Eichmann Trial -- Session 107 -- Eichmann's loyalty

Session 107. Examination of the Accused by the Presiding Judge, by the Attorney General Hausner in connection with the examination by the Judges, and by Counsel for the Defense and by the Attorney General. Eichmann is reminded that he is still under oath. Eichmann is asked about his opinions about the decision to remove Jews from Germany. He says he had no opinion, which the Judge quickly disputes. Eichmann insists he worked as a low-ranking employee and regretted taking that job. Eichmann says that he thought positively about forced relocation. Eichmann insists that he was doing good, the lesser evil, a solution to a problem, but had no actual inner feelings aside from that. 00:10:18 The tape stops, then jumps to Eichmann is arguing with the Judge about the toughness and tolerance of various leaders that Eichmann has previously referenced, along with his own. Eichmann is saying that he is not tough, not a hard man, that toughness towards others was unimportant, rather it was important to be tough towards yourself, to be obedient. 00:16:15 The Judge returns to a previously inadequately answered question, asking why Eichmann wasn't fired based on all of this information. He answers that he was organized, loyal, disciplined, and did not ask question. He became friends with his superior, Mueller, and had no ambition to take over. The Judge cites previous testimony where Eichmann said he was an inefficient bureaucrat, and he answers that Mueller was the same way with always asking for orders. 00:22:25 The Judge begins asking Eichmann about his ability to leave the Party, based on a prior statement of Eichmann's saying that he never tried to leave the Party or the SS. The Judge was under the impression that Eichmann didn't leave because he saw no way to leave, but Eichmann also said that he stayed of his own free will, and he cites a man who left the Party before the war. Eichmann is chastised for this citation, and is pushed to answer to the contradiction. Eichmann admits to the contradiction, and says that it was impossible to leave the Party after the war began. The Judge concludes his questioning. 00:28:22 Hausner asks three questions. Eichmann is asked about his inability to follow the Categorical Imperative of Kant and whether or not it applied to his private life; he answers for the actions in his personal life with functioning in the heat of the moment, he says that he tried to live by it, but he is imperfect. 00:32:13 The Attorney General asks about Eichmann's medal for saving the German people in Romania. Tape skips, it returns with a few duplicated seconds. He explains the circumstances of the medal's awarding. Hausner asks a last question about a segment of the Sassen memoirs that was previously read. He asks Eichmann to read the sentences following what he previously read. It concerns Eichmann's zeal to complete his orders dealing with the Jewish people being a "guest nation" inside the German "host nation". The tape ends with Dr. Servatius saying that he has no questions.