Eichmann Trial -- Sessions 14 and 15 -- Testimonies of B. Cohn, A. Lindenstrauss

Sessions 14 and 15. Assistant State Attorney Bar-Or questions witness Benno Cohn about the Jewish situation in 1933. Cohn describes massive arrests: " They were sent to concentration camps. They came back... if they returned at all, as broken men." Cohn discusses Zionist organizations and proposed emigrations to Palestine. He mentions German boycotts of Jewish goods, and Nazi propaganda against the Jews. Cohn states: "In the early days, there were many cases of suicide amongst German Jews... They had been unable to stand the misery of having lost their standing, of having lost their honor." Bar-Or submits a copy of a Zionist newspaper distributed in Germany. Cohn reads from the newspaper; the article highlights Nazi actions against the Jews such as vandalism of synagogues, and businesses owned by Jews. 00:20:06 Cohn discusses the difficulties of emigration. He also mentions Herschel Grynszpan's shooting of von Rath at the German Embassy in Paris in November 1938. After learning of von Rath's death, the Nazis committed Kristallnacht. Cohn describes the destruction imposed on Jewish shops and synagogues: "...gangs breaking into dwellings, smashing all they could lay their hands on, dragging off the men... to the police station." He discusses emigration efforts, and Bar-Or asks Cohn to describe his second meeting with Eichmann. After a skip at 00:37:25, Cohn continues his description of the second meeting with Eichmann (see duplicate footage on Tape 2025). Following another blip at 00:47:29, Servatius cross-examines Cohn. Judges Raveh and Halevi question the witness about the attitudes of the German people. 00:54:21, the story backtracks and repeats Halevi's questions regarding attitudes of the German public: "What was the usual attitude of Germans who were not Jews and not officials of the regime?" The story skips again at 00:57:47 and witness Aharon Lindenstrauss is on the stand. He discusses Eichmann's demand for emigration expediency. The witness describes financial/tax disputes between Dr. Stohl and Eichmann. Judge Raveh questions Lindenstrauss further on the travel tax. The tape ends as Lindenstrauss answers Judge Raveh.