Tracking down, kidnapping and delivering Adolf Eichmann to Israel is one of the most famous actions of the Mossad. Agents participating in it became heroes of their nation. At least one of them went extremely far to win the favors of a ruthless genocide ...
Adolf Eichmann, author of the "Final Solution to the Jewish Question," was captured by Israeli intelligence on May 11, 1960 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he had been living and hiding for ten years. Agents captured him in the evening as he walked home from the bus stop. He resisted only for a moment. After less than an hour, the entire team and the prisoner found themselves in a carefully selected and prepared house about 30 km from Buenos Aires.
On the first floor of a large walled building rented from a Jewish family a makeshift cell was waiting for Eichmann . Its windows were covered with blankets to muffle all sounds, as were the two hiding places in which a kidnapper could be locked up if, for example, the local authorities had come up with the idea of searching the house. The prisoner did not try to escape, he was submissive and obedient. The agents had not even suspected yet how difficult it would be to keep an eye on him in the days leading up to his secret trip to Israel.
The only things left from the victims of Eichmann (photo:Michel Simoncini, license CC BY 2.0).
I know Hebrew
The docile Eichmann was stripped down to underwear and socks. The false jaw was even removed from his mouth to make sure that no poison capsule was hidden anywhere . No one can stay alert for fifteen years The German said, breaking the silence and revealing himself a little to his pursuers. They were still not 100 percent sure if they had captured the right person.
They found the characteristic scars on the man's body and the likely mark after the removal of the blood type tattoo that appeared on the forearm of every SS man. The interrogation began, and Eichmann was able to admit his true identity fairly quickly.
This article was based on Neal Bascomb's book, "Track Eichmann. The pursuit of the greatest criminal in history ”, Znak Horyzont 2015.
And at this very moment of the brief triumph of the Jewish agents, the German spoiled their moods. His words are quoted by Neal Bascomb in his book Tracking Eichmann. The pursuit of the greatest criminal in history ":
When you told me to be quiet in the car, I already knew that the Israelis caught me (...). I know Hebrew. I learned from Rabbi Leo Baeck. Shema Israel, Hashem Elohejnu…
The Nazi began to recite the most important prayer of Judaism, often said at the time of death, also in the death camps . With difficulty, the Mossad envoys refrained from hitting the prisoner and left the cell. And that was just the beginning of their torment.
Israel's Prime Minister David Ben Gurion in the Knesset in 1957. Three years later, he will announce the capture of Adolf Eichmann from the same place (photo:Israel National Photo Archive, public domain).
Miernota deprived of dignity
Eichmann was nothing like the proud, brave and ruthless Nazi who organized the murder of millions of people in cold blood. The very next day, he politely and truthfully told his captors how he had escaped from Europe. He readily shared his assumptions about how his wife and sons would react to his disappearance. He was scared, trembling with nerves and even in the bathroom he asked for permission to defecate .
All the agents involved in the operation lost a family member during the Holocaust. Instead of hatred, however, they felt mostly contempt and disgust towards the captured. As Neal Bascomb writes:
they were weighed down and haunted by other emotions, namely the frustrating inability to reconcile the deplorable disposition of a prisoner with the fact that he was responsible for the deaths of so many Jews. This inner tear of them cast a shadow over the whole house.
Eichmann in Ramla Prison. Did he look similar during walks in the garden of his house near Buenos Aires? (Photo:John Milli, Israel Government Press Office).
Soon an enthusiastic Mossad agent arrived at the scene. She was supposed to be the wife of one of the kidnappers to make the neighbors think that normal life was going on in the house. When the woman saw Eichmann, she too became overwhelmed with disgust and despondency. Meanwhile, the German had to not only be guarded, but also dressed, shaved and fed . He himself was blindfolded at all times and his leg was chained to the bed. Everyone dreamed of ending the mission.
Even the head of the Mossad was shocked at the sight of Eichmann when he came to visit his subordinates in their hideout. Years later, he wrote in his best-selling book:
Was this the epitome of evil? Was that just a tool in devil's hands? Was this mediocrity, devoid of human dignity and pride, or was it just the messenger of death for six million Jews?
The Bristol Britannia 312 4X-AGB plane used to transport Eichmann to Jerusalem (photo:RuthAS, license CC BY 3.0).
I love Jews
Over time, these feelings only deepened. Eichmann maintained that he never did anything wrong and did not kill anyone, as a soldier he merely followed orders . I dealt with collecting and transporting "- he said. He showed no remorse or even the slightest sympathy for the victims, he seemed incapable of similar feelings.
But this is not the end. The criminal stated at one point that ... he loved Jews . He did not want to hurt them and he supposedly wanted to provide them with their own state, to relocate them to Madagascar or Palestine. Why were they then murdered? Other countries refused to accept them - he translated.
Eichmann spoke constantly with the same agent, Peter Malkin. Over time, along with contempt, he began to feel pity for the helpless and emotionally crippled prisoner. On the eighth day he offered the Nazi red wine and cigarettes, played music on the gramophone. A momentary understanding had developed between the two enemies.
This article was based on Neal Bascomb's book, "Track Eichmann. The pursuit of the greatest criminal in history ”, Znak Horyzont 2015.
So far, Germany has resisted only one point: he did not intend to sign a declaration of voluntary submission to the Israeli judiciary . Now, in a relaxed atmosphere, Malkin convinced him that the trial would be a unique opportunity for him. His words are quoted by Neal Bascomb:
This is the only opportunity in your life for you to say what you think. You will stand trial there in Jerusalem and tell the whole world what you think was right.
At first, Malkin's comrades were furious that he had arranged a "party" for the Nazi and had broken the ban on talking to the prisoner. Only after a while did they cool down and appreciate their friend's achievement. The document signed by Eichmann was of great importance to the Israeli authorities.
***
The Israeli plane with Eichmann on board departed from Buenos Aires Ezeiza Airport on the night of May 20-21, 1960. Some of the crew only now found out about the unusual passenger. The flight attendant sitting next to the German felt an immediate disgust and got up from her seat. She, too, was amazed that such a meager and frightened man could be such a great criminal.
Judges in the Eichmann trial (photo:Israel Government Press Office).
During the trial, Eichmann maintained to the end that he had done nothing wrong and was merely following orders. The line of defense turned out to be ineffective. He was sentenced to be hanged and his body was burnt in the only crematorium in Israel built specifically for this need .
Source:
- Neal Bascomb, Track down Eichmann. The pursuit of the greatest criminal in history , Znak Horyzont, Krakow 2015.