Kastner Affair History of the Jews in Hungary

rudolf israel kastner (1906–1957) jewish-hungarian journalist , lawyer became known actions during holocaust in hungary. 1 of leaders of va adat ezrah vehatzalah (aid , rescue committee or vaada), small jewish group in budapest helped jewish refugees escape nazi-occupied territory hungary during world war ii, , helped them escape after hungary invaded on 19 march 1944. between may , july 1944, hungary s jews being deported gas chambers @ auschwitz-birkenau @ rate of 12,000 people day—for resettlement, nazis said. kastner negotiated adolf eichmann , kurt becher, both senior ss officers, allow 1,685 of them leave instead switzerland on became known kastner train, in exchange money, gold, , diamonds. after war, testified in favor of becher , other nazis nuremberg tribunal.

he later emigrated israel , subject of famous 1954 libel casel regarding claims malchiel gruenwald kastner had collaborated nazi regime. kastner allegedly knew deported jews being gassed @ auschwitz april 1944 vrba–wetzler report did little warn wider community. through inaction helped ss avoid spread of panic, have slowed down transports. judge ruled in gruenwald s favor, accusing kastner of having sold soul devil. kastner assassinated in tel aviv in 1957. of decision subsequently reversed israeli supreme court in 1958, although dissenting opinion agreed original judgement kastner had acted knowingly , in bad faith, fulfilled wishes ... of nazis, , thereby made easier them perform work of mass destruction. kastner remains controversial figure.