probably professor Gustave Gilbert from Session 55) is talking about "Participant Observers." He says that as such, he acted as a human being, like the rest of the world. He says that the only people who would not be moved would be those who committed such acts, the "unfeeling robots of the SS". The President of Court says that he did not intend for a reexamination of the witness, and only wanted each side to be able to present new information. 00:18:30 Tape jumps. A male witness is talking about Eichmann saying that if the Allies wanted the Jews, they could have them for "consideration". One of the judges asks about something he saw in the documents that differs slightly from the witnesses' testimony.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 100 -- Cross-examination of the Accused
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The camera fades in onto Eichmann seated in the booth during recess. There is a shot of the prosecution desk with Hausner, Bach, and Assistant to the Attorney General Ya'akov Robinson seated (00:00:48) followed by various shots of the accused, the prosecution, and the courtroom. Assistant State Attorney Bar-Or enters and walks to the prosecution table (00:02:14). Servatius is shown arranging documents on his table (00:05:15). All rise as the judges enter the courtroom (00:06:45) and the attorneys bow to the judges (00:06:52). Attorney General Gideon Hausner resumes cross examination of Eichmann by questioning him about the drafting of a letter by Bilfinger of department IIA2, with signature by Reinhard Heydrich, authorizing Eichmann to correct the document in order that the matter be overseen by the accused (00:07:40). Judge Halevi interrupts Hausner and asks him for evidence concerning the representative of the Foreign Ministry who acted in the General Government (00:10:04). Cross examination continues with the Attorney General questioning Eichmann about knowing the absorption capabilities of concentration camps in the West, Bergen-Belsen for example (00:11:42) and whether he held authoritative control over the camp (00:13:39). Eichmann's activities in Theresienstadt are raised (00:14:15) and the accused is asked about his involvement in making arrangements for the beds (00:15:00) and the mail (00:17:49) in the camp. Eichmann testifies that he was informed of postal difficulties in Theresienstadt by the Council of Elders and reported on the matter but Hausner argues that by "difficulties" he means death sentences (00:18:26). The accused retorts that he was not involved and is again asked by Hausner whether he meant death sentences. There is some visual interference from 00:20:46 to 00:21:09. Footage cuts (00:21:10 to 00:21:23) Footage of Hausner asking the accused again whether by "difficulties" he meant death sentences is repeated. None of the session is missing. Eichmann admits that there were executions in Theresienstadt because of the strict postal censorship and that Edelstein, one of the members of the Council of Elders, asked him to lift the postal ban and a few days later the ban was relaxed. The following footage is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2167 (from 00:16:15 to 00:24:37). Hausner asks the accused who handed out death sentences in Theresienstadt. The accused states that he learned from the daily reports from the Council of Elders that it was the Commander of the Security Police and the SD in Prague (00:22:34 on this tape and at 00:16:20 on Tape 2167). Eichmann is then asked a series of questions regarding whether he knows any German laws which authorized the Senior Commanders of the Security Police and the SD to impose death sentences (00:23:47 on this tape and at 00:17:33 on Tape 2167), the Commander or Commandant of an extermination camp to exterminate people (00:24:50 on this tape and at 00:18:36 on Tape 2167), or Globocnik to exterminate hundreds of thousands or a quarter million people from the General Government (00:26:08 on this tape and at 00:19:54 on Tape 2167). He is also asked whether he knows any laws authorizing himself to carry out deportations (00:27:18 on this tape and at 00:21:04 on Tape 2167). The accused states that he either does not know or was not involved in these matters. Hausner continues, asking whether the accused cared if what he was doing was illegal or not (00:27:55 on this tape and at 00:21:41 on Tape 2167). Eichmann replies that he did what he was ordered to do and the subject of whether or not his instructions were or were not illegal never came up in conversation. Questions turn to the accused's activities in Monaco (00:30:51). Eichmann is asked if he had contacts with the government in Monaco without informing the Foreign Ministry (00:32:21) and about pursuing actions against Jewish refugees in Monaco (00:35:55). In reply, Eichmann states that he had absolutely no contact with officials in the Monaco government (00:32:29) and does not know about actions against Jewish refugees there (00:36:18). Hausner presents a document to the accused showing that he had informed Helmut Knochen about the Italian matter, in reference to the Monaco Jewish refugees (00:39:45) and proceeds to ask the accused who he was referring to in the document as "I." In previous sessions Eichmann had argued that the use of "I" in a document meant on behalf of the chief of the Reich Main Security Office, Security Police and the SD and was discussed at length. Hausner again brings up this topic to show that Eichmann was in fact making reference to himself and his own orders not Heinrich Müller (head of Section IV) or Reinhard Heydrich (Chief of the Security Police and the SD). Cross examination continues and Eichmann is asked about a man named Reischauer (00:45:21). The accused identifies him as a Senior Government Counselor in the Party Chancellery, or in the Chancellery of the Fuehrer's deputy (00:45:27). He is further questioned about Reischauer's involvement in matters concerning people of mixed blood (00:47:30), whether he cooperated with Reischauer (00:48:22), and about knowing of his fanatical opposition to mixed marriages (00:51:41). Eichmann acknowledges that he did meet with Reischauer but that he was not involved in matters concerning people of mixed blood. He also states that he was aware of Reischauer's attitude towards such people but did not share the same opinion (00:52:01). Hausner notes it was general knowledge that during the war Hitler often overlooked instances in which soldiers were of mixed parentage (00:53:11) but Reischauer severely opposed this attitude (00:53:40) and goes on to ask Eichmann for his opinion (00:54:06). Eichmann testifies that he did not share Reischauer's opinion and believed that the issue would be resolved naturally (00:54:13). A document is presented and read in German by Hausner, a letter from a Dr. Lösener, the Ministry of the Interior's expert on Jewish Affairs, listing known anti-Semites including Eichmann (00:57:07). Eichmann does not deny the letter itself but notes how strange it is that Lösener himself is not on the list (00:58:40). The remaining footage concerns Eichmann's fervent fanaticism against people of mixed blood.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 20 -- Testimony of H. Kratky
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Session 20. Court is not in session. The Judges enter and present Decision 11: the Hoettle, Huppenkothen, and von Thadden affidavits are permitted as evidence; the Defense has permission to cross-examine all three witnesses at a foreign court in the witness' resident country. Presiding Judge Moshe Landau directs the interpreter to have a translation ready during the day, and asks Attorney General Gideon Hausner how long it will take him to grant entry visas for foreign witnesses. Hausner responds to Landau's reprimand for reading too much and extending the length of the trial on behalf of Assistant State Attorney Bar-Or. The Court official discuss the use of documentation. Hausner submits Hoettle's affidavit [T/157]; in his affidavit, Hoettle states: "Eichmann was entrusted with the task of rounding up the Jews from all the countries of Europe and transporting them to Germany... Eichmann told him that... about four million Jews were put to death in the extermination camps..." Hausner submits exhibits T/158 through T/160. After a blip at 00:28:33, Bar-Or questions witness Dr. Ya'Akov Hugo Kratky. Following another blip at 00:30:39, Kratky describes his journey to Poldowa, and treatment by SS soldiers. Kratky explains that the SS soldiers took the Jews' money and "They told us to remove our clothes... All were made to lie on the ground, and we were given blows for fifteen minutes on end. They struck us and laughed." There is a blip at 00:33:38. Bar-Or questions Kratky about Adolf Eichmann. Kratky claims he knew of Eichmann but would not be able to recognize him presently.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 6, 7 and 8
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Sessions 6, 7 and 8. The Court is in recess. The camera focuses on the glass booth, and pans to Defense Attorney Dr. Robert Servatius as he walks to his desk. The Judges enter the courtroom and open the session. Attorney General Gideon Hausner continues his opening statement with Section IX - "The Camps." He asserts: "...as late as the beginning of 1945, on the threshold of the end of the war, Eichmann was still planning to wipe out all the Jews still alive at Theresienstadt in gas installations to be erected there..." Hausner describes the conditions in several concentration camps: Majdanek, Treblinka, Chelmno, and Sobibor. At Majdanek, "the death rate in the camp was frightful-some 180 people a day." There is a skip at 00:34:36 to Hausner discussing the conditions at Auschwitz including hard labor and mass gassing. The story skips again at 00:36:22. Hausner ends Section IX with a poem written by a woman who died in the camps. The prosecution begins Section X - "A World Has Vanished," which examines the repercussions of Nazi actions against the Jews: "From the point of view of Europe, a national community was exterminated which had resided there from the second century BCE..."The tape ends as Hausner further describes the losses resulting from the Holocaust.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 6, 7 and 8
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Sessions 6, 7 and 8. Attorney General Gideon Hausner continues his opening statement. Hausner refers to the contributions of several Jewish persons to highlight the social and cultural decimation produced by the events of the Holocaust. According to the official court transcripts, the prosecution concludes his opening speech with these words: "By the mercy of Providence, which preserved a saving remnant, Adolf Eichmann's design was frustrated, and the intention that the cherished was not implemented to the end." However, the following transcription was taken directly from the tape starting at 00:11:25: "Adolf Eichmann's guilt lies in the planning, initiation, organization and execution of the crimes specified in the indictment. We shall prove his guilt as planner, initiator, organizer and executer of the crime known as the final solution of the Jewish problem; his direct part of the implementation of this criminal program; his role as administrator, director, and commander of the operation, as well as the part he played as partner and accomplice in the implementation of the program by others. He was the pivot of the criminal conspiracy to exterminate the Jewish people, wholly or in part and he was partner to the crimes committed by the SS, the SD, the Gestapo including the members of the Einsatzgruppen, the security police commanders, senior SS and police officers, their emissaries and branch offices, and all those who under their command carried out their instructions in respect of all the acts of murder, plunder, torture and persecution detailed in the indictment. We shall prove that the Accused performed all these deeds with the set purpose of destroying the Jewish people, wholly or in part. We shall prove that his deeds were crimes against the Jewish people, crimes against humanity, and war crimes as defined in the indictment. We shall also prove the offences committed by the Accused against persons of other nationalities. In support of the charge, we shall produce extensive written and oral evidence; and I say immediately that the central archives of the Gestapo including the archives of Eichmann's department are not in our possession, and have not as yet come to the light of day. But abundant documentary evidence is to be found in the gigantic archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other Ministries of the German Reich; in correspondence between the Accused and his partners in crime with the ministries; in the offices of the Security Police and other official bureau in German cities and in the lands conquered by the Nazis. Further there are documents and reports, which have been published by governmental institutions for the documentation and investigation of Nazi crimes such as those in Poland, France, Holland, Denmark and Belgium. Much material is available in the minutes of the various courts, which tried Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg, and in the liberated countries. Documents have also been preserved by various persons and many of them are in our hands. We shall call witnesses who met Eichmann at the time of these acts, and others who will describe his actions and crimes as they experienced them in their own persons and will give evidence of what they saw and heard during the period of the Holocaust. The killing of millions of Jews represented the killing off of millions of witnesses, but witnesses still survive who can report what they saw with their own eyes, heard with their own ears and suffered in their own persons. To the best of our ability we shall try to demonstrate to this court in full what Adolf Eichmann did to the Jewish people but we shall not be able to bring proof of as to the fate of each community or the destruction of each Jewish population. This will remain the task of the historian. Accordingly we shall bring before the court all the evidence at our disposal on the decisions made to carry out the extermination program, the methods by which these decisions were carried out, and the evidence as to the role and the responsibility of the Accused therein. We shall also submit historical evidence as to the demography of the Jewish people before the Nazis came to power, and the picture of destruction, which was unfolded when the smoke of battle lifted at the end of hostilities during the Second World War. We shall also show proof of the various forms of extermination used and the methods employed by the Accused to carry out this program in every place in which he operated. We shall then show the fate of a number of Jewish communities, and in the light of the extermination decision on the one hand and the effect of the Holocaust on the other we shall request the court to conclude that what will have been established in regard to a number of legalities occurred also to the whole house of Israel in conquered Europe. It is beyond our power to give an accurate description of this terrible disaster in all its depth. I am afraid that even after submitting all the material which we have established and all the evidence in our possession, we shall not be able to do more than give a pale reflection of the enormous human and national tragedy, which occurred to Jewry in this generation. Adolf Eichmann will enjoy a privilege, which he did not accord to even a single one of his victims; he will be able to defend himself before the Court. His fate will be decided according to law and according to the evidence with the burden of proof resting upon the Prosecution. And the Judges of Israel will pronounce true and righteous judgment."
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 18 and 19 -- Testimonies of D. Meretz, W. Zimet and M. Burger
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Sessions 18 and 19. Assistant State Attorney submits Prosecution Document 505, a cable from Joseph Kennedy, American Ambassador in London. The cable describes a meeting with Ribbentrop about possible Jewish emigration to foreign nations. Bar-Or submits a report on Eichmann's trip to Palestine and Egypt. Blip at 00:09:21 and Bar-Or continues to submit relevant documentation. Blip at 00:11:30. Court is not in session; Defense Attorney Dr. Robert Servatius and the Judges enter the room. Presiding Judge Moshe Landau reprimands Bar-Or for using so much time to submit fifty documents. Bar-Or asserts the importance of the documents. Following a blip at 00:17:24, Bar-Or questions witness Dr. Paul Meretz about Fuch's disappearance, and the Jewish immigration center in Prague. After another blip at 00:19:40, witness Walli Malka Zimet answers questions about the Jewish Emmigration Office in Czechoslovakia. She explains that Adolf Eichmann and Gunther directed the office, and describes the hierarchy and duties in the emigration office. Blip at 00:25:51. Witness Max Burger details the selection process in Moravska Ostrava: "They proceeded in alphabetical order and completely disregarded peoples' objections regarding illness or frailty." After selection, the Jews were taken to a railway station and put onto sealed passenger cars with no food or water. Burger and the other Jews in his transport were released at Nizko and instructed to meet with Eichmann: "...Eichmann told us the Jews were forbidden to recross the San [River] in the opposite direction." Burger describes the Nizko Ghetto; the ghetto was overrun with disease, lacking in food and water, and had no housing. Bar-Or continues to question Burger about the conditions at Nizko. The picture becomes severely distorted after a blip at 00:42:03. THERE IS TECHNICALLY NO PICTURE ON THE REST OF THIS TAPE, THOUGH THE SOUND REMAINS STRONG AND UNDERSTANDABLE. Judge Yitzchak Raveh asks Burger to identify the Accused, and after a positive identification, the witness is dismissed. Attorney General Gideon Hausner discusses the prospect of sending an Israeli Judge abroad to hear testimony of Defense witnesses: "The Governemnt does not see that it is necessary to ask foreign states for permission... [for] an Israel Judge to enter their territory and hear evidence..." Hausner discusses affidavits and Nuremberg policy toward affidavits. Defense Attorney Dr. Robert Servatius offers his opinion, and the Judges state they will give their decision tomorrow morning.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 14 and 15 -- Testimonies of Z. & M. Grynszpan, B. Cohn, A. Lindenstrauss
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Sessions 14 and 15. Witness Zindel Shmuel Grynszpan is called to the stand. The story skips after a blip at 00:02:13. Witness Mordechai Eliezer Grynszpan, son of prior witness Zindel Grynszpan, is called to the stand. Assistant State Attorney Gabriel Bar-Or questions Mordechai about his brother, Herschel Grynszpan. After a blip, Mordechai explains his reservations for writing to Herschel in France as the Nazis occupied. Mordechai details his actions during the 1940s and describes his search for his brother after the war. The witness is dismissed. A blip at 00:06:33 backtracks to Hausner reading Dieter Wisliceny's statement regarding his interactions with Adolf Eichmann during WWII. Hausner continues to read Wisliceny's affidavit. Wisliceny quotes Eichmann: "I will laugh when I jump into the grave because of the feeling that I have killed 5,000,000 Jews. That gives me great satisfaction and gratification." After a blip at 00:11:16, Hausner quotes from the Nuremberg trial transcripts. Another blip at 00:13:20. Witness Benno Cohn discusses a meeting with Eichmann in 1939 at the Prinz Albrechtstrasse: "...the central office of the Geheime Staatspolizei (Gestapo-SS police) for the whole of Germany." Cohn describes the meeting with Eichmann. He states Eichmann "was very tense, shouting at us and threatening us with all the measures he was able to take..." Following a blip at 00:22:07, Servatius questions Cohn. Witness Aharon Lindenstrauss gives a second discription of the 1939 meeting with Eichmann at Prinz Albrechtstrasse. Lindenstrauss asserts that the discussion centered on Eichmann's need to expedite the Jewish emigrations. A blip at 00:42:36. Judge Halevi questions Benno Cohn on German civilian responses to Nazi actions against the Jews and Jewish property.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 14 and 15 -- Testimonies of B. Cohn, A. Lindenstrauss
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Sessions 14 and 15. Assistant State Attorney Bar-Or questions witness Benno Cohn about the Jewish situation in 1933. Cohn describes massive arrests: " They were sent to concentration camps. They came back... if they returned at all, as broken men." Cohn discusses Zionist organizations and proposed emigrations to Palestine. He mentions German boycotts of Jewish goods, and Nazi propaganda against the Jews. Cohn states: "In the early days, there were many cases of suicide amongst German Jews... They had been unable to stand the misery of having lost their standing, of having lost their honor." Bar-Or submits a copy of a Zionist newspaper distributed in Germany. Cohn reads from the newspaper; the article highlights Nazi actions against the Jews such as vandalism of synagogues, and businesses owned by Jews. 00:20:06 Cohn discusses the difficulties of emigration. He also mentions Herschel Grynszpan's shooting of von Rath at the German Embassy in Paris in November 1938. After learning of von Rath's death, the Nazis committed Kristallnacht. Cohn describes the destruction imposed on Jewish shops and synagogues: "...gangs breaking into dwellings, smashing all they could lay their hands on, dragging off the men... to the police station." He discusses emigration efforts, and Bar-Or asks Cohn to describe his second meeting with Eichmann. After a skip at 00:37:25, Cohn continues his description of the second meeting with Eichmann (see duplicate footage on Tape 2025). Following another blip at 00:47:29, Servatius cross-examines Cohn. Judges Raveh and Halevi question the witness about the attitudes of the German people. 00:54:21, the story backtracks and repeats Halevi's questions regarding attitudes of the German public: "What was the usual attitude of Germans who were not Jews and not officials of the regime?" The story skips again at 00:57:47 and witness Aharon Lindenstrauss is on the stand. He discusses Eichmann's demand for emigration expediency. The witness describes financial/tax disputes between Dr. Stohl and Eichmann. Judge Raveh questions Lindenstrauss further on the travel tax. The tape ends as Lindenstrauss answers Judge Raveh.
Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 6, 7 and 8
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Sessions 6, 7 and 8. Hausner discusses Bulgaria's hesitancy to cooperate with Jewish deportations: "Bulgaria did not want to throw its Jews to the wolves..." Despite Bulgarian efforts, Jews were transported to labor camps. The prosecution describes Nazi actions against the Jews in Greece: "Brutality, arrests, plunder, the loot of property accompanied the German conqueror...and the establishment of ghettos." Hausner also mentions Theresienstadt, a temporary collection camp; at Theresienstadt, executions were used as punishment, newborns and pregnancies were terminated, and children were separated from their parents. Hausner discusses deportations in Austria, and states: "All these operations were carried through by Eichmann under his direct supervision." The prosecution continues with Section 8: "The Extermination of Hungarian Jewry." Blip at 00:23:17 to 00:23:34. Hausner discusses Eichmann's personal involvement with the deportation and extermination of Hungarian Jews: "Here he appears not only as the one who pulls the strings, directs, plans, stimulates, and is generally responsible for implementation, but also as an independent executive officer." Raoul Wallenberg is mentioned. The prosecution labels Wallenberg selfless, and notes Eichmann's anger at Wallenberg's efforts to save Jews. Hausner examines deportations in Budapest. He then describes the death march: "...the finale of Eichmann's campaign of murder...people died like flies; the whole route was strewn with corpses." The court adjourns for a twenty-minute break.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 11 -- Israeli police interrogation of Eichmann
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Session 11. Court is not in session. Camera focuses on the prosecution as they discuss among themselves. The Judges enter and there is a blip at 00:04:13. An audio reel of Eichmann's pre-trial interrogation (in German) is being played. Following a blip at 00:06:43, the court translates the recording into Hebrew/English which discusses child deportation in 1942. During the interrogation, witness Avner Less presents Eichmann with a document concerning child transports. Eichmann's reponse is choppy, and he claims a faulty memory. District Attorney Gideon Hausner requests the tape be played from page 711 of the interrogation transcripts, and the translation describes Less questioning the participation of Eichmann's department IVB4' in Jewish transports. Hausner requests an excerpt on page 716 of the interrogation transcripts; in the recording, Less asks Eichmann, "Was the Final Solution of the Jewish question also a law of the Reich?" Eichmann explains the Final Solution. Following a series of blips, the court translates page 855 of Eichmann's interrogation where he discusses 'natural selection,' and treatment of the Jews as defined by Himmler. Hausner questions Less about page 932 in the interrogation transcripts and the Prosecution requests page 932 be played in court. There is a blip at 00:36:46 which skips to the presiding Judge Moshe Landau disputing the interrogation recording; he states there is a discrepancy between the audio reel and the official transcripts. Hausner agrees to check the discrepancy, and continues to question Less about Eichmann's pre-trial interrogation. During the interrogation, Less and Eichmann discuss the Nationalist Socialist faith in God, and Less questions Eichmann about an article that appeared in Der Stern, vol. 28 of July 9, 1960. Less highlights marginal notes Eichmann wrote in the book, "Die Letzten Tage der Reichskanzlei" [The Last Days of the Chancellery of the Reich]. Eichmann's marginal notes discredit author Gerhard Boldt as a scoundrel, villain, and traitor after reading of Boldt's disloyalty to the Fuehrer. The interrogation continues to be played in court, and is repeatedly interrupted by blips in editing.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 12 and 13 -- Testimonies of A. Less and S. Baron
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Sessions 12 and 13. The courtroom is out of session. Eichmann enters the glass booth and exchanges papers with his attorneys. The tape skips at 00:01:43 from a shot of Eichmann to a shot of the audience during the trial. Presiding Judge Moshe Landau asks witness Avner Pakad Less (Israeli police Captain who conducted the pretrial interrogation of Eichmann in 1960) to present his evidence to the court. Court officials organize documents with serial number 1491. There is a blip at 00:04:01 and the story moves to Attorney General Gideon Hausner asking Less about the questions he asked Eichmann during the pretrial interrogation. Another blip interrupts the story at 00:05:21 where there is a flash of a black speaker from a different event, and then the tape returns to the Eichmann trial. Then, Less presents a diagram detailing the positions/hierarchy within the Department for Jewish Affairs. He lists the organizations and positions in German. After a blip at 00:07:47, Defense Attorney Dr. Robert Servatius questions Less on the particulars of Eichmann's pretrial interrogation. Servatius asks if conversation took place other than the excerpts presented by the prosecution. Less replies: "I told him to describe only his part in the Third Reich, and not anything that came after the surrender of Germany in 1945." Following another blip at 00:13:00, Servatius continues to question Less about the pretrial interrogation; he asks about Less's use of the Life magazine article, and the Defense rests. Hausner questions Less: "...Do you know whether any pressure was exerted at all on the Accused to make his statement?" Less answers, no. After a blip at 00:16:43, witness Salo Baron (Shalom Wittmayer Baron in Hebrew), Professor of Jewish History at Columbia University, is called to the stand. Baron apologizes in advance for his poor Hebrew, and establishes that he is giving witness testimony as a historian. He then discloses his knowledge of the political, social, and cultural aspects of the European Jewish community prior to Nazism. Following a blip at 00:24:06, Baron discusses population growth among World Jewry: "Everything that happened to the Jews of Europe, was immediately felt in all the countries of the world." Blip at 00:25:27. Baron describes the development of Nazism within the spectrum of post WWI culture. As Jews gained equality within European societies, the Nazi Movement gained momentum. Another blip at 00:27:32. Baron continues to explain the development of Nazism and its effect on the Jews. He notes German desecration of Jewish cemeteries, and his explanation is again interrupted by blip at 00:29:37. The story continues during Session 13. [Note: picture quality is poor for the duration of the tape] Hausner asks Baron to give a description of European Jewry after the Nazis surrendered in 1945. Baron begins to explain the drastic differences in Jewish culture and population after the Holocaust. He states: "...in Poland...there had been approximately 3,300,000 Jews before the Second World War... only 73,955 Jews remained." Baron explains that the Jewish population loss was historically unprecedented. After a blip at 00:37:00, Baron continues his assessment of Holocaust repercussions upon world Jewry. He compares the extreme Jewish losses to the losses of the Japanese in the atomic bombings at the end of the war. Blip at 00:41:01. Baron is no longer on the stand; Hausner presents documentation regarding Eichmann's career in the SS. Another blip at 00:43:24, the story slightly backtracks, and Hausner is seen presenting documentation to the court. Another blip moves the story forward as Hausner shows the Court photographs of Eichmann, signed with his personal signature. Servatius objects to the photographs but the Court decides to admit them under sub-number 15. Servatius continues to express doubt about the validity of the photographs, and a discussion ensues among court officials. Eventually, Judge Landau reprimands Hausner for not having proof that the photographs are originals and suggests Hausner checks his source. Landau organizes a tentative solution for the issue, but Hausner persists in discussing the signed photographs. There is a blip at 00:57:09 and a brief clip of a commercial involving children. Then, Hausner presents documents to the court: an affidavit from Smith W. Brookhart, the man who recorded Dieter Wisliceny's statement which disclosed Eichmann's guilt. The tape ends as Servatius expresses reservations about Wisliceny's statement.
