WaR CrImInAl TrIaL Of AdOlF EiChMaNn ScReEnPlAy

On May 28th, 1960, the name of Adolf Eichmann, unknown until then except to a few specialists in the history of German concentration camps and nazification, suddenly became notorious in the world press

On that date Ben Gurion, President of the Council of State, descended the podium of the Israeli Parliament or better known as Knesset and announced to the Israelite that "the person responsible for the death of six million Jews, and their executioner" had been captured by commandos of the Israeli secret service.

On 11th February 1961, Israel television viewers saw a un- remorseful man sitting in a bulletproof glass booth while witnesses, including many Holocaust survivors, testified against him and his role in transporting victims to the extermination camps.

As part of Israeli criminal procedure, his trial was presided over by three judges instead of a jury. Gideon Hausner, the Israeli attorney general, personally acted as chief prosecutor.

In Jerusalem, Israel presided by an Israeli tribunal

Gideon Hausner (Attorney General)
You are being brought forth to this case on charges of surpassed gravity against the Jewish People, crimes against humanity, and war crimes

The disgrace man, Adolf Eichmann turns when judge calls after him. He bows his head in shame

Adolf Eichmann (The Accused)
Yes, my Lord?

The Judge
Eichmann! You have committed the following offences during your period of the Nazi regime.

(1) Carried out constituting a crime against the Jewish people
(2) During WW2, carried out an act constituting against humanity
(3) During the period of WW2, carried out an act constituting a war crime
All of the above offences committed is liable to the death penalty

Adolf Eichmann remains silent.

The Judge
Aren’t you going to appeal for yourself or just remain silent?
Maria Kusmierczuk looks at Adolf Eichmann as he bows his head in shame. He just stands there foolishly, not knowing what to do.

The Judge

In the name of the law, everybody is entitled to liberty and security. A person shall not be deprived of his liberty save in the following cases and in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law.
So speak now or forever hold your peace.
You could actually give us an account what actually happened?

Adolf Eichmann (The Accused)
My Lord, I fled from Austria upon hearing Hitler’s death and made my way to Argentina where i lived under the name Ricardo Klement.

Adolf Eichmann just looks ahead.

The Judge
Please continue

Adolf Eichmann (The Accused)
The Israeli Security Service agents seized me in Buenos Aires, Argentina and took me to Tel Aviv Prison pending on a Israel Tribunal

Adolf Eichmann scans the whole room and realizes that there were two ladies that survived the horrific holocaust. Before he can turn his gaze away, his eyes rest on Maria Kusmierczuk. She smiles maliciously at him. Quickly, Adolf Eichmann turns his head to face the judge.

Gideon Hausner (Attorney General)
So…Adolf, what actually triggers u to hate the Jews so much that coordinated deportations of Jews from Germany and elsewhere in western, southern, and northern Europe to extermination camps.

Adolf Eichmann (The Accused)
I am actually in charged of the Gestapo's section for Jewish affairs as well as membership in criminal organizations--the Storm Troopers (SA), Security Service (SD), and Gestapo(Secret Nazi Police Force)

Gideon Hausner (Attorney General)
(Raises his sardonic eyebrows)

What do you do as someone who is in charge of Gestapo’s section for Jewish affairs?

Adolf looks at the judge questionably.

Gideon Hausner (Attorney General)
(Puzzling)

Adolf, you seem to have neglected to formulate a response to a question by me so I will just ask it again, what do you do?

Adolf Eichmann (The Accused)
(Whispering)

I coordinated with Gestapo chief Heinrich Mueller on a plan to expel Jews from Greater Germany to Poland, which set the pattern for future deportations.

Judge hisses, thinking that Adolf Eichmann is still trying to cover up for his action by pretending not to know what he is talking about. Then, once again, Adolf Eichmann notices the same girl looking at him with a smug. Adolf swallows his saliva and turns to the judge.

Adolf Eichmann (The Accused)
(Apologetically)

Err…My Lord; I don’t think I will be much of help here anyway by telling you my line of work in Nazi Germany. What about if I tell you why the Germans hated the Jews first?

Adolf Eichmann, wanting some privacy, before he continued.
The judge nods his head in agreement and takes a quick glance at Adolf. Adolf on the other hand shivers and fastens his footsteps away from the seal box and disappears

15 minutes has passed…

Adolf appears into the crowd again, Adolf amble to the stand on his own as though he is trying to pinpoint someone, deep inside he himself not too sure of his purpose here.

Gideon Hausner (Attorney General)
(Baritone voice)

Adolf. Are you looking for someone in particular har?

Adolf is startled by the attorney sudden approach. When he looks up, the two ladies look at him with penetrating eyes.

Adolf Eichmann (The Accused)
Urmm…no. Just looking around

Gideon Hausner (Attorney General)

So Adolf, are u going to tell us why does the Germans hated the Jews so much?

Adolf Eichmann (The Accused)
(Pause)

Your Honour, can you give me a few minutes so that I could recollect my memories?

The Judge
Sure! Without a doubt, the testimony given at this trial by survivors of the Holocaust, who poured out their hearts as they stood in the witness box, will provide valuable material for research workers and historians, but as far as this Court is concerned, they are to be regarded as by-products of the trial against Adolf Eichmann, a war criminal

Before Adolf Eichmann can say anything, the judge starts calling the survivors to the witness stand to testify against Adolf Eichmann.

Looking at his watch, Adolf starts to have sweaty palm, sweats trickle down his forehead and he begin to feel a little un queasy in the stomach.

The Judge
So… (Looking at the bags Maria’s carrying questionably) are you ready to be on trial?

Maria starts to walk to witness stand. A policeman follows her.

Maria Kusmierczuk (The Holocaust Survivor)
Indeed I am…My Honour

Gideon Hausner (Attorney General)
Ok, tell us the account of your story so that we will have a clearly picture of what has happened to you in the concentration camp.

Maria Kusmierczuk (The Holocaust Survivor)
(Frustrated)

I was a concentration camp survivor. I bears testament to crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Gideon Hausner (Attorney General)
What do you mean by “crimes against humanity”?

Maria Kusmierczuk (The Holocaust Survivor)
Well…doctors and nurses who worked for the Nazi implemented the killing of physically and mentally Jews of surpassed gravity. The Germans did a mass slaughter of Jews – consisting of men, women and even babies are not spared; the shooting on the brink of the pits; the blood spurting from a mass grave; the loading of Jews into the gas vans; the cremation of bodies there; the transport of Jews into the gas chambers. I shall show the injuries to the court as evidence of my horrific experience.


The Judge
Please call upon a doctor to verify Maria Kusmierczuk’s injuries which she incurs during the holocaust.

Adolf Eichmann looks at Maria Kusmierczuk in disbelief. Adolf Reichmann’s mind spring back to the vivid memories in the concentration camp.

A Medical Specialist (The Doctor)
Your honour, the most remarkable findings in Miss Maria Kusmierczuk case is marked atrophy of the right leg, including thigh, leg, and foot. Would you, please stand up, Miss Maria, and will you gradually turn around? Very slowly turn around. Your honour, you can compare here the two legs, and you notice the marked atrophy. You see the femur of this bone, of this leg, as compared to the other. ...without tendinous insertion. You can see this tendon here, strong tendon is absent on this side. ...show blueish discoloration, including, uh, indicating interference with circulation of the leg, probably due to loss of blood vessels.

The Judge
Goodness, what’s the world coming to? Please tell me this is a nightmare. How could this happen in the light of day and why was it just the German people from which this great evil sprang? Would it have been possible to avert the Holocaust if the Allies had displayed a greater will to assist the Jews? Adolf, what’s your perspective on the following questions?

Adolf Eichmann (The Accused)
My honour, from my own perspective on why the Germans hated the Jews was due to the treaty of Versailles as well as anti-Semitism sentiment. The treaty of Versailles has brought Germany to the knees, because of this, the Germans blamed the Jews on what has happened. The hyperinflation in 1923 was the result of an international Jewish attempt to destroy Germany. In addition Jews were perceived to be dominating the economy because they made good businessman. Jews are hated fro being capitalist exploiters and for their chosen people mentality. As a result of all these, they are being hated.

Gideon Hausner (Attorney General)
You did not mind acting as the great transporter to death just because you hated the Jews?

Adolf Eichmann (The Accused)
I did mind, I minded very much - more than anyone can imagine. In my opinion, to break an oath of loyalty is the worst crime and offence that a man can commit

Gideon Hausner (Attorney General)
Loyalty to a crime greater than the murder of six million Jews, amongst them one and a half million children, is that correct? That’s utterly absurd! Am I right to say that you are just following orders. You believed wholeheartedly in National Socialism ...I believe that, when in doubt, you acted according to the doctrine of the Nazi Party in its most extreme interpretation

Adolf Eichmann (The Accused)
That’s not true. We had a moral duty towards our own people - it was our duty to subjugate this nation which wanted to exterminate ours.

Realizing that he cannot change the judge’s decision, Adolf Eichmann stops his protest.

The Judge
Oh fine! Sometimes, I really don’t know what you are thinking. Well…please await my verdict.

Court adjourned for 10 minutes

The Judge
We acquit the accused of a crime against the Jewish People, by reason of the acts attributed to him in this count of the offences during the period until August 1941. The criminal acts of the accused until that time will be included in the conviction for crimes against humanity and the Jewish people. He has caused grave bodily and mental harm to millions of Jews, with intent to exterminate the Jewish People.

Due to the enormous Evidence of your atrocity during world war 2 as a transporter of death, you shall be hang by your neck before you draw your terminal breath after midnight on June 1, 1962. In addition, your body must be cremated and the ashes spread at sea, beyond Israel's territorial waters, so that no nation would serve as Adolf Eichmann's final resting place.May God have mercy on your soul