There are still quite a number of eichmanns around. Would eichmanns defense strategy of obedience to orders hold sway. In 1934, adolf eichmann was appointed to the jewish section of the security services of the ss. The eichmann trial channel contains over 200 hours of trial sessions and a compilation of testimonies.
From then on, he became deeply involved with the formulation and operation of the final solution to the jewish question. The subsidies were to continue until april 1st, 1964. Lipstadt is dorot professor of modern jewish history and holocaust studies at emory university and. Deborah lipstadt has written a brilliant analysis of a complex and controversial historical event, the trial of adolf eichmann. The eichmann trial is both riveting and nuanced, and should be required reading for anyone who does not wish to wade through eight volumes of trial transcripts. Stangneths book, although far more respectful of arendts work than her detractors are, does not address these questions or throw much light on their philosophical context. She was referring to the fact that eichmann was a thoughtless, ordinary, unspectacular bourgeois middlemanagement type, able to engage in the worst atrocities because he literally could not see beyond his immediate surroundings to any moral or. He was a leader in the nazi party in germany and played a major role in the deportation of jews to. Someone else did that in the eichmann trial, namely mr. Eichmann was one of the key players in the implementation of the final solution in world war ii, the attempt by nazi germany to exterminate european jewry known as the holocaust. The capture of nazi criminal adolf eichmann operation finale.
But, arendt writes, his conscience functioned in the expected way only for about four weeks. Historian deborah lipstadts overview of the eichmann trial is a useful summary of an event that can offer some lessons for our own times, and newly declassified u. Adolf eichmann was one of the most pivotal actors in the implementation of the final solution. As such, it is ideal for use as a supplemental text in both high school and college courses dealing with the holocaust, world war ii, genocide studies. In her 2011 book eichmann before jerusalem, based largely on the sassen interviews and eichmanns notes made while in exile, bettina stangneth argues instead that eichmann was an ideologically motivated antisemite and lifelong committed nazi who intentionally built a persona as a faceless bureaucrat for presentation at the trial. Baade introduction on may 23, 196o, prime minister david ben gurion of israel announced in the knesseth israels parliament that adolf eichmann had been found. On december, 1961 the court found eichmann guilty on most articles of the indictment, and on the 15th of that same month, sentenced him. Events such as the eichmann trial benefit from being revisited from time to time as time goes by. Between now and that date the israelis will try to find a way to get a renewal.
Fifty years ago, adolf eichmann went to trial in israel for war crimes during world war ii. Lipstadt explains all of the effects that the eichmann trial has had on subsequent history and on the historyof the holocaust. Israel andor mossad declassified this operation in 2010. Eichmann, had, in fact, been living under an assumed name in argentina and had been brought to israel without the knowl. Eichmann in jerusalem by hannah arendt reading guide. The public debate it sparked on where, how, and by whom nazi war criminals should be brought to justice, and the. During the war, eichmann served as the transportation administrator of the final solution to the jewish question, meaning he coordinated all the trains that transported jews to their deaths in east european extermination camps. For the eichmann trials 50th anniversary, emory holocaust studies professor lipstadt history on trial. The history of israels abduction and execution of the holocausts architect tells eichmanns story from the war until his execution. The eichmann trial jewish encounters series series by deborah e. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this the state of israel vs. Since his trial in jerusalem in 1961, eichmann has become the subject of continued controversy much of it not so much about the man himself, but often more about the very nature of evil. The eichmann trial did not turn into a trial of the federal republic.
Arendt, a jew who fled germany during adolf hitlers rise to power, reported on adolf eichmanns trial for the new yorker. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about eichmanns trial and capture like never before, in. In this slim volumne, lipstadt offers a well thought out and even handed anaylsis of the the capture and trial of echimann as well as the work of eichmann in jerusalem. Adolf eichmann study guide and get instant access to the following summary. After an unremarkable school career, eichmann briefly worked for his fathers mining company in austria, where the family had moved in 1914. The capture of ss lieutenant colonel adolf eichmann by israeli agents in argentina in may of 1960 and his subsequent trial in jerusalem by an israeli court electrified the world. The banality of evil line was a small line, taken out of context and used in a campaign against arendts book before it was published. A revised and enlarged edition was published in 1964. In 1960, the israeli government abducted key holocaust organizer adolf eichmann from argentina and put him on trial in jerusalem the following year. And what, if anything, would be the lesson for the future. Book portrays eichmann as evil, but not banal the new. Find books like the eichmann trial from the worlds largest community of readers.
National jewish book award finalist 2012 part of the jewish encounter series the capture of ss lieutenant colonel adolf eichmann by israeli agents in argentina in may of 1960 and his subsequent trial in jerusalem by an israeli court electrified the world. The proceedings were one of the first trials widely televised, and. The channel is a joint effort between yad vashem and t. Arendt was prompted to clarify her intentions in a postscript to the book.
Adolf eichmann was brought to trial in the district court of jerusalem in 1961 under the nazi and nazis collaborators law 57101951 israeli law on charges of unsurpassed gravity, charges of 15 crimes along with charges of crimes against the jewish people, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. Fifty years later fifty years ago one of the chief operators of the mass execution of jews was tried for crimes against humanity. The author is a professor of jewish studies at emory university and has written extensively about the holocaust. Arendt, a jew who fled germany during adolf hitlers rise to power, reported on adolf eichmann s trial for the new yorker. The eichmann trial united states holocaust memorial museum.
University of pennsylvania press, 2009 yablonka, hanna. In the nearly 50 years since its publication, her account of those proceedings. With this book, deborah lipstadt consolidates her standing as one of the major figures in the jewish world today. Thus, i read this recent book by deborah lipstadt, the eichmann trial written to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the beginning of eichmanns trial in jerusalem, april 11, 1961. Why adolf eichmanns final message remains so profoundly. The eichmann trial an engaging, albeit sometimes painful book lipstadts the eichmann trial is an important addition to the body of works related to the eichmann trial, and the holocaust.
I think this is a really excellent piece of work and. Includes resource material and school classroom activities related to the trial as well biographical. Stangneths book appeared in germany in 2011, the 50th anniversary of the eichmann trial, contributing to. After being found and captured in argentina, nazi leader adolf eichmann, known as the architect of the final solution, was put on trial in israel in 1961. The trial of adolf eichmann summary companion web site to pbs documentary on the trial of adolf eichmann for crimes against the jewish people. During the course of attending eichmanns trial, and the more she read in the voluminous transcripts and other trial documents, including eichmanns own writing, arendt hit upon an insight she continued to pursue in later work, including her posthumously published book, the life of the mind. The eichmann trial, by deborah lipstadt open this photo in gallery. Eichmann was captured by the mossad in argentina on 11 may 1960 and subsequently found guilty of war crimes in a widely publicised trial in jerusalem, where he was executed by hanging in 1962. At midnight between may 31 and june 1, 1962, eichmann was executed by hanging. National jewish book award finalist 2012part of the jewish encounter seriesthe capture of ss lieutenant colonel adolf eichmann by israeli agents in argentina in may of 1960 and his subsequent trial in jerusalem by an israeli court electrified the world. The eichmann trial european jewry before and after hitler by salo w. A report on the banality of evil is a 1963 book by political theorist hannah arendt. Goodreads members who liked the eichmann trial also liked. Photographs the eichmann trial, held before a special tribunal of the jerusalem district court, began on april 11, 1961, and aroused international interest in the events of the holocaust.
A report on the banality of evil is a 1963 book by political theorist. The eichmann trial, by deborah lipstadt the globe and mail. A t the beginning of this grave, scrupulous, heartbreaking trial, the worlds press attended. It is an event that is a vivid part of my childhood memories. Arendt noted that, during both his ss career and jerusalem trial, eichmann tried to cover up his lack of skills and education, and even blushed. Adolph eichmann stands in a protective glass booth flanked by israeli police during his trial on april 5, 1961 in jerusalem. On the 50th anniversary of the adolf eichmann trial, historian deborah lipstadt explains the worldwide. To write about the trial of adolf eichmann is to put its most notorious court reporter, hannah arendt, in the dock. Lipstadts most recent book makes a good companion for her history on trial. Critics attributed her coverage of the adolf eichmann trial to a host of. National jewish book award finalist 2012 part of the jewish encounter series the capture of ss lieutenant colonel adolf eichmann by israeli. Lipstadt examines the trial of adolf eichmann as a crucial factor in the worlds perception of the holocaust. My day in court with david irving trains her gaze on this watershed event in jewish history. I found something hugely unsettling about neal bascombs chilling, authoritative and timely book about the capture of adolf eichmann, the man.
The eichmann trial, which continued from april 11 to august 14, 1961, certainly qualifies as both a great case and a hard case. He drew up the idea of deportation of jews into ghettos, and went about concentrating jews in isolated areas with murderous efficiency. The jerusalem post magazine scrupulously researched. She does present new evidence about eichmanns persona and thinking, based mainly on the socalled argentina papers, which took nearly 20 years to emerge completely. Baron a historian, not an eyewitness or a jurist, i shall concern myself with the historical situation of the jewish people before, during, and after the nazi onslaughtthe greatest catastrophe in jewish history, which has known many catastrophes. This book was written during the trial itself, and due to the secretive nature back then, many things were unknown regarding the actual search and kidnap of eichmann to israel to stand trial for his part in the final solution.