Rauter Trial, Westerbork
Creator(s)
- United States. National Archives and Records Administration. Motion Picture Reference
- Settela Steinbach (Subject)
- Universal News (Producer)
Biographical History
Anna Maria "Settela" Steinbach was born on December 23, 1934 in Buchten (the seventh of ten children). Her father, Heinrich "Moeselman" was a trader and a violinist, her mother, Emilia "Toetela" ran their household. In July 1943, the German occupation authorities in the Netherlands instituted a prohibition against the movement of wagons and concentrated them in assembly camps. Settela and her family ended up in Eindhoven, and were rounded up and transferred to Westerbork transit camp on May 16, 1944. Settela was filmed in Westerbork on the May 19, 1944 train transport to Auschwitz, moments before the railcar door was bolted and locked. The 246 Sinti and Roma, including Settela and some of her family members, were in goods wagons 12 to 17, just at the moment that Jewish prisoner Rudolf Breslauer was ordered by camp commander Gemmecker to film the events. Settela was gassed in Auschwitz-Birkenau, probably during the night of 2-3 August 1944, possibly along with her mother, two brothers, and two sisters, and other Sinti and Roma during the Zigeunerlager liquidation. Consult "Settela" by Aad Wagenaar and the documentary film "Settela" by Dutch filmmaker Cherry Duyns (1994).
Scope and Content
"Neerlands Nieuws / Polygoon Profilti" "Het Proces Rauter Opens with the trial of Hanns Rauter, an Austrian who was the highest SS official in Nazi-occupied Holland and who was tasked with setting up Westerbork and Vught 02:19:44 The judge's voice, presumably reading the indictment, over footage of well dressed civilians wearing stars either arriving at Westerbork or boarding for deportation to Auschwitz or Belsen. Men, women, and children. Good shots of Dutch military police on duty. Back to Rauter sitting at the trial. 02:20:12 Men wearing wooden clogs getting off train at Westerbork lining up next to rail cars. At trial, evidence presented and witnesses called (sync sound). 02:24:38 People climbing aboard railcars with armbands, large wheeled litter goes by. 02:24:50 Sophia de Groot at far left of the door opening on train wagon #9, gesturing to someone on the platform. People waiting to board clustered around open car. Two men shake hands, small child waves from window, German officers at tracks, men put barrel buckets in each car. Sinti girl Settela Steinbach with head scarf, looking through slightly opened car door, on May 19, 1944. Car doors shut by Jewish policeman and Westerbork camp inmate Hans Margules, train pulls out. 02:26:16 Back to trial, Rauter speaks: "I only did as ordered, I don't feel guilty, I am not a war criminal..." and then leaves courtroom. The camera follows him out until he gets into the back of a police van and is driven away.
Note(s)
See Story 2394, Film ID 858 for duplicate footage. This Westerbork film was commissioned by camp commander Konrad Gemmeker to convince the Gestapo headquarters of Westerbork's vital production value. The Jewish prisoner Werner (Rudolf) Breslauer documented activities at the transit camp with a 16mm film camera. Discovered after liberation, the footage contains some of the most famous and often reproduced images of deportation. The Westerbork-film was nominated for inclusion in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register of documentary heritage in 2017. For more information, consult the book "Settela" by Aad Wagenaar.
Subjects
- JEWS
- CIVILIANS
- ROMA/SINTI
- NETHERLANDS
- RAUTER, HANNS
- TRANSIT CAMPS
- RAILCARS
- SOLDIERS/MILITARY (GERMAN)
- TRAINS
- WAR CRIMINALS/WAR CRIMES TRIALS
- TRIALS
- COURTS/COURTROOMS
- WESTERBORK
- DEPORTATIONS
- POLICE
- SOLDIERS/MILITARY
Places
- Westerbork, Netherlands
Genre
- Outtakes.
- Film