Evening star., 1961-06-20
ElCHMANN
Continued From First PAGE

- ~ SSAASVS AL
Cod he told Judge Landau.
EichmanI1's first testimony
was a blast at Israel for kid
naping him in Argentina. He
said a prosecution statement
that he came to Israel volun-
talily was false.
Was Chained to Bed"
The defendant said when Is
raeli agents held him on the
outskirts of Buenos Aires, 81
was chained to my bed"
cit was demanded of me to
sign a voluntary declaration
that I wanted to stand trial in
Israel" he continued, speaking
in German in a deep baritone
Il said I preferred to be turned
over to Argentine police. They
said no. Later the fetters were
taken off and I was told to sign
a document that I wanted to
come to Israel to stand trial
Then the fetters were replaced
and I was tied to my bed. This
cannot be called a voluntary
declaration"
As Eichmann started to out
line, his Nazi career, the court
said he could sit while testify
ing "if you are tired" and
Eichmann accepted the offer
with a courteous bow.
Defense Counsel Robert Ser
vatius of West Germany told
the court he would prove
through Eichmann's testimony
that the whole Nazi apparatus
was responsible for the pogrom
and that Eichmann could do
nothing about it.
Blames Versailles Treaty
Eichmann said he joined the
Nazis in 1882 because their
slogan was war against Ver-
sailles." He blamed the Ver-
sailleS treaty after World War
I for "the tragedy of the Ger
man people" the economic dis
tress gripping his country.
At that time, Eichmann said,
"the struggle against the Jews
was a secondary problem-"the
main struggle was against the
regime in power which was
administering the terms'of the
Versailles treaty"
After Hitler became the SUI
preme power in Germany,
Eichmann continued, World
War II was thrust upon Ger
many" and out Of that period
came the "senselesS measures
that paved the way for the
determination of the Jews.
Il could not anticipate
could not influence my
status was too modest. I could
not anticipate all this when !
joined the Nazi Party" Eich-
mann declared.
Nazi Machinery Blamed
DR.. Servatius said he would
cover all the documentary evi-
.dence the prosecution sub
imitted pertaining to Eichmann's
assignment as head of the Ges-
tapo office IV-B-4 which dealt
with the final solution of the
Jewish problem.
Eichmann, his attorney said,
would have a different view on
these documents than the pro-
secution took.
The whole Nazi government
machinery created and admin
istered the plot against the
Jews, DR.. Servatius insisted.
They issued the orders and
directives," DR.. Servatius as
serted. "They created the pre-
liminary conditions. Otherwise
the accused would not have
taken one step. And he did
not take one step without those
orders. All of the government
apparatus had a hand in it, If
the accused is guilty, they are
even more guilty. He was not
included in the political lead
ership. He was among those re-
ceiving the orders on the lowest
rung."
Eichmann testified that he
held his rank of obersturm-
bannfuehrer lieutenant colo
nell in the IS from 1941 to
the end of the war without a
promotion and tried during that
time to be transferred to the
Waffen SIS, which were fight
ing units at the front. His ef-
forts were fruitless, he said.
Denies Responsibility .
Eichman flatly denied re-
sponsibility for the mass
slaughter and said he "had
nothing at all to do with the
confiscation of Jewish prop
erty" either.
In his first assignment to
Jewish affairs" in Austria,
Eichmann claimed he actually
helped the Jews considerably.
The best evidence of that, he
said, was the fact that two
thirds of the Austrian Jews
were enabled to emigrate."
To understand the Jewish
question better, Eichmann said
he studied the Hebrew language
with a rabbi and this aroused
suspicion among my Superiors."
He paid for his language les
sons at three marks (then
$1.20) an hour.
Il could have said, let's Just
grab a rabbi and, lock him up
to give me lessons. But was
not inclined that way" Eich-
mann said. '-
DR.. Servatius brought Eich-
mann along rapidly with short
questions that elicted brisk re-
plies. The defense counsel
addressed Eichmann as "Mr.
Witness AS Eichmann pro-
ceeded with his story he
exuded quiet confidence.
Eichmann maintained he