POLAND: WEST GERMAN COURT VISITS AUSCHWITZ CONCENTRATION CAMP SITE -- LIBRARY FILM OF AUSCHWITZ AFTER THE LIBERATION

Record ID: 347377

  • Title: POLAND: WEST GERMAN COURT VISITS AUSCHWITZ CONCENTRATION CAMP SITE -- LIBRARY FILM OF AUSCHWITZ AFTER THE LIBERATION
  • Date: 14th December 1964
  • Summary: GENERAL SCENES OF AUSCHWITZ TODAY, NOW MAINTAINED BY POLISH AUTHORITIES AS A MONUMENT. THERE'S ALSO SCENES OF THE WEST GERMAN PARTY ARRIVING IN CRACOW BEFORE VISITING THE CAMP. THE LAST SCENES ARE VISNEWS LIBRARY FILM OF AUSCHWITZ AFTER THE LIBERATION DURING WORLD WAR TWO. Initials DS/V/VISLIB/RM/SGM Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights rese
  • Embargoed: 29th December 1964 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: AUSCHWITZ, POLAND
  • Country: Poland
  • Reuters ID: LVADI2YP7WV9T1NXF4CFAFSC958N
  • Story Text: A PARTY OF 23 WEST GERMAN JUDGES, PROSECUTORS AND LAWYERS AND A MAN ACCUSED OF PARTICIPATING IN THE DEATH OF MILLIONS OF PRISONERS TODAY (MONDAY) INSPECTED THE RUINS OF AUSCHWITZ CONCENTRATION CAMP. IT WAS PART OF A HEARING OF CHARGES OF COMPLICITY IN MASS MURDER AGAINST 19 FORMER CAMP STAFF MEMBERS BEING STAGED IN FRANKFURT.

    PROFESSOR SEHN, REPRESENTING THE POLISH MINISTRY OF JUSTICE, WELCOMED THE PARTY AND TRANSFERRED THE RIGHT OF LEGAL ACTION TO THE GERMAN JUDGE, JUDGE WALTER HOTZ, WHILE ON AUSCHWITZ CAMP TERRITORY.

    ONLY ONE OF THE ACCUSED AGREED TO ACCOMPANY THE COURT TO AUSCHWITZ. HE IS THE FORMER CAMP DOCTOR, DOCTOR FRANZ LUCAS. IN TESTIMONY, HE SAID HE DID NOT RECALL THE RAMP ON WHICH PRISONERS WERE ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO BE SENT TO THE GAS CHAMBERS.

    AUSCHWITZ WAS ONE OF THE MAIN EXTERMINATION CENTRES USED BY THE GERMANS DURING WORLD WAR TWO FOR THE PURSUIT OF HITLER'S FINAL SOLUTION OF THE JEWISH PROBLEM AND THE PUTTING TO DEATH OF PRISONERS FROM OTHER OCCUPIED TERRITORIES. IT'S ESTIMATED THAT DURING THE YEARS AUSCHWITZ WAS IN OPERATION MORE THAN 4,300,000 PEOPLE WERE PUT TO DEATH IN THE CAMP. WHEN THE CAMP WAS LIBERATED, ONLY 65,000 PEOPLE WERE FREED.

    BEFORE VIEWING THE CAMP SITE, MEASURING DISTANCES AND TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS, THE WEST GERMAN PARTY OBSERVED ONE MINUTE'S SILENCE IN FRONT OF A MEMORIAL TO VICTIMS OF THE JEWISH FAITH, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE WHO DIED AT AUSCHWITZ.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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