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Eichmann Trial -- Session 92 -- Madagascar Plan

Film | Digitized | Accession Number: 1999.A.0087 | RG Number: RG-60.2100.134 | Film ID: 2134

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    Eichmann Trial -- Session 92 -- Madagascar Plan

    Overview

    Description
    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.
    Film Title
    Eichmann Trial
    Duration
    00:57:11
    Date
    Event:  1961 July 11
    Production:  1961 July 11
    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
    00:00:35:00 to 00:57:46:00
    Film Format
    • Master
    • Master 2134 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
      Master 2134 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
      Master 2134 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
      Master 2134 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
    • Preservation
    • Preservation 2134 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
      Preservation 2134 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
      Preservation 2134 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
      Preservation 2134 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.

    *Source tape damaged, digital hits.
    Copied From
    2" Quad
    Film Source
    Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive
    File Number
    Legacy Database File: 2402
    Source Archive Number: VTEI 139
    Record last modified:
    2024-02-21 07:45:03
    This page:
    https:​/​/collections.ushmm.org​/search​/catalog​/irn1001809

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