Session 76 (approximately midway): Defense attorney Dr. Robert Servatius questions Eichmann about whether it was possible for him to act against the instructions of higher SS leaders in Hungary, to which Eichmann responds that it would not have been possible. Servatius questions Eichmann about a statment made by Huppenkothen at Nuremberg. Eichmann denies that he had a special position, as Huppenkothen had asserted. He says that documents he has seen since the beginning of the trial convince him that there were special duties assigned directly to Günther (Eichmann's deputy) by Müller (Eichmann's superior). Some of the session is missing and the footage resumes with Servatius asking the accused whether he was able to pursue his own policies if they were contrary to the wishes of the Foreign Office. Eichmann testifies that he received an assignment to establish in Berlin the same"apparatu" as was already operating in Vienna and Prague. He goes on to describe the deadline he was given, by which all Jews should have emigrated from the German Reich (00:07:36). Servatius questions Eichmann about the proposal for forcing Jews to wear badges (00:09:57). Footage resumes as Servatius presents a document which he asserts shows Eichmann was not in Berlin until 1939. Judge Landau asks the accused if from 1939 onwards he was the head of the Reich Central Office for the Emigration of Jews, which Eichmann denies (00:11:31). Footage resumes with Eichmann stating that he did not have contact with the office for the Strengthening of German Folkdom, nor with the confiscation of Jewish property. The beginning of Servatius' next question is missing. Eichmann is asked if he was involved in the resettlement operations. Eichmann states that he was responsible for nothing more than timetables and scheduling. This is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2099 (at 00:37:56). Servatius asks the accused if his section had anything to do with carrying out death penalties or other punishments meted out to Jews who violated the resettlement orders. Eichmann maintains that he did not deal with punishments ordered by the governor general but that he did deal with punishments decreed by the Reichsfuehrer-SS and Chief of the German Police. Footage resumes with Eichmann describing his role and duties in the planned evacuations of Jews and Poles. The German portion of his answer is complete but the English translation is not. The last two segments consist of the presentation of documents by Servatius and of Eichmann's explanations concerning his involvement in the evacuations and resettlement of the Jews and Poles. There is a cut at 00:28:57 to 00:29:00 but nothing is missing from the proceedings. This entire section is duplicate footage also found on Tape 2099 (beginning at 00:52:12).
See official transcripts, published in"The Trial of Adolf Eichman", Vol. I-V, State of Israel, Ministry of Justice, Jerusalem, 1994. Also available online at the Nizkor Project.
Eichmann Trial -- Session 76 -- Eichmann's testimony
Emil Knebel was a cinematographer known for Andante (2010), Adam (1973), and Wild Is My Love (1963). He was one of the cameramen who recorded daily coverage of the Eichmann trial in Jerusalem (produced by Capital Cities Broadcasting Corp and later held academic positions in Israel and New York teaching filmmaking at universities. Refer to CV in file.