Eichmann Trial -- Session 82 -- Eichmann's testimony re: Bohemia and Moravia and France

The footage begins near the opening of Session 82 with Servatius questioning Eichmann on the stand. Servatius presents communications between Himmler and Kaltenbrunner about the deporation of 5,000 elderly Jews from Theresienstadt to Auschwitz. There is some confusion regarding the date of the document. Servatius presents another document, which describes a change in the Jewish leadership of Theresienstadt from one person, a Dr. Edelstein, to a triumvirate consisting of Eppstein, Löwenherz and Edelstein. Servatius asks Eichmann if this was a demotion for Edelstein. Some of the proceedings are missing and footage resumes as Servatius presents an extract from an International Red Cross pamphlet reporting on a visit to the Theresienstadt camp. Eichmann is named as the direct representative of the Reichsführer-SS in "concentration camp matters." Eichmann denies this completely. Continuing to draw from the report in the Red Cross pamphlet, Servatius asks Eichmann about an evening discussion he had with a Dr. Weinemann about his theories relating to the "Jewish Question." A large section of the proceedings is missing. The footage resumes with discussion of a document authored by someone named Roethke, which states that Eichmann arranged for the deportation of children from France. Eichmann maintains that Himmler had ordered all Jews to be deported, without restriction, including children. He was thus merely passing on orders. A document is presented in which Müller states that the general attitude of the Italians is in contradiction to Hitler's. Judge Raveh asks Eichmann who drafted this document and is then reprimanded by the judge for attempting to give a longwinded answer to a simple question. The footage resumes somewhat later in the proceedings with Eichmann attempting to explain a document in which he requested the resumption of deportations of Jews from France. Servatius asks him if he inquired whether evacuees could be accommodated at the death camp and introduces a document in which Himmler instructs Müller that Jews with influential relatives in the U.S. are to be kept alive and held in a special camp because of their value as hostages. Servatius asks the accused if the Security Police in Paris had jurisdiction in Belgium. For the rest of the session Eichmann testifies about the order not to let the Jews know their destination when they were deported. He acknowledges that Auschwitz already had a bad reputation among the Jewish population (00:56:22). Judge Landau asks for a recess for the day and all rise (00:59:58) as the judges exit. Eichmann stands and is escorted out of the booth. Hausner confers with Servatius.