Eichmann Trial -- Session 97 -- Cross-examination of the Accused

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. Footage begins at an early point in Session 97. Hausner continues cross examination by asking Eichmann about his rank and command as an Obersturmbannfueher. The accused is also questioned about his meetings with Heinrich Müller, head of Section IV (Gestapo) within the Reich Main Security Office including how many times a week they met (00:03:15), how long the meetings ,were (00:04:34), and what was discussed (00:04:53). The beginning footage to this point is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2153 (from 00:45:50 to 00:50:57). The footage on Tape 2153 is more complete. Footage cuts (00:06:36 to 00:06:42) A portion of the session is missing and footage resumes with Eichmann being questioned about his consultations with Müller regarding the emigration of Jews with foreign nationality in Holland. Eichmann states that he is not sure whether Müller would have handled this matter on his own, noting that he would have consulted the Chief of the Security Police an the SD, Reinhard Heydrich, because Müller was generally hesitant to proceed without consulting a superior. Hausner yells at the accused saying that everyone appears to be cautious and asks who did make decisions in the Reich (00:11:06). Eichmann does not give a clear answer and Hausner pressures him to tell him who he received instructions from in order to deal with Jews seeking foreign nationality in Holland. The Attorney General becomes very agitated by the insufficient answers from the accused and begins to gesture with his hands and shouting his questions to Eichmann. This is all duplicate footage also found on Tape 2155 (from 00:01:45 to 00:14:03) Footage cuts (00:19:23 to 00:19:28) A very small segment is missing from the footage. Hausner presents a document to the accused, a letter from him to Eberhard von Thadden regarding the fate of a certain woman, in which Eichmann states that the woman is to be sent immediately to the East for labor service. The document is read in German by the Attorney General. The camera pans several times from Eichmann's face to his hands. Eichmann states that he regrets that he is unable to say, "Yes, I ordered this on my own initiative" (00:21:04) because it would not accord with the truth. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2155 (from 00:19:53 to 00:23:29) Footage cuts (00:22:27 to 00:22:31) A large section of the proceeding is skipped. Footage resumes in the middle of the session. The footage in this section is all duplicate footage found on Tape 2156 (from 00:29:41 to 00:35:42). The footage on Tape 2156 is more complete. Hausner presents a document to the accused regarding a letter he sent to the Foreign Ministry about the deportation of able-bodied Jews from Romania. Eichmann is asked whether he drafted the letter or just dictated the document. Hausner proceeds to submit another document showing that a separate letter was sent to Heinrich Himmler on the same matter but noting that non-able bodied Jews were to be deported as well (00:26:51). Eichmann is accused of, but denies, lying to the Foreign Ministry about which Jews were to be deported from Romania. Footage cuts (00:35:45 to 00:35:51) A large section of the proceeding is skipped. The following footage is all duplicate footage found on Tape 2157 (from 00:06:14 to 00:33:55). The footage on Tape 2157 is more complete. Footage resumes later in the session in the middle of Hausner cross examining the accused about the agreement between Theodor Danneker and Alexander Belev to deport Bulgarian Jews made after Dannecker had received authorization from Eichmann to draw up the agreement. Belev was the Jewish Commissar for the Bulgarian Government. Eichmann replies that based on the documents this is correct but that Dannecker went to Bulgaria based on instructions from Müller and Luther. Dr. Robert Servatius, counsel for the defense, interrupts cross examination, asking the court to request that Hausner ask relevant questions to the accused (00:36:52 and on Tape 2157 at 00:06:56). Judge Landau tells Servatius that he believes Hausner's questions to be relevant (00:37:34 and on Tape 2157 at 00:07:38). Cross examination continues. Eichmann is asked whether or not he remembers the agreement (00:40:17 and on Tape 2157 at 00:10:19) and if it is true that he gave instructions to Dannecker (00:41:44 and on Tape 2157 at 00:11:46). The accused states that naturally he was involved in this matter (00:42:23 and on Tape 2157 at 00:12:24). Hausner presents a document noting a telephone conversation between him and Dannecker (00:42:51 and on Tape 2157 at 00:12:53) but Eichmann testifies that the conversation could only have been a notification from Dannecker that an agreement had been reached (00:43:30 and on Tape 2157 at 00:13:31). Hausner proceeds with the examination, asking Eichmann if he was satisfied with the agreement (00:44:48 and on Tape 2157 at 00:14:51) and why there was a paragraph within the agreement stating that the Bulgarian Government would not ask for the Jews to be returned (00:46:21 and on Tape 2157 at 00:16:23). Eichmann's answer is that it simply meant that "the responsible parties in the Reich attached importance to no Jew who had been deported from some country - in this case Bulgaria - being able to come back again and telling what he had experienced and seen" (00:48:03 and on Tape 2157 at 00:18:05). Hausner accuses Eichmann of knowing that the Jews being deported were going to extermination camps and it was therefore impossible to bring them back and that is why the notation was in the agreement (00:48:36 and on Tape 2157 at 00:18:38). A letter with a note by Franz Rademacher, head of D III, the so-called "Jewish desk" of the Foreign Office, stating "Eichmann proposes shooting" is presented by Hausner (00:51:17 and on Tape 2157 at 00:21:18). The accused states that the document reflects Rademacher's poor documentation of facts (00:52:08 and on Tape 2157 at 00:22:09) and acknowledges that the document is in Rademacher's handwriting (00:54:56 and on Tape 2157 at 00:24:58). Hausner asks why Rademacher would write this statement (00:55:04 and on Tape 2157 at 00:25:07) and Eichmann states that it was merely a correction Rademacher made to the document so that he would not be punished by Ernst von Weizäcker, an official in the Foreign Office (00:55:42 and on Tape 2157 at 00:25:43). There is a discussion on the date in which the correction was made and about a telephone conversation between the accused and Rademacher during which Eichmann is said to have ordered shootings. Hausner notes that Rademacher had been surprised by the accused's proposal to shoot the Serbian Jews (01:00:23 and on Tape 2157 at 00:30:25). Eichmann denies the allegation and suggests that the document is a forgery.