FILMS SHOWN IN COURT

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24736, 29 November 1945, Page 5

FILMS SHOWN IN COURT

Evidence of Nazi Atrocities DEFENCECOUNSEL SHOCKED

{N.Z. I'ress Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 9 p.m.) NUREMBERG, Nov. 28. Scenes of thousands of corpses rotting in Nazi- concentration camps and of S.S. men beating helpless women and children were projected on a cinema screen in 4 the Nuremberg: Court last night before the shocked gaze of eight German defence counsel. Dr. Alfred Seidl, who represents Frank (formerly Nazi Governor of Poland), afterwards put on his ha(j dejectedly and said to the correspondent of the Associated Press: "No argument can be made against these pictures. They are too terrible for words." . Von Papen's son, Franz, said: "We are human beings. Please believe it. We did not know that such horrors existed."

Only eight of the score of defence counsel attended last evening's exhibition, because they expected to be present in Court to-day when the American prosecution is introducing films as official evidence. The prosecution requested a prior screening to meet possible defence objections that there had been no opportunity to see such evidence before it was submitted to Court.

"Russia wants the trial of major war criminals finished by the middle of January, and the public hanging of those convicted, preferably* in Berlin, by January 30," says the "Daily Mail's" correspondent in Nuremberg. "Mr Vishinsky, Mr Molotov's right-hand man, who yesterday attended the trial, is reported to have arrived to quicken proceedings." The correspondent adds that . the Russians frequently adopt public hangings in their own zone in Germany. They may feel that full justice has not been done unless this course is adopted in the case of the major war criminals.