Eichmann on trial: Wittenberg sheds light on the evil in Linz!

Eichmann on trial: Wittenberg sheds light on the evil in Linz!

Today's events often impress with their dark history. Peter Wittenberg, a German director, is currently a guest at the Linz regional court with his documentary play “Eichmann on Trial”. oe1.orf.at reported. This production takes up the events surrounding the trial of Adolf Eichmann, a man who is synonymous with the depravity of the Nazi regime and was partly responsible for the deaths of six million people.

Eichmann was head of the “Judenreferat” from 1941 and played a key role in the persecution, expulsion and deportation of the Jewish population. After the war he was able to escape to South America via the infamous “Rat Line”, but was kidnapped from Argentina in 1960 and finally brought to trial in Jerusalem in 1961. There he proclaimed that he was a “powerless cog in the machine,” a statement that many criticized as an attempt to hide his true character. In her famous work “Eichmann in Jerusalem,” Hannah Arendt called Eichmann an example of the “banality of evil,” which was controversial then and now.

About the process and its importance

The Eichmann trial, which caused a stir around the world, was not only a court verdict, but also a profound social event that raised questions about guilt and responsibility. The negotiations made it abundantly clear how far responsibility for the atrocities of the Holocaust actually extends. Wittenberg wants to raise precisely these questions with his play and shows in his theater that Eichmann's portrayal as a “little cog” must be questioned.

His documentary theater piece is based on original material and explores the questions of guilt, responsibility and the protagonists' self-image. “Eichmann in Court” is a production by the Landestheater Linz, which premiered on October 3rd and will be performed on October 20th and on other dates, including follow-up discussions, such as remember.at notes.

A look behind the scenes

Wittenberg shares not only his staging of horror, but also personal insights, as he himself comes from a Jewish family. The director has had an eventful career: from a furniture restorer in Italy, he developed into a sought-after director in Germany and worked under Peymann at the Burgtheater, among others. His experiences flow into the production and offer a special approach to the topic.

On October 13th, there will be another follow-up discussion in collaboration with the JKU Law Faculty, which will include experts who will further discuss the relevance of the topic. With personalities like Alois Birklbauer and Markus Vašek, the audience will have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the topic.

Wittenberg's play not only keeps the memory of the atrocities alive, but also enables a critical examination of the mechanisms of guilt and responsibility, as raised in Arendt's "Eichmann in Jerusalem". This remains important beyond the stage, because the questions raised by the trial are still very relevant today.