Advanced Search

Learn About The Holocaust

Special Collections

My Saved Research

Login

Register

Help

Skip to main content

Eichmann Trial -- Session 79 -- Eichmann's testimony re: Wannsee Conference, sterilization, "Lidice Children", and evacuation

Film | Digitized | Accession Number: 1999.A.0087 | RG Number: RG-60.2100.104 | Film ID: 2104

Search this record's additional resources, such as finding aids, documents, or transcripts.

No results match this search term.
Check spelling and try again.

results are loading

0 results found for “keyward

    Eichmann Trial -- Session 79 -- Eichmann's testimony re: Wannsee Conference, sterilization, "Lidice Children", and evacuation

    Overview

    Description
    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.
    Film Title
    Eichmann Trial
    Duration
    01:01:20
    Date
    Event:  1961 June 26
    Production:  1961 June 26
    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: Milton Fruchtman
    Camera Operator: Rolf M. Kneller
    Camera Operator: F. Csaznik
    Camera Operator: J. Jonilowicz
    Camera Operator: J. Kalach
    Camera Operator: Emil Knebel
    Producer: Capital Cities Broadcasting Corporation
    Biography
    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

    Language
    English German Hebrew
    Genre/Form
    Unedited.
    B&W / Color
    Black & White
    Image Quality
    Mixed
    Time Code
    00:01:07:00 to 01:02:27:00
    Film Format
    • Master
    • Master 2104 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
      Master 2104 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
      Master 2104 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
      Master 2104 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
    • Preservation
    • Preservation 2104 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
      Preservation 2104 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
      Preservation 2104 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
      Preservation 2104 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

    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.

    * Hum in picture of original master, some drop out as well; creases in tape causing mechanical snatching and picture shift.
    Copied From
    2" Quad
    Film Source
    Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive
    File Number
    Legacy Database File: 2360
    Source Archive Number: VTEI 321
    Record last modified:
    2024-02-21 07:43:28
    This page:
    https:​/​/collections.ushmm.org​/search​/catalog​/irn1001769

    Download & Licensing

    In-Person Research

    Contact Us