Eichmann Trial -- Session 100 -- Cross-examination of the Accused

Footage begins early in the Session 100. Attorney General Gideon Hausner asks the accused whether he read Friedel's report on the Bialystok matter and notes that Friedel stated that the order to liquidate the ghettos came directly from department IVB4 (00:00:45). Eichmann testifies that Bialystok was part of the incorporated Eastern Territories and his section merely had to carry out the deportations ordered by Heinrich Himmler (00:00:58). Hausner asks Eichmann to indicate on a map (hung on the wall to the left of the accused's booth) the territories incorporated into the Reich (00:02:21). Judge Landau allows the accused to move out of the booth and go over to the map. Eichmann is escorted out of the booth by guards and given a pole to indicate places on the map (00:03:15). There are shots of Eichmann pointing to the map and of the audience watching him. The camera cuts to a larger shot of the courtroom and people can be seen watching Eichmann from the balcony (00:03:41). Eichmann is unable to locate Bialystok on the map and Hausner approaches and points to the city on the map with the queue (00:05:48). The Attorney General proceeds to present two publications noting the boarder changes of Europe during World War II (00:06:21). There is a brief summary about the possession of Bialystok during the war followed by a notation by Hausner that it was not until 1942 that the Political department in concentration camps was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Economic-Administrative Head Office. Hausner further states that as far as assignments and the release of prisoners from concentration camps is concerned that responsibility stayed with the Reich Security Main Office and did not change (00:09:21). There is a technical problem with the simultaneous translation (00:14:40). Judge Landau notes the problem with the translation and the camera cuts to a shot of the technician's booth (00:15:29). The interpreter begins to translate Hausner's previous statement in German (00:15:51). The footage from the beginning of the tape until this point is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2170 (from 09:07:15 to 09:23:09). Footage cuts (00:16:12 to 00:16:15) A large portion of the session is skipped. The following footage is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2169 (from 00:22:30 to 00:29:14). Footage resumes with Hausner asking who handed out death sentences in Theresienstadt. The accused states that he learned from the daily report from the Jewish Council of Elders that it was the Commander of the Security Police and the SD in Prague (00:16:20 and at 00:22:34 on Tape 2169). Eichmann is then asked a series of questions regarding whether he knows any German laws which authorized the Senior Commanders of the Security Police and the SD to impose death sentences (00:17:33 and at 00:23:47 on Tape 2169), the Commander or Commandant of an extermination camp to exterminate people (00:18:36 and at 00:24:50 on Tape 2169), or Globocnik to exterminate hundreds of thousands or a quarter million people from the General Government (00:19:54 and at 00:26:08 on Tape 2169). Eichmann is also asked if he knows of any laws allowing himself to carry out deportations (00:21:04 and at 00:27:18 on Tape 2169). The accused states that he either does not know or was not involved in these matters. Hausner continues, asking the accused whether he cared if what he was doing was illegal or not (00:21:41and at 00:27:55 on Tape 2169). Eichmann replies that he did what he was ordered to do and the subject of whether or not his instructions were or were not illegal never came up in conversation. Footage cuts (00:24:37 to 00:24:39) A large section of the session is missing. Footage resumes near the end of the session. Hausner questions the accused about hearing, during a visit to Holland that the Reich's Commissioner wanted to take Jewish Affairs away from Willi Zöpf, Eichmann's advisor in Holland. Eichmann states that he does remember reading it in a document but not the event itself. Judge Landau notes that Holland and France have already been discussed and tells Hausner that he is afraid that cross examination could continue for several days at this pace (00:26:18). Hausner acknowledges the difficulty of cross examination and tells the judge that he will be as brief as he can. Cross examination continues with Hausner asking Eichmann about his insistence that Holland's Jewish Affairs remain under his control (00:27:28). Eichmann looks over a document presented by Hausner but the accused's answer is not given as the footage cuts.