Eichmann Trial -- Session 88 -- Decision about admissability of Sassen document; Cross-examination of the Accused

The footage begins in the middle of Session 88. Judge Halevi presents the court's decision as to the admissability of the Sassen document. The Sassen document consisted of transcripts from an interview Adolf Eichmann gave to a Nazi Dutch journalist named Willem Sassen over a four-month period in 1957. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2119 (at 00:51:30). Although this is only a small section of Judge Halevi's statement, it is more complete on this tape than on Tape 2119. Judge Landau calls for a recess (00:18:35) and all rise as the judges exit. Eichmann leaves the booth. The footage continues with a shot of the prosecutor and the defense attorney. The audio cuts out from 00:19:10 to 00:19:25. Shots of the courtroom during the recess. The camera focuses on the prosecution's table, where Attorney General Gideon Hausner, Assistant State Attorney Gavriel Bach, and Assistant State Attorney Ya'akov Bar-Or are seated. Eichmann enters (00:22:50), sits, and cleans his glasses. There are shots of the audience in the courtroom. Defense counsel Robert Servatius enters with an unidentified woman and both sit down at the defense table. All rise as the judges enter (00:31:00). The audience is seated and Judge Landau examines a document. There are various medium and close-up shots of the audience, the judges, and the prosecution. This section of the proceeding concerns the defense's submission of testimony from Alois Steger. Hausner contends that some of the witness's testimony is hearsay and not admissible. Judge Halevi reminds Hausner that the court has already heard hearsay testimony. Hausner says that the prosecution does not wish to delay the proceedings in order to oppose the submission of the document. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2118 (at 00:22:15) but is more complete on this tape than on Tape 2118. Servatius presents the deposition of Alois Steger to the court (00:39:50). In his statement, given on 28 March 1961, Steger describes the immediate confiscation of his car upon the arrival of the German army in Budapest, Hungary on 19 March 1944. He complained to SS Obersturmbannfuehrer Kurt Becher, who was assigned to work in Hungary and dealt with arranging the Kasztner Transport, the attempt by the Relief and Rescue Committee of Budapest to bring a train of Hungarian Jews safely to Switzerland. Steger's statement also mentions his personal involvment in the emigration of 318 persons from the Manfred Weiss Works and the delay of transports to Bergen-Belsen. There is a brief discussion about a typographical error on the deposition. There is a small section of the proceedings missing. The footage continues with Hausner questioning Eichmann about testimony he gave under interrogation in which he said he would have gladly jumped into his grave knowing that five million Jewish enemies of the Reich had died. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2120 (at 00:17:55 to 00:21:58) and Tape 2123 (at 00:00:43) but footage is less complete on this Tape 2121.