Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 6, 7 and 8 -- Eichmann pleads not guilty

Identifier
irn1001024
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 1999.A.0087
  • RG-60.2100.010
Level of Description
Item
Languages
  • English
  • Hebrew
  • German
Source
EHRI Partner

Creator(s)

Biographical History

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.

Scope and Content

Sessions 6, 7 and 8. The contents of the tape are not sequentially consistent with the official transcripts; rather the footage is arranged erratically starting in the middle of Session 6 with Attorney General Hausner's opening statement and ending in the beginning of Session 6 with Adolf Eichmann's plea hearing. Begins during Attorney General Hausner's opening speech. He states: "There was only one man who had been concerned almost entirely with the Jews, whose business had been their destruction that was Adolf Eichmann." There is a blip at 00:22:45 to 00:23:15, and the recording backtracks to an earlier portion of Session 6. Judge Landau asks Adolf Eichmann to be seated, and reads Decision 4, which dictates that Hausner's speech will be recorded by a stenographer. Hausner is then given permission to proceed with his opening statement; he begins his speech with references to the six million people unable to speak for themselves: "I will be their spokesman and in their name I will unfold the awesome indictment." There is another blip at 00:31:59 to 00:33:51 and the recording backtracks to an earlier portion of Session 6. The courtroom is empty, and court officials are seen readying the courtroom. The Judges enter, and Judge Landau opens the sixth session of the trial. Judge Landau announces Decision 3, in which he addresses Dr. Servatius's two preliminary concerns. Regarding the validity and objectivity of the court, the Judges find: "While on the bench a judge does not cease to be flesh and blood, possessed of emotions and impulses. However, he is required by law to subdue these emotions and impulses when this case is brought before us, we are obliged to overcome emotions while sitting judgment" As to the jurisdiction issue, the Judges find: "We have come to the conclusion that Defense Counsel's objections should be dismissed. The source of our authority to deal with this case is to be found in the "Nazis and Nazi Collaborators (Punishment) Law 5710-1950." The Judges also dismiss the use of "Acts of State" as it contradicts the Court's jurisdiction. Furthermore, the circumstances of Eichmann's extradition are declared irrelevant as the Court has jurisdiction to try the case. There is another blip at 00:50:44 and the recording backtracks approximately two minutes within Judge Landau's announcement. Lastly, the Judges declare it unnecessary to hear either Mr. Zvi Tohar or Mr. Jack Shimoni, two witnesses involved with Eichmann's capture, as the circumstances surrounding Eichmann's extradition were deemed irrelevant. At this point, there is a cut in editing at 00:52:11 and the tape switches to Judge Landau asking Adolf Eichmann how he pleads to the fourth through eighth counts of the indictment. For all counts, Eichmann states: "In the sense of the indictment, No." The tape ends as Eichmann answers the eighth count.

Note(s)

  • 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 http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/people/e/eichmann-adolf/transcripts/Sessions/. The dialogue is in three languages: German, Hebrew, and English. Adolf Eichmann and Defense Counsel Robert Servatius speak in German, which is translated into Hebrew. The Judges and Attorney General Gideon Hausner speak Hebrew. An English translation of the proceedings is dubbed over all of the dialogue by translators. The presiding Judges are Moshe Landau, Benjamin Halevi, and Yitzchak Raveh. Also present are Assistant State Attorneys Gabriel Bach and Ya'akov Bar-Or. There are periodic breaks in the footage.

Subjects

Places

Genre

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.