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Eichmann Trial -- Session 88 -- Direct examination of the accused; decision on Sassen document

Film | Digitized | Accession Number: 1999.A.0087 | RG Number: RG-60.2100.119 | Film ID: 2119

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    Eichmann Trial -- Session 88 -- Direct examination of the accused; decision on Sassen document

    Overview

    Description
    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.
    Film Title
    Eichmann Trial
    Duration
    00:53:01
    Date
    Event:  1961 July 07
    Production:  1961 July 07
    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
    Good
    Time Code
    00:00:36:00 to 00:53:37:00
    Film Format
    • Master
    • Master 2119 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
      Master 2119 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
      Master 2119 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
      Master 2119 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
    • Preservation
    • Preservation 2119 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
      Preservation 2119 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
      Preservation 2119 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
      Preservation 2119 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.
    Copied From
    2" Quad
    Film Source
    Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive
    File Number
    Legacy Database File: 2387
    Source Archive Number: VTEI 241
    Record last modified:
    2024-02-21 07:38:02
    This page:
    https:​/​/collections.ushmm.org​/search​/catalog​/irn1001794

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