Barbie Trial -- Day 5 -- Discussion of the UGIF and Izieu raids
Creator(s)
- Klaus Barbie (Subject)
- Daniel Borgeot (Producer)
- Institut National de L'Audiovisuel
Biographical History
Klaus Barbie (1913-1991), was the SS-Obersturmfuehrer and the Gestapo Chief of Lyon in German occupied France. Barbie was born in Bad Godesberg, Germany on October 25, 1913. Following a stint in the Hitler Youth, Barbie joined the SS and SD after September 26, 1935. He joined the NSDAP later, in May 1937. In Lyons, he was head of Section IV, the Gestapo, at SD headquarters. From 1942 to 1944, Barbie allegedly committed numerous war crimes which earned him the name "The Butcher of Lyons." Most notably, he was responsible for the torture of French Resistance hero Jean Moulin and the deportation of the children from the village of Izieu. A military court in Lyons sentenced him to death in absentia in 1954. Both French and German authorities sought to track Barbie down, but after the war the United States helped him escape to South America in return for information he had. He lived under the pseudonym Klaus Altmann. He was discovered living in La Paz, Bolivia in 1960, but extradition attempts to Germany and France failed. In 1983, he was expelled from Bolivia and captured in French Guiana. On July 4, 1987 he was sentenced to life imprisonment for war crimes and crimes against humanity by the Rhone Court of Assize after a highly publicized trial. [Source: Zentner, Christian. "Encyclopedia of the Third Reich." MacMillan, 1991.]
Scope and Content
16:23 President Cerdini continues presenting an exhibit relating to the raid at the UGIF [Union générale des Israélites de France] in Lyon on February 9, 1943 16:25 A clerk reads a report signed by Barbie on the 11th of February 1943 16:29 Cerdini presents Barbie's reaction to being shown the report 16:31 Prosecution lawyer Klarsfeld gives further arguments relating to Barbie's report from February 11, 1943 16:34 Cerdini introduces into evidence a telegram sent by Barbie on February 11, 1943 16:35 Clerk reads the telegram 16:37 Jury examines the telegram (French translation), and Barbie's signed report of February 11, 1943 16:43 President Cerdini gives background explanation of how the court was able to find these exhibits 16:45 Cerdini explains that Barbie and the Lyon office of the Gestapo destroyed the majority of their archives and files 16:46 Prosecution lawyer Klarsfeld and defense lawyer Vergès discuss the destruction of files in Lyon 16:48 Cerdini explains that Barbie was presented with a copy of the telegram in March 1983, and acknowledged having sent it, saying it was on orders of his commander 16:50 Cerdini admits into evidence a report written on February 15, 1943, which details the escape of two Jews who had been taken in the February 9 raid 16:57 Cerdini presents Barbie's response to viewing this report-- in the three times he was showed the document, he gave three different responses as to whether it was his signature; discusses the authenticity of the documents presented 17:03 Lawyers Vergès and Klarsfeld each comment on another document relating to the UGIF raid of February 9, 1943, which was not presented in court 17:05 President Cerdini suspends the hearing 17:27 Cerdini calls the courtroom to order; gives background historical information on events of the 'Rafle d'Izieu,' the raid of an orphanage for Jewish children 40 km from Lyon, on April 6, 1944 17:33 A clerk reads the famous 'Telex d'Izieu,' a communication sent from Lyon to the Nazi headquarters in Paris detailing the raid, signed by Barbie 17:40 An argument between several lawyers from the prosecution and defense ensues because President Cerdini allows defense lawyer Vergès to handle the Telex and remove it from its protective plastic. Several lawyers become very upset, because they are afraid Vergès will tear or otherwise destroy the evidence
Note(s)
Abbreviated transcript with real time code idents available in departmental files.
Subjects
- BARBIE TRIAL
- VERGES, JACQUES
- CHILDREN (JEWISH)
- BARBIE, KLAUS
- FRANCE
- TRIALS
- IZIEU
- GESTAPO
- PROSECUTORS
- KLARSFELD, SERGE
- JEWS
- DOCUMENTS
- WAR CRIMINALS/WAR CRIMES TRIALS
- COURTS/COURTROOMS
Places
- Lyon, France
Genre
- Unedited.
- Film