Gideon Hausner

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Gideon Hausner (1915, Lvov – November 15, 1990) was an Israeli jurist and politician: from 1960 to 1962 attorney-general, later a member of parliament, legal adviser to the Israeli Government and a cabinet minister.

Hausner is most widely known for being the main prosecutor at the war crimes trial of Adolf Eichmann in Jerusalem in 1961. Hausner is generally credited with exposing the Holocaust to the world in bold cross-examinations of Eichmann. His judicial skill also set the precedent that the defense "I was only following orders" is not valid if such orders are wholly criminal and illegal. The prosecution succeeded in proving Eichmann's guilt, and Eichmann was found guilty on all charges, including crimes against humanity and crimes against the Jewish people. He was sentenced to death.

Hausner resigned from his judicial career in 1962 and pursued a career in politics. He was a Knesset member from 1965 to 1977, on behalf of the Independent Liberals, and served as a minister without portfolio from 1974 to 1977.

He was also the chairman of the council of Yad Vashem.

Hausner wrote the following books:

• (1966) Justice in Jerusalem. New York: Harper & Row. 
• (1988) Holocaust on Trial (in Hebrew). Tel Aviv: `Am `oved. ISBN 965-13-0478-2. 

Justice in Jerusalem has been translated into several languages, including Hebrew (as Mishpat Yerushalayim, 1980).