SESSION LII
ABOUT THIS SESSION
SESSION 52 of the trial of Adolf Eichmann took place in the morning of Thursday, May 25, 1961. After a brief update on the status of questionnaires being sent abroad to ex-Nazis, Pinchas Freudiger resumes his testimony, which began in SESSION 51. One of the most controversial witnesses at the trial, the former Philip von Freudiger had been a member of the Judenrat, a council of Jewish leaders formed by the Nazis to interface between the government and the Jewish population. The Judenrat were later criticized by many for helping to facilitate deportations and for concealing atrocities in Auschwitz from the greater Jewish population. He is asked directly about when he became aware of the beginning of deportations to Auschwitz and when he received the Auschwitz Report detailing mass extermination at that camp. Freudiger’s testimony is repeatedly interrupted by protestors in the audience, forcing an early recess. Freudiger is cross-examined by Eichmann’s defense counsel, Robert Servatius, who points out inconsistencies between Freudiger’s present-day assertions and those made in a 1944 police report. Freudiger is then examined by the judges before completing his testimony. Finally, former Budapest Jewish community leader Dr. Alexander Brody begins his testimony, which continues in SESSION 53. Though none of Brody’s testimony from this session survives, some footage of him can be seen in SESSION 53.
Much of SESSION 52 has been lost. The roughly ninety minutes of surviving footage—all from Freudiger’s testimony—are presented here. A small section of footage (at 26:08) survives only via a contemporaneous broadcast, and appears with minor edits made by the broadcaster. The audible dialogue in this section consists only of the broadcaster’s German translation.
NOTABLE MOMENTS
0:00:00 - Testimony of Pinchas Freudiger
0:00:58 - Freudiger is asked to identify Eichmann in the courtroom
0:02:31 - Freudiger recalls his first encounter with Eichmann
0:07:37 - Freudiger recalls a second encounter with Eichmann
0:14:11 - Asked about details of the deportations, Freudiger breaks down and declines to answer
0:15:47 - Freudiger describes Eichmann’s celebration upon Hungary’s approval of deportations
0:16:43 - Freudiger on the rate of Hungarian deportations
0:18:09 - Freudiger admits he knew in advance that deportations were bound for Auschwitz
0:19:35 - Freudiger recalls the disbelief of the Judenrat when they learned about deportation
0:22:15 - Freudiger is asked when he first learned of atrocities in Auschwitz
0:24:08 - Freudiger recalls receiving the Vrba–Wetzler Report (a.k.a. Auschwitz Report)
0:25:04 - Freudiger weeps while recalling the numbers of Jews referenced in the Report
0:26:11 - Freudiger reads a postcard written by deportees
0:27:51 - A protestor interrupts the proceedings, shouting at Freudiger
0:29:04 - A second protestor interrupts the proceedings and the Presiding Judge calls a recess
0:31:05 - Freudiger describes his own escape from Hungary
0:34:30 - Cross-Examination of Pinchas Freudiger
0:39:26 - Servatius points out inconsistencies between Freudiger’s testimony and a 1944 report
0:52:06 - Freudiger is examined by the judges
1:01:30 - Freudiger reads Wisliceny’s account of Eichmann’s plan to send him to his death
1:02:45 - Freudiger reads Wisliceny’s account of helping him escape
1:08:45 - Freudiger on why Wisliceny helped him escape
1:10:17 - Freudiger on why the Judenrat did not notify Hungarian Jews about Auschwitz
1:24:56 - Court is recessed
1:26:51 - Servatius returns from recess
TRANSCRIPT
Material highlighted green survives in video form.
Material highlighted pink has been lost.
Material highlighted blue survives via third-party material.