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In conjunction with Dr. Hoffmann — and I wish to avail myself of
this opportunity of thanking him sincerely for the excellent help and aid he
gave me — I believe that I was able to prove that the statements I gave
you on the 14th of August 1947 were justified, but there was a second time that
I was faced by the same question, “Guilty or not Guilty.” This time
it was myself who posed this question, and it was my conscience who was the
prosecutor, and my prison cell was the forum and public present. If a man has
been confined for 15 months in a cell, then he has many hours more for
self-contemplation, and I would say he has much more opportunity to institute
trial proceedings against himself than there are actual days of court procedure
here in this courtroom. During those hours I endeavored to examine and to
justify my action. I put myself back into those years and into those
circumstances, and it was both from the ethical and humanitarian point of view
that I posed myself the question: “Was there any time, anything that today
under the same circumstances you would see your way clear to do differently,
because now you recognize it to be an injustice or a wrong?”
May
it please Your Honors, even in those proceedings held by myself with my
conscience, I came to the same result. I do not consider myself guilty in the
sense of the indictment.
PRESIDING JUDGE SHARE: The
Tribunal has called the names of all of the defendants who have indicated a
desire to speak on their own behalf. If perchance any defendant has since
concluded that he would like to address the Tribunal, we shall be glad to
afford him that opportunity how.
The Tribunal has heard the evidence in
this case, the arguments of counsel, and the personal statements of the
defendants who asked for the privilege of addressing the Tribunal.
This
long trial began 14 August 1947. It has now come to a close. At the end of this
session the Tribunal will go into recess to deliberate upon its findings and
its judgment. Counsel and all parties concerned will be given due and timely
notice when the Tribunal has reached a decision, and is ready to make public
announcement of its findings.
In the meantime this Tribunal is in
recess. |
1080 |
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