The court trying former Eichmann aide Franz Novak for war crimes in occupied Hungary ended today the hearing of evidence after 17 days and announced that a verdict would be handed down Thursday. Novak is charged with complicity in the transport of thousands of Jews to the Auschwitz death camp and with specific death orders against two Jewish victims.
One of the last witnesses was Adolf Feiler, a non-Jewish member of the Security Police in Budapest in 1944; He testified that he discussed with Novak then the possibility of sending 10 to 15 leading Hungarian Jews to safety in Switzerland, as proposed by Swiss consular officials, rather than to Auschwitz. The witness said this proved that Novak knew the fate of the Jews he sent to Auschwitz, which he denied in testifying in his own defense.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
