Eichmann Trial -- Session 114 -- Closing statement of the Defense

Session 114. Servatius addresses each of the accounts upon which Eichmann is indicted and explains why, in his view, Eichmann is not guilty. This tape begins with Count 8. Servatius states that it must be rejected because it would be retroactive prosecution. 00:03:23 Dr. Servatius addresses Count 7, saying that the theft of property is not a crime against humanity in any of the definitions given by other courts. He then says that Eichmann did not enrich himself with any of this property, and thus would be innocent of the international agreement concerning theft of property established after WWI. 00:09:19 The accusation of Eichmann confiscating property is refuted, saying that things were taken by many others. The only property that Eichmann took was what the Jewish community used to fund emigration. Dr. Servatius then says that he allowed Jews to find shelter in various places, negating charges of anti-Semitism. He says thanks to Eichmann's efforts, it was possible for Austrian Jews to emigrate. 00:14:37 Dr. Servatius says the money taken by Eichmann was used for the emigration of Jews, for the benefit of the Jewish community, and worked under the complicated methods of the Third Reich. 00:22:55 Counts 1 through 6, the exterminations in the camps, are enumerated by Dr. Servatius. He says that the evidence of all of these are unclear, and they debate the meaning and use of the German word "Menschlickeirt." 00:29:10 Count 5 is further discussed, involving the enslavement and murder of humans. Dr. Servatius admits that these are crimes against humanity, the Judges say that he is too pessimistic, and Servatius says that he hopes they are right. Servatius adds that the state has the right to increase or decrease the rights of their citizens. He also says that the Jewish nation did not exist at that time, so crimes against this nation were impossible. There were no laws against actions towards a religious group at this time. 00:38:44 Servatius addresses Count 4, preventing births of Jews. He says that this implicates Eichmann in the actual sterilization of people, when he had no knowledge of these activities.