Why did you choose to hold the conference right now?
As is well known, the trial had a great effect on Israeli society and especially on the crystallization of Holocaust consciousness, and therefore studies published in Israel mainly emphasized the internal Israeli context. On the other hand, the research I conducted in recent years on Israeli-West German relations revealed to me an extensive preoccupation with international law, as well as the complex diplomatic and intelligence aspects I understood in the shadow of the Cold War. These issues, in the absence of archival sources, have received little publicity, and even then, only very briefly in research, although they are of interest to the wider public. In addition, in recent years, more emphasis has been placed among jurists on the impact of the Eichmann trial on international law. In light of all of this, we thought it would be useful to mark sixty years since his capture by discussing the research conducted on these less well-known topics.
What topics were discussed at the conference?
The conference examined diplomatic, legal and media issues that arose against the background of the preparations for and during the trial (1960-1962). The lecturers discussed the contribution of the Eichmann Trial to international law and the historiography of the Holocaust, as well as its impact on Holocaust consciousness in various countries.
We looked at West Germany's attitude to the trial, its impact on the development of Holocaust consciousness in Germany, and the attitude of the Germans towards the past.
Another focus point was the rise of antisemitism in Argentina against the background of the trial, and the great influence that it had on Holocaust consciousness in the Netherlands.
Three lectures focused on the complex relationship of Eastern European countries vis-à-vis the trial. The lecturers pointed to the reservations that existed in countries such as Poland and Hungary from cooperating with the Israeli prosecution – compared to Yugoslavia, which transferred many documents to Israel. The Soviet Union's attitude to the trial began with support for its existence, but later with reservations due to Israeli-West German relations. We also examined the problematic attitude of the Soviet Union to the question of the uniqueness of the Holocaust as well the cooperation of sections of the population in its various republics in the murder of the Jews. Three more lectures expanded on the media and later cinematic attempts to engage in trial.
The lecturers pointed to the great media interest aroused by the trial, both at the time as well as years later, among film directors who tried to deal with the drama in various ways that were influenced from their point of view on the trial.
Another lecture examined the place of the issue of gender in the trial in light of the development of research in this field in recent years.
The closing session of the conference was attended by four scholars, who discussed the points of contact between history and law. They examined the unique aspects of the trial and its impact on international law dealing with genocide and war crimes. The influence of various personalities, such as witness Rachel Auerbach and prosecution consultant Jacob Robinson, on the conduct of the trial, was also highlighted.
How would you sum up the conference and what are your hopes regarding the topic?
The lectures highlighted issues that have not hitherto been widely discussed in research, such as the place of the trial in Eastern Europe and its impact on Holocaust consciousness in Western Europe. I sincerely hope that these aspects will come to the forefront of research to be published in the coming years.
The conference was held in conjunction with the Minerva Center for Human Rights at Tel Aviv's Buchmann Faculty of Law, the Wiener Library for the Study of the Nazi Era and the Holocaust and Polin – the Institute for the History of Polish Jewry, and with the generous support of the Gutwirth Family Fund.
This article originally appeared in the "Yad Vashem Jerusalem Magazine," volume 95.
