Happy Execution Day Karl Adolf Eichmann

[everythingsxen]

Although it is a few hours ahead of schedule, it is about to be the anniversary of Eichmann's execution.

For those who do not know who he was, he was the head of the IV B4 Office in the RSHA, which was responsible for the deportation of the Jews throughout occupied Europe during WW2.

He is considered, for all intents and purposes, one of the greatest mass murderers in history. However, most of those casualties attributed to him were done at the end of a pen. Like so many other Nazi's, his chief crime was blindly following orders.

Obviously this is no excuse.

After Germany's defeat, he was captured by allied forces, multiple times, through a few aliases, he was able to escape and elude justice. He managed to make his way to Argentina, were he went into hiding, living under an assumed name.

In 1960, Israeli Secret Service kidnapped him and (illegally) took him to Israel for trial. After his trial (the first televised trial) he was eventually executed on May 31 1962 at midnight. In accordance with his wishes, he was cremated and his ashes were scattered at sea.

Justice was served, however...

I take issue with Israel's method in this case. It's not that Eichmann did not get what he deserved, it is simply a question of means of justifying the ends. he should have been secured through legal means. He should not have been tried in Israel; he should have been tried in Poland (where most of his crimes occurred) or he should have been tried at the Hague.

That's all I have to say for now. I look forward to your comments.

[AlienGirl]

1. Comment:

The story of the capture of Eichmann is absolutely riveting reading to anyone with an interest in undercover work.

Tucker

[Zuni]

4. The W iesenthal Files

good book about the worlds #1 Nazi hunter.

[Zuni]

2. I have a book with the transcripts of Adolf Eichmann's interrogation

by Israeli police captain Avner Less.
It is utterly amazing how much BS comes out of Eichmann's mouth.

[AlienGirl]

3. I read that book too!

Eichmann could lie a blue streak...

[Zuni]

10. One thing I noticed

was that he would change his story every time Less would bring out documents to show he was lying. Eichmann would say he never met so and so (some high SS figure), and then Less would produce docum,ents sent by Eichmann to so and so, and Eichmann would be like " Oh you mean SO AND SO."
The whole book is like that. Nevertheless it is fascinating to see what a pusillanimous wimp Eichmann was without his Deaths Head Collar.

[Elidor]

5. The House on Garibaldi Street by Isser Harrel

Harrel was the head of Mossad at the time and personally supervised the operation that surveilled and kidnapped Eichmann. His book is a fascinating read.

They knew from past experience that they could not trust the German-friendly Argentine authorities not to tip him off and let him flee, as several corrupt officials had done in the past. I don't condone extra-judicial kidnapping, and it's certainly not the last time the state of Israel has employed the tactic, but in his case it needed doing. The Argentinian government obviously was not happy about it - I believe the lodged a vehement complaint if memory serves, but aside from that, only Eichmann's sons and a few aging nazis gave a damn about the old man.

I wish they'd been able to catch Mengele.

Btw: the thread title is really tasteless.

[everythingsxen]

6. yeah.. I need to read Aliengirl's copy...

Btw: the thread title is really tasteless.

Thank you! :P

[RFKHumphreyObama]

7. Eichmann was a cruel and vicious monster

While I am generally not an advocate of violating another nation's sovereignty to kidnap people, in his case it needed to be done and he deserved the fate he received. Several of the South American governments were much too complicit in covering up for Nazi war criminals and allowing them to evade responsibility for their cruelty, perversion and sadism.

Eichmann went to the gallows proclaiming how wonderful Hitler and his ideology was and showing no sign of remorse or shame for his actions. He was a truly evil, peverted and sick monster and his abduction, trial and execution constituted a triumph for justice and accountability

My only regret is that they didn't get Menegle.

[drumwolf]

8. wasn't Eichmann the subject of Arendt's "banality of evil" thesis?

IIRC, Arendt's impression of Eichmann was not of a vicious monster but a bland Joe Schmo bureaucrat schlub. And her point was that evil doesn't always come from raving monsters but from seemingly normal people -- you know, the "good Germans."

And BTW, I agree that the thread title is totally tasteless -- and I love it! :evilgrin:

[non sociopath skin]

9. I have many issues with the Israelis' way of doing things ...

... but in this instance, I could be easily persuaded that the ends justified the means.

The Skin

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

11. Heah hear

Only bad thing is it kind of legitimized this very questionable tactic.