Israel’s right to try Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi war criminal who directed the mass killing of 6,000,000 Jews in Europe, will be challenged during the trial next spring by the defense attorney Robert Servatius, it was disclosed here today. The Cologne lawyer, who arrived here this week to begin preliminary work on Eichmann’s defense, said that this would be one of the major points raised at the trial.
The West German lawyer, who met with Attorney General Gideon Hausner yesterday, raised “problems in connection with procedure and technical arrangements of the trial, including translation,” according to the official communique issued after the meeting. Dr. Servatius, who requested the help of an Israeli attorney in the case, was referred to the Israel Lawyers Association for the name of a local attorney.
“Arrangements were made for the Cologne lawyer to maintain contact with the Public Prosecutor’s office to discuss any problems which might arise after his meeting with Eichmann,” the communique stated. This was interpreted as an indication that Attorney General Hausner gave Dr. Servatius formal permission to meet with Eichmann. Such permission is required in view of the fact that the West German lawyer has not yet been officially appointed as Eichmann’s attorney. He will be appointed only after the charge sheet is submitted some time in December.
Eichmann’s wife, meanwhile, has requested permission from the Israel Government to visit her husband, it was disclosed today.
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