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Eichmann Trial -- Session 104 -- Cross-examination of the Accused re: Hungary

Film | Digitized | Accession Number: 1999.A.0087 | RG Number: RG-60.2100.181 | Film ID: 2181

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    Eichmann Trial -- Session 104 -- Cross-examination of the Accused re: Hungary

    Overview

    Description
    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.
    Film Title
    Eichmann Trial
    Duration
    01:06:27
    Date
    Event:  1961 July 20
    Production:  1961 July 20
    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
    00:00:28:00 to 01:06:55:00
    Film Format
    • Master
    • Master 2181 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
      Master 2181 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
      Master 2181 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
      Master 2181 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - large
    • Preservation
    • Preservation 2181 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
      Preservation 2181 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
      Preservation 2181 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
      Preservation 2181 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: 2456
    Source Archive Number: VTEI 238
    Record last modified:
    2024-02-21 07:46:21
    This page:
    https:​/​/collections.ushmm.org​/search​/catalog​/irn1001861

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