Newspaper Page Text
XXXVI
The Southern Israelite
A Weekly Newspaper for Southern Jewry — F«-*- 1 *
7 oV* 0 .**
Reaction to Trial
BONN, (JTA) — Highest West
German officials this week de
clared that the conviction and
death sentence of Adolf Eich-
raann, follow in* the leofthy trial
in Jerusalem, was exactly what
they had expected and was “Jus
tified.”
Felix Von Eckardt, State Sec
retary in charge of information
for the office of Chancellor Kon
rad Adenauer, and Dr. Eugen
Gerstenmaier, president of the
Bundestag (lower house of Par
liament), approved the Jerusa
lem court’s judgment, the latter
declaring that “the immense
crimes of which the man was
convicted justified the highest
penalty.”
Leaders of the two dominant
parties in the new German Gov
ernment coalition, the Christian
Democratic Union and the Free
Democratic Party, approved the
death sentence. They stated that
the hanging of Eichmann would
be but “inadequate expiation’’
for the crimes of which he has
been convicted.
Matthias Hoegen, chairman of
the Bundestag’s legal committee,
declared: “No one in Germany,
who has retained, throughout
the frightful years of injustice,
a sound and wholesome feeling
for guilt and redemption, will
find the death sentence unjust.”
Leaders of the FDP stated that
“even the most convinced op
ponents of capital punishment
will find the sentence lliltifurf ”
Prominent members of Chan
cellor Adenauer’s party, the
CDU, praising the Israel trial as
“fair,” expressed the fear, how
ever, that the Eichmann trial
and sentence “might have caused
new harm to the name of Ger
many ” They expressed the hope
that this would be the last time
that “the attention of world pub
lic opinion would be brought to
the darkest period in German
history.”
In general, West German re
actions to the Eichmann trial
and its outcome showed a blend
of respect for Israel’s legal pro
cesses and remorse for the ter
rible wrongs committed by the
Nfeis against the Jewish people.
NEW YORK, (JTA)—Ameri
can press reaction to the Adolf
Eichmann trial and sentencing,
as shown in editorials this week
end, approved of Israel's hand
ling of the case against the con
victed Gestapo colonel. Several
newspapers, however, among
them The New York limes and
the New York Post, agreed with
Professor Martin Baber of Is
rael who had demanded that the
death sentence against Eichmann
be commoted to life imprison
ment.
There was general opinion, as
noted in an editorial in the
Washington Evening Star, that
“Eichmann’s personal guilt could
not have been established with
out, at the same time, convicting
the system within which he
served.” The New York Times
stated on this point: “In the
broad context of history, this
verdict marks one more condem
nation of the whole Nazi regime
and all it stood for.”
The New York Joumal-Amcri-
can approved not only the fair
ness of the Eichmann trial, as all
other newspapers did, but de
clared its belief that the death
sentence was justified.
LONDON, (JTA) — Leading
British newspapers as well as
prominent historians and ex
perts on Nazism and anti-Semit
ism lauded the fairness of Is
rael’s conduct of the Adolf
Eichmann case. The Times of
London praised “the dignity and
discipline” of the Israeli court,
stating also that ta-weft “rent?-
tion” to the entire case has “won
respect.” The Daily Express de
clared that Eichmann “cannot
atone for his guilt.”
Hugh Trevor-Roper, Professor
of Modem History at Oxford
University, stated that the trial
was “a landmark in the Jewish
story.” Rev. James Parkes, who
has spent many years in study of
relations between Jews and
Christians, observed that the
trial and its outcome point to
the “historic guilt” over anti-
Semitism “which lies upon the
whole of Christendom.” Lord
Russell, of Liverpool, said it
would be “a mistake” to hang
Eichmann, declaring he should,
instead, spend the rest of his
dsiys In prison.
., GEORGIA, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 196. No. C
Death Penali T. tiichmann;
Defense Files Appeal Notice
By BEN FELLER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency Correspond cat
JERUSALEM, (JTA) — Adolf
Eichmann, 20th century Haman,
war criminal and enemy of man
kind, was sentenced to death
this week for the most savage
and monstrous crimes ever
charged against an individual.
The penalty was pronounced
by the president of a special
three-judge tribunal, Judge
Moshe Landau, after the former
Gestapo colonel has been con
victed on all 15-counts of an in-
ductment—four charges of crimes
against the Jewish people, six
charges of crimes against hu
manity, two charges of war
crimes and three charge of mem
bership of hostile organizations.
Before an audience which
packed the Bet Ha am courtroom,
Eichmann entered his glass-
enclosed dock as the judges filed
into their places. On order of the
court Eichmann arose and Judge
Landau said:
“We have weighed the ques
tion of an appropriate punish
ment with foil appreciation of
the burden of responsibility rest
ing on ns. We have reached the
conclusion that in order to mete
ont proper punishment and de-
tor others, the mnxhnnm penalty
He cbdtfuilHt: ""TtwT objective
of the crimes committed against
the Jewish people was the ex
termination of a whole people
from the face of the earth and
in this respect they differ from
crimes against individuals. The
chief consideration, however,
ought to be given to the effect
on the victims themselves and
in the boundless agony they suf
fered and still suffer following
these crimes.
“The sending of one trainload
of a thousand people to an ex
termination camp was tanta
mount to complicity in a thous
and murders and the responsi
bility is no less than that of the
man who actually put them into
the gas chambers. Even had we
Sound that Eichmann did all
JERUSALEM, (JTA)-
for Adolf Klctimam
hero by the District Court loot
MSajr to kaagteg for crimes
against the Jewish people and
Israel Accepted As Full Member of
International Trade Organization
GENEVA, (JTA)—Israel was
accepted last week as a full
member of the General Agree
ment on Tariffs and Trade (GA
TT), the international organiza
tion which deals with the re
duction of tariff barriers to
trade among member countries.
Israel was elevated to full
from associate membership by a
vote of 32 of the 35 member
states. Pakistan voted against
Israel. Two abstentions were
made In secret but it was learn
ed that one abstaining country
was Indonesia.
Barbossa de Silva of Brazil,
the chairman of the current ses
sion of GATT, welcomed Israel
and expressed the hope that Is
rael’s cooperation would be pro
fitable for all members. He
stressed Israel’s important and
constructive contributions to the
work of GATT since its provi
sional joining in 1059.
Moshe Bartur, head of the Is
rael delegation, expressed his un
qualified belief that the spirit of
understanding of all problems
and the atmosphere of “give and
take” would prevail in future
relations between Israel and
GATT. The economic benefits ac
cruing to Israel from its GAIT
membership were expected to
be considerable since GATT
now includes almost all the
western countries.
The emergence of the Euro
pean Common Market “means
for Israel a gradual progressive
exclusion and separation from
the economic area to which it
belongs,” M. Bartur told the
GATT meeting.
The Israeli official explained
at length Israel’s situation and
growing concern as the six-
nation market made plans to in
clude Britain and other Euro
pean countries while ignoring
or rebuffing Israeli overtures to
some kind of association. He
said that Israel’s situation was
unique in that about 65 percent
of its foreign trade was carried
out within the trading patterns
of Western Europe.
“The European community in
its common outer tariff has
established a 20 percent customs
duty for oranges as compared
with an average of 14 percent
for the individual national tar
iffs of the six ECM members,”
he pointed out. No offer to ne
gotiate on this item was made
to Israel, a major citrus exporter
to Europe, during the current
GATT conference, he empha
sized.
He warned that countries with
such foreign trade problems as
Israel “will have no choice but
to adopt restrictive measures
and reduce export prices.” He
added such measures would
strain “their already weak eco
nomies and might easily involve
their becoming entangled in a
growing number of trade dis
putes or in undesired and un
desirable deflections of tradi
tional trade patterns.”
The Israeli official said his ad
dress was made from the per
spective of a developing country
dependent on expanding foreign
trade without belonging to any
of the present powerful econom
ic groups. “We are living in one
world and its peace and prosper
ity has become indivisible,” he
stressed.
The meeting was attended by
more than 30 officials who are
responsible for trade and econom
ic affairs of countries in western
Europe, Africa, Alia, the United
States and Canada, as well as
by Ministerial members of the
European Economic Community
Commission.
Sunday a# an upaal to
the Israel gnyrini Cent.
The notice was filed by Dietav
Weehtenbmeh, aariafant to the
eilef of Eichmann’s defense. Dr.
Robert Servatiua. The totter re
turned te Germany Immediately
after toe sentencing.
Mr. Wechteabrnch told toe
Jewish Telegraphic Agency ha
has reqanied an ntindia at If
days tor flUng toe defense rea-
seni |T|( appeal against toe
and santonee.
■aid, win In
the end af toe
ftoaHiatl— ad toe
that he did from blind obedi
ence, we would say that the man
who participated in it is punish
able by maximum punishment.
No order could help even in
mitigation. But Eichmann acted
from full inner identification
aimed at achieving the criminal
objective.”
He then said to the prisoner:
“Adolf Eichmann, the court
sentences you to death for crimes
against the Jewish people, for
crimes against humanity and for
war crimes regarding which you
were found guilty.”
The Judge added: “You may
appeal the sentence. If you wish
to do so, you should submit noti
fication within 10 days.”
Eichmann was led out from
the enclosure and the audience
quietly filled out.
Until the very last, Eichmann
wore an expression which, from
the start of the trial last April
11, baffled seasoned correspond
ents and challenged the descrip
tive powers of Journalists crafts
men from all continents. The
only suggestion of remorse on
his part was a statement in the
plea of Dr. Robert Bervatiut, his
West German lawyer, for mercy
earlier in the week. The Cologne
attorney said (hat evidence of
an “inner reedjustment” would
be found in the book Eichmann
wrote during his incarceration
before the trial began.
Before the verdict was pro
nounced Frnfcawg Martin
said that if KVkmann was
eared to death he would appeal
to Fresident Ben-Zvi for a com
mutation of toe sentence to life
imprisonment Professor Baber
made toe statement fat denying
a report in a Saar brock en, West
German, newspaper that he In
tended to seek a pardon for toe
former Gestapo colonel who was
found guilty of all 15 counts of
an indictment fixing key re
sponsibility on him for the Nasi
wartime slaughter of t,MMM
European Jews.
The philosopher said he was
firmly opposed to eapital pun- to^viv, (JTA)—Roads were
.shment and that he applied that telephonic communica-
a » a AR. a a ■■ ii . - -M
rerred nwi Imt pirmakctmn tf
the patiea id the care af toe
Government's prison administra
tion.
The convict Ip new in an la-
mall prtma, «
sell, wearing
Hb cell eon tains a
cWr and drinking water. Be
will be denied ePhtoet wtth etoar
pitoean bat vfl be pan
to take n walk ovary day.
Beth Dr. Servetiae amt
Weehtenbrach told
men here, after tod
that
verdlet ha heard eg watt ae the
sentence. “It was no sarprlm to
him,” said Dr. Servatias baton
he left for Geremajr. “After all,
be himself did not expect to re
join hie family again as n free
Heavy Rains
In Israel
Flood Roads
stand to the Eichmann case “in
which there is no possible pun
ishment to fit the crime, where
the imagination cannot envisage
a siutable penalty.”
The Israel Ministry of Justice
was asked to confiscate the
manuscript of a book which
Eichmann wrote daring his JO
months’ incarceration In Israel
while awaiting the trial. Eleb-
nuuui has said him writings,
which deal with the Jewish pol
icy of the Nasi regime, will be
published abroad.
The request for confiscation
was made by Rabbi Mordecai
Nurock, a Member of Parlia
ment, in the form of a question
to the Justice Ministry to which
a reply is expected next week.
Rabbi Nurock contended that
anything written by the Nazi
during his Israeli imprisonment
is the property of the state of
Israel.
A similar request was made
by Tuvia Friedman, of the Yad
Veshem, documentation center on
the Nazi holocaust, in a letter to
Prime Minister David Ben-Gur-
ion. Mr. Friedman urged the
Prime Minister to prevent such
publication of the Eichmann
book, the proceeds of which are
reportedly to be used to cover
his expenses of the trial and his
expected appeal and the balance
tions disrupted and outdoor
work in many areas halted this
week by a heavy downpour in all
parts of Israel. Even the usually
dry southern Negev and the port
of Eilat received a fair amount
of rain.
Work was stopped in Haifa,
Israel’s main port, and all emer
gency crews were alerted when
two Greek fishing boats entered
the harbor in a search for shelter
from gale winds and waves.
The main telephone lines in
Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
were cut by heavy waters which
washed away telephone poles
and uprooted huge trees. In Tel
Aviv, a wooden hut collapsed,
slightly injuring its two occu
pants. Generally, however,
Government officials, particular
ly in the Agriculture Ministry,
welcomed the rainfalls as likely
to help the winter crops which
have been suffering from insuf
ficient rain.
to Eichmann’s estate. Friedman
contended that only the Israel
Government had the right to the
manuscript which should be
published on the basis that all
proceeds would go to help fi
nance the work of thal Yad
Veshem.
Eichmann made Me fibal Mate-