SESSION LXXV
ABOUT THIS SESSION
SESSION 75 of the trial of Adolf Eichmann took place in the morning of Tuesday, June 20, 1961, following a week’s recess for the Defense to prepare their case. Attorney General Gideon Hausner opens the session by tying up some loose ends from the prosecution’s case, providing translations and supplemental material requested by the Court in previous sessions. Hausner petitions to call an additional prosecution witness, Jenoe Levai, to testify that Eichmann’s name was mentioned in the trial of Nazis László Endre and László Baky, but this request is denied by the judges. Excerpts are submitted from the ‘Sassen documents’ (transcripts of the audio recordings of conversations between Eichmann and Dutch journalist Willem Sassen that were conducted during Eichmann’s time in Argentina) in accordance with the judges’ decision in SESSION 74 limiting the amount of that material that could be submitted into evidence. Finally, after more than two months, hundreds of witnesses and more than one thousand exhibits of evidence, the Defense begins their case. Eichmann is sworn in, opting to take an oath rather than swear on a bible. Eichmann’s defense counsel, Dr. Robert Servatius, gives a brief opening statement and then begins his direct examination of Eichmann, which will continue through SESSION 88. Eichmann addresses his transfer to Israel, which he says was involuntary. He also answers questions regarding his membership in the Nazi Party, his place in the Nazi hierarchy, his attempts to learn Hebrew during the war, his attitude toward Zionism, the Madagascar Plan and the role of his department, IVB4.
Although much of the footage from SESSION 75 has been lost, the approximately two-and-a-half hours of surviving material is presented here, including most of Eichmann’s testimony. The first few minutes suffer from degraded audio and can be difficult to hear, but the dialogue can be followed using the subtitles.
NOTABLE MOMENTS
0:00:00 - Submission of documents by the prosecution
0:05:06 - Recess
0:05:23 - Judges enter
0:05:53 - Eichmann asked if he wishes to testify, and how
0:11:31 - Eichmann swears in
0:13:43 - Opening Statement of the Defense
0:31:07 - Direct Examination of Adolf Eichmann
0:33:14 - Eichmann on his kidnapping and transfer to Israel
0:36:00 - Eichmann on why he joined the Nazi Party
0:43:09 - Eichmann on his position in the Nazi hierarchy
0:47:59 - Eichmann on having been described as having acted with ‘severity’
0:53:22 - Eichmann denies having lost his job due to membership in the Nazi Party
1:03:00 - Eichmann on his efforts learn Hebrew from a rabbi
1:04:56 - Eichmann says it would have been cheaper to arrest a rabbi and force him to administer Hebrew lessons
1:13:15 & 2:27:24 - Unusual angle showing the stenographers’ balcony
1:14:54, 1:41:22, 1:17:45 & 1:18:01 - Reporters in audience
1:15:46 - Eichmann on his attitude toward Zionism
1:43:09 - Eichmann on the Madagascar Plan
1:59:53 - Eichmann on the establishment of his ‘special section’
2:09:09 - Eichmann says his only responsibility in regard to Jews pertained to emigration
2:12:17 - Eichmann describes the jurisdiction of his Section IVB4
2:23:22 - Eichmann says that he was totally subservient to Heinrich Mueller
2:30:50 - Court adjourns
TRANSCRIPT
Material highlighted green survives in video form.
Material highlighted pink has been lost.