SESSION XXI
ABOUT THIS SESSION
SESSION 21 of the trial of Adolf Eichmann took place in the morning of Monday, May 1, 1961. Golda Meir, then the Foreign Minister and eight years from becoming Israel’s Prime Minister, was in attendance and can be seen in the audience at 8:27 and 32:08. The session begins with the testimony of Zvi Pachter regarding the forced march of Jews from Hrubieszow and Chelm in Poland. He identifies a number of photographs depicting Nazi activity in his village. Ya’akov Gurfein then testifies in regard to the ghettoization and deportation of the Jews of Sanok. His testimony is briefly interrupted by Holocaust survivor Zvi Sheffer, who repeatedly shouted ‘Bloodhound!’ In Eichmann’s direction and was promptly escorted from the courtroom. Noach Zabludowicz then testifies regarding the ghettoization and deportation of the Jews of Ciechanow. The prosecution then submits a number of documents into evidence, after which Moshe Beisky testifies about the ghettoization of the Jews of Krakow and their subsequent internment at Plaszow. During the testimonies of Gurfein and Beisky, Attorney General Gideon Hausner controversially asks why the Jews did not revolt or resist.
About an hour of footage remains from SESSION 21. One brief portion of Beisky’s testimony survives only via audio recording.
NOTABLE MOMENTS
00:00 - Court not in session
00:46 - Eichmann enters
01:17 - Servatius and Hausner have a discussion
01:57 - Eichmann has an animated discussion with one of his guards
02:57 - Eichmann talks with Servatius
04:46 - Judges enter
05:14 - Testimony of Zvi Pachter
08:27 - Golda Meir visible in audience
08:52 - Testimony of Ya’akov Gurfein
09:07 - Hausner asks Gurfein why the Jews did not resist
11:52 - Audience member Zvi Sheffer interrupts, yelling ‘Bloodhound!’
12:45 - Testimony of Noach Zabludowicz
24:27 - Zabludowicz describes his torture at the hands of the Gestapo
32:08 - Golda Meir visible in audience
33:09 - Zabludowicz recalls the murder of a baby
42:39 - Submission of Documents into Evidence
47:58 - Testimony of Moshe Beisky
50:30 - Hausner asks Beisky why the Jews did not revolt
57:44 - Hausner requests a shortened afternoon session on account of the emotional toll of the testimony
59:06 - Court is adjourned
TRANSCRIPT
Material highlighted green survives in video form.
Material highlighted pink has been lost.
Material highlighted orange is available only in audio form.