Show Trial Soviet Style, 1965

Following the success of the 1961 show trial against officers of the 18th Latvian Police Battalion—accounts of the battalion killing all of Slonim's Jews, citing Soviet archives, persist—the Soviet launched another such trial in 1965. Unlike the 1961 trial which was open to KGB personnel only, this trial was widely attended by the invited Western press.

Latvia Opens War Crimes Trial

By Steven E. Nordlinger (Moscow Bureau of the Sun)
The Sun, Baltimore, Tuesday Morning, October 12, 1965

Riga, Latvia, October 11 — Six Men—three present and three absent—were brought to trial today for collaborating with the Nazi invaders in the extermination of 15,000 residents of a district of Latvia during World War II. The trial before live television cameras was opened on the stage of the House of Culture of Riga’s electric factory. It is one of the largest war crime trial in the Soviet Union since the war. Authorities expect it to last more than two weeks.

3 Empty Chairs

Three defendants guarded by two soldiers with tommy guns solemnly sat in the prisoners dock on the stage before 800 invited guests in the audience. There were also three empty chairs in the dock. They were set aside for the absent defendants now living in Toronto, Mineola, N.Y., and Karlsruhe, West Germany. Each empty chair had above it the names of the missing men. Lawyers were appointed by the republic’s College of Lawyers to represent all those absent as well as present. Judge Valfired Kauke complained to the courtroom that the countries involved refused to extradite the three missing defendants so they could be tried.

"Sent Special Messages"

"Our government sent special messages to the United States, Canada and West Germany but in spite of our request those governments did not give up those men," Judge Kauke said.

"May we proceed without the other three men?" he asked.

All three of the defendants present rose separately and nodded assent.

"Are you all satisfied with the lawyers appointed?" he asked then.

The three middle-aged defendants indicated satisfaction again.

Much of the trial was conducted in the glare of klieg lights provided for the television and movies. Thirty places had been reserved in the auditorium for the Soviet and foreign press.

Like Broadway Melodrama

The stage setting and the smooth flow of the action made the proceedings appear like a Broadway melodrama. It was difficult to grasp that a court trial was unfolding with capital punishment a possible result for the three defendants present.

Judge Kauke, silverhaired with horned rimmed glasses, sat in the deep center of the stage in a high-backed chair marked with a hammer and sickle. He was flanked by two peoples assessors who will help him to determine the sentences.

The prosecutor in a blue uniform and four witnesses also sat on the stage. One witness was unavailable for the trial.

May we proceed without that witness? Judge Kauke asked.

220-Page Indictment

All three defendants rose and nodded assent.

Today’s session was devoted to reading of the 220-page indictment by a team of men and women court employees. It referred to events of more than 20 years ago in grim detail.

According to the document the six men were directly involved in the killing of 15,199 persons in the Rezekne district of Latvia, a farm area about 200 miles east of here. The district had been a center of partisan activity and the German occupants accused the residents of hiding guerrillas. The dead included 2,000 children, 5,000 Jews, and 300 gypsies the indictment said. The 30 surviving villagers were marched to a nearby town and executed in the market place "to intimidate the local population". The village of Audrini was then burned to the ground.

Fled Overseas

According to the charges, the three men not present today were appointed leaders in the Rezekne district by the Nazis. They fled overseas with the retreat of the German forces in 1944—Albert Eichelis going to West Germany, Boleslavs Maikovskis to Mineola, and Harald Puntulis to Toronto. Those present held less important posts in the district during the war. The indictment shed no light on why it took twenty years to bring all six to trial. Judge Kauke refused to discuss this question with reporters. He said that any such conversations might influence his judgment. However, those familiar with the case said that the material had been in the process of being gathered through all these years.

Recognized In Yalta

One of the men Jasep Basankovich, who had moved to Siberia to work as miner, was recognized in Yalta a year ago. Apparently with this arrest the court authorities decided to proceed. Janis Krasovskis, a lumber man had fled to Poland, was tracked down through letters he wrote to Latvians. The third defendant present, Peteris Vaichiks, was arrested in Riga. Pictures purported to be of all the men were displayed in the lobby outside the courtroom. Two were wearing Nazi uniforms.

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