AT THE GHETTO CEMETERY, 1948 Flowers are placed at the mass grave on the fifth annivesary of the uprising and liquidation of the Bialystok Ghetto. The fence in the background was erected with the aid of the Bialystoker Relief Committee in America. because the guilt of the accused had already been estab- lished by the witnesses who came to testify in person. “Sixteen witnesses gave testimony, recounting ter- rifying details of mass murders personally committed by the accused. The testimony also confirmed that thousands of people were exterminated as a result of orders issued by him. There was not one terrorist act perpetrated in the Bialystok ghetto in which Friedl did not personally take part. He was well known by eve- ryone in the ghetto as a hangman, the devil’s partner. Everyone would hide in the shelters until he left the ghetto. To meet with Friedl in the street meant, under the best of circumstances, a brutal beating or instant death. ‘In the numerous confrontations between the wit- nesses and the accused in open court, many of his orders and instructions were recalled, translated for him into German, all of which he denied in order to save his own life. After the summations of the prosecutor, Grembecki, and the defense counselor, Burak, the court rendered its verdict. Exactly at 2:15 in the afternoon, the sixth and last meeting of the court began. The courtroom overflowed with spectators wishing to hear the verdict. The judges entered. The audience rose; the presiding judge pronounced him guilty and passed sen- tence — the death penalty for Fritz Gustav Friedl. “The reasons for the verdict were given: The The Bialystoker Memorial Book NAAM‏ ןוילטבא אדאקאווא accused was found guilty on all counts in the indict- ment. His guilt was fully established by some twenty witnesses who gave testimony in open court. The penalty was directed not only against Fried! himself but also against the regime that created Friedl and his ilk. May this be a warning for those rushing to follow in his footsteps. The verdict was received by the entire com- munity with enthusiasm and satisfaction.” pce nen ecient aha A NANOS TE EATS ADAG ATS‏ יי אי יי ר יא אי אי ייא א א אט A group of pupils and their teacher in Bialystok in 1946. 105