The Trial

In over eight years of research, "Der Prozess" follows the longest criminal proceedings in Germany′s legal history - the "Majdanek Trial". In interviews with judges, the accused, victims and eye witnesses, and with the use of documentary footage and reports, the film recounts (in three parts) the legal trials against the workers and perpetrators of the Lublin/Majdanek concentration camp from the first day to the pronouncement of the judgment.

Documentary

Seasons

1. Indictment

Air Date: 1984-11-21

From autumn 1941 to July 23, 1944, there was a concentration camp in Lublin/Majdanek where at least 250,000 people were murdered. From November 26, 1975, to June 30, 1981, a trial was held in Düsseldorf against fifteen of the more than 1,500 SS guards at the camp. They were charged with participating in the murder of hundreds of thousands of people.

2. Taking of Evidence

Air Date: 1984-11-28

The Düsseldorf Regional Court investigates the events at the Lublin/Majdanek camp. Former prisoners and former members of the SS guard units describe the structure and organization of the concentration camp. They recount the work details and the killing operations, which claimed the lives of at least 250,000 people during the camp's three-year history.

3. Verdict

Air Date: 1984-12-05

The "Harvest Festival" operation was one of the most spectacular murder campaigns in the deadly everyday life of the camp. On November 3, 1943, SS and police units shot approximately 17,000 Jews within eleven hours. On June 30, 1981, the court handed down its verdict on the guilt of those accused of these crimes. Of the original 15 defendants, eight were sentenced to prison terms ranging from three years to life.

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