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Eichmann Trial -- Session 100 -- Cross-examination of the Accused

Film | Digitized | Accession Number: 1999.A.0087 | RG Number: RG-60.2100.170 | Film ID: 2170

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    Eichmann Trial -- Session 100 -- Cross-examination of the Accused

    Overview

    Description
    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).
    Film Title
    Eichmann Trial
    Duration
    09:34:49
    Date
    Event:  1961 July 18
    Production:  1961 July 18
    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
    00:00:37:00 to 09:35:26:00
    Film Format
    • Master
    • Master 2170 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
      Master 2170 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
      Master 2170 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
      Master 2170 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
    • Preservation
    • Preservation 2170 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
      Preservation 2170 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
      Preservation 2170 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
      Preservation 2170 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.

    The synopsis concerns Session 101, which the master tape labels indicate appears on this tape, however Film ID 2170 does not contain any testimony from Session 101. The synopis remains here as a point of information.
    Session 101. Cross-examination of the Accused on contacts with Jewish Affairs Advisers, requests for exemptions, the Lidice Children, the term Sonderbehandlung (special treatment), and the matter of the skeletons in Strasbourg.
    Copied From
    2" Quad
    Film Source
    Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive
    File Number
    Legacy Database File: 2440
    Source Archive Number: VTEI 151
    Record last modified:
    2024-02-21 07:46:19
    This page:
    https:​/​/collections.ushmm.org​/search​/catalog​/irn1001845

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