by Neal Bascomb
"The privilege of opening": Trial of German Major War Criminals, vol. 2, pp. 97–98.
[>] "Together with": Trial of German Major War Criminals, vol. 3, pp. 501–2.
"Yes, Eichmann handed me": Trial of German Major War Criminals, vol. 4, pp. 354–73.
[>] The CIC had interviewed: Wiesenthal, The Murderers Among Us, p. 102.
By early September: NA, RG 319, IRR, Adolf Eichmann, SHAEF Headquarters, Military Intelligence, Adolf Eichmann, September 25, 1945; NA, RG 263, Adolf Eichmann Name File (CIA), The German SD and the Persecution of Jews 1933–44, August 27, 1945; NA, RG 319, IRR, Adolf Eichmann, CIC Report on Adolf Eichmann, October 21, 1945.
"urgently wanted at": NA, RG 319, IRR, Adolf Eichmann, SHAEF Headquarters, Military Intelligence, Adolf Eichmann, September 25, 1945. "of the highest importance": NA, RG 319, IRR, Adolf Eichmann, "Summary of Interrogation Reports from Counter Intelligence War Room, London," November 19, 1945.
[>] Yet at the start: U.S. Department of Justice, report, p. 41; Botting, pp. 202–6; Bower, pp. 113–24. For a more detailed analysis of the problems of the investigation of war criminals, see Tom Bower's Blind Eye to Murder, which provides an impressive, damning survey. As I note as well, individual investigators were eager to do their jobs, but political leaders lacked the commitment to pursue war criminals beyond the top echelon tried at Nuremberg.
They had been photographed: Overy, p. 32; Bischof and Ambrose, p. 218.
A few days after: NA, RG 319, IRR, Adolf Eichmann, CIC Report on Adolf Eichmann, January 10, 1946.
"a desperate type": NA, RG 263, Adolf Eichmann Name File (CIA), "SS Obersturmbannführer Adolf Eichmann," 1946.
At the Ober-Dachstetten camp: BArch, Sassen Transcripts, 6/96, pp. 57–58; Eichmann, Meine Flucht; Pearlman, pp. 31–33; NA, RG 65, Adolf Eichmann File (IWG FBI), "The Chase That Doomed Eichmann," article by Zwy Aldouby, no source.
[>] "I have known": Aschenauer, p. 428.
They agreed to hold: BArch, Sassen Transcripts, 6/96, pp. 57–58; Eichmann, Meine Flucht; Pearlman, pp. 31–33; NA, RG 65, Adolf Eichmann File (IWG FBI), "The Chase That Doomed Eichmann."
CHAPTER 5
[>] It was late May: Friedman, The Hunter, p. 117.
Near the end: Ibid., pp. 10–98.
[>] He joined the Polish: Ibid., pp. 104–55.
"And we're anxious": Ibid., pp. 117–21.
[>] Pier explained that: Ibid.; Pearlman, pp. 12–13; Diamant, Manuscript,; Bar-Zohar, The Avengers, p. 71.
"This is not": Friedman, The Hunter, pp. 117–24; Bar-Zohar, The Avengers, p. 76.
[>] Five Jewish avengers: OHD, (130)4, Interview with Asher Ben-Natan; Bar-Zohar, The Avengers, pp. 59–62; Reynolds, pp. 27–32; ISA, 3017/8-a, Report of Dr. Nagel, n.d.
[>] "We are Jews": Bar-Zohar, The Avengers, p. 61.
"I swear to you": Reynolds, p. 30.
[>] Adolf Eichmann was still: R. Tramer, M. Eggers, and U. Schulze interviews, IMAE; O. Lindhorst interview, IMAE; Eichmann, Meine Flucht; BArch, Sassen Transcripts, 6/96.
After escaping: NA, RG 65, Adolf Eichmann File (IWG FBI), "A Woman Recalls a Friend Called Eichmann," article by Fern Eckman, no source; Pearlman, pp. 32–33.
[>] At the end: R. Tramer, M. Eggers, and U. Schulze interviews, IMAE; Eichmann, Meine Flucht.
"Are you trying": Ben-Natan, pp. 72–74; Friedman, The Hunter, pp. 166–69; Diamant, Manuscript. As with much of the history of the capture of Adolf Eichmann, there are competing versions as to who exactly accomplished what. This is particularly true concerning the early postwar stage, when Friedman, Pier, Simon Wiesenthal, Manus Diamant, and others were operating together. In the case of this conversation with Weisl, Diamant and Friedman both claimed to have attended the interrogation. I studied a number of different accounts and found that Friedman's description of the episode was more convincing and was backed up by Arthur Pier (Asher Ben-Natan).
[>] Friedman and Pier returned: NA, RG 319, IRR, Adolf Eichmann, "Interrogation of Dieter Wisliceny," December 2, 1946; Pearlman, pp. 16–18; Diamant, Manuscript. Handsome and suave: Diamant, Manuscript; Ben-Natan, pp. 72–74.
[>] "Thank you": Diamant, Manuscript; Briggs, p. 164.
[>] Hundreds of copies: NA, RG 319, IRR, Adolf Eichmann, CIC Report on Adolf Eichmann, June 7, 1947.
CHAPTER 6
[>] Eichmann wanted to: Eichmann, Meine Flucht.
The capture and confession: Hoess, p. 174.
One day Eichmann read: BArch, Sassen Transcripts, 6/96; Aschenauer, pp. 429–30; Aharoni and Dietl, p. 47.
[>] He began to: Eichmann, Meine Flucht.
In December 1947: Wiesenthal, The Murderers Among Us, pp. 109–10.
This was a story: NA, RG 263, Adolf Eichmann Name File (CIA), SS Obersturmbannführer SS Adolf Eichmann, Report from Berlin, June 17, 1946.
He had also read: Adolf Eichmann, YVS, M.9, File 584a, Interrogation of Rudolf Scheide by Curt L. Ponger; NA, RG 319, IRR, Adolf Eichmann, CIC Report from Gerald Steiner, December 3, 1946.
If Vera Eichmann succeeded: Wiesenthal, The Murderers Among Us, pp. 109–10.
[>] Manus Diamant had told: Diamant, Geheimauftrag pp. 228–29.
[>] That December: Friedman, The Hunter, pp. 176–85.
Follow-up trials: George Ginsburg, The Nuremberg Trial and International Law (Amsterdam: Martinus Nijhoff, 1990), p. 267.
There was a scattering: Conot, pp. 516–19; Ashman and Wagman, p. 17.
[>] One gloomy wintry: Wiesenthal, The Murderers Among Us, pp. 78–81.
"If you don't hear": "Eichmann in Germany."
The morning of his departure: Eichmann, Meine Flucht; Aschenauer, p. 429.
[>] Eichmann's identification card: Goñi, p. 298.
Before leaving: O. Lindhorst interview, IMAE.
Then Eichmann picked up: Eichmann, Meine Flucht; Aharoni and Dietl, p. 147.
The town was swarming: Aarons and Loftus, p. 40.
[>] In February 1945: Meding, p. 50.
"It was a mere": Newton, p. xv; Meding, p. 50.
Peron came from: Goñi, pp. 1–3, 16–17; Rathkolb, p. 192.
After Germany's defeat: Rathkolb, pp. 205–20.
[>] "outrage that history": Meding, p. 158.
"lodge like a cyst": Ibid., p. 40; Rein, p. 55.
Led by the head: Meding, pp. 46–54; Goñi, pp. 101–15.
No author can discuss the movement of war criminals to Argentina without referencing Uki Goñi's The Real Odessa and Holger Meding's Flücht vor Nürnberg? In particular when it comes to Adolf Eichmann, Goñi provides incredible insight into the machinations by which he entered Argentina.
The network would never: Meding, pp. 76–83; Rathkolb, pp. 247–49; Klee, pp. 31–34; Lewy, p. xxiv; Goñi, pp. 229–31; Aarons and Loftus, pp. 30–31.
[>] According to a confidential: NA, RG 59, 800.0128/5–1547, "La Vista Report"; Simpson, pp. 185–87; Breitman, pp. 350–420.
However, none of: Goñi, pp. 117, 231–35; Meding, pp. 67–88.
[>] Traveling as Ricardo: Eichmann Immigration Card, Direccion Nacional de Migraciones (DNM), Buenos Aires; Giovanna C Passenger List, July 1950, DNM; Goñi, pp. 292–317; Eichmann, Meine Flucht.
During his time: Eichmann, Meine Flucht.
[>] Accompanying him: "Interview with Klaus Eichmann"; Goñi, pp. 299–300.
As the ship steamed: Eichmann, Meine Flucht.
The month-long journey: Angolina Bascelli, AI.
Eight times the size: Gunther, pp. 170–71; Prendle, pp. 1, 7; Scobie, p. 3.
"the distances": Gunther, p. 171.
[>] "Listen": Eichmann, Meine Flucht.
Name? Ricardo Klement: Giovanna C Passenger List, July 1950, DNM.
CHAPTER 7
[>] Carlos Fuldner: Eichmann, Meine Flucht; AGN, Martin Bormann File; AGN, Josef Mengele File.
Buenos Aires was awash: Goñi, p. 166.
Eichmann found that: Newton, pp. 65–69; Rein, p. 171.
The defeat of: Research Notes, HAE.
"Among all the capitals
": Freiwald, p. 169.
[>] Like Paris or Rome: "Buenos Aires: Argentina's Melting Pot," National Geographic, November 1967; Posner and Ware, pp. 96–97; Scobie, pp. 166–67; Prendle, pp. 168–70.
Eichmann had 485 pesos: Eichmann, Meine Flucht; AGN, Martin Bormann File; AGN, Josef Mengele File; Eichmann, "Meine Gotzen—September 6, 1961," pp. 452–53; Camarasa, pp. 152–53.
[>] On June 30: H. Luehr interview, IMAE; Clarin, February 12, 1992; Scobie, p. 17; Meding, p. 217.
"German Company": Camarasa, pp. 152–57; Meding, pp. 215–16.
"gone through difficult": H. Luehr interview, IMAE.
[>] "the uncle of": Aharoni and Dietl, p. 67.
So on the day: Eichmann, Meine Flucht; "Interview with Klaus Eichmann"; Lawson.
Flags were flown: Fraser and Navarro, pp. 163–65.
Two days after: "Interview with Klaus Eichmann"; Lawson; Lauryssens, p. 39.
[>] "Veronika": Lawson.
As soon as the railways: "Interview with Klaus Eichmann"; Lauryssens, p. 39; Aharoni, On Life and Death, p. 118.
"Mrs. Eichmann and her sons": Wiesenthal, The Murderers Among Us, pp. 122–23; Israel State Archives, File 3017/8–9, Austrian Police Reports, 1950–54.
[>] "The Nazis lost": Levy, p. 122.
"prolonging the concentration camp": Ibid., p. 123.
His compatriot: Friedman, The Hunter, pp. 185–209.
"You've sunk yourself": Ibid., p. 193.
[>] "Tadek": Ibid., pp. 208–9; Levy, p. 122.
"There are some people": CZA, Z 6/842, Letter from Simon Wiesenthal to Nahum Goldmann, March 30, 1954; Wiesenthal, The Murderers Among Us, p. 123.
[>] Upon his return: Pick, pp. 131–35; Wiesenthal, The Murderers Among Us, p. 124; Levy, pp. 123–24.
"I have been dealing": CZA, Z 6/842, Letter from Simon Wiesenthal to Nahum Goldmann, March 30, 1954.
[>] "This is of great": Pick, pp. 136, 137.
"We are not": NA, RG 263, Adolf Eichmann Name File (CIA), Appeal to DCI by Mr. Adolph Berle and Rabbi Kalmanowitz, October 20, 1953.
According to a secret CIC report in March 1952, the same lack of interest in pursuing Eichmann was stated as the policy of the CIC. At this time, however, the U.S. government was not nearly as blunt. The report states, "In view of the Subject's [Eichmann] reputation and the interest voiced by elements other than the US in his location and apprehension, it is felt that a disinterest in his arrest by U.S. authorities at this time might not be recommendable. Consequently, in reference to the inquiry submitted by Austrian police authorities, it may be advisable to confirm continued interest in [the] Subject's apprehension." See NA, RG 319, IRR, Adolf Eichmann, CIC Report from 430th CIC operations headquarters on Adolf Eichmann, March 31, 1952.
"The time has come": Wighton, Adenauer, p. 310.
[>] Kalmanowitz had passed: NA, RG 263, Adolf Eichmann Name File (CIA), Letter from Simon Wiesenthal to Dr. Goldmann, March 30, 1954.
Dispirited by: CZA, Z 6/863, Letter from Simon Wiesenthal to Dr. Goldmann, September 21, 1954.
Soon after: Wiesenthal, The Murderers Among Us, p. 124.
"We've got other problems": Wiesenthal, Justice Not Vengeance, p. 74.
CHAPTER 8
[>] Nick was tall: Clarin, May 27, 1960.
Sylvia was also attractive: Friedman, The Blind Man; A. Kleinert, AI.
"It would have been": Harel, p. 17.
What his dinner guest: A. Hahn, AI; A. Kleinert, AI.
[>] Even after six years: "Interview with Klaus Eichmann."
As he had done: Lauryssens, p. 92.
Willem Sassen: S. Sassen, AI.
[>] "I would like": BArch, Sassen Transcripts, 6/110, pp. 9–10.
Eichmann paused: Hausner, p. 83.
[>] "real hot story": "Life and Eichmann."
After the war: Groeneveld, pp. 358–66; Lauryssens, p. 48; Goñi, pp. 239–40.
Sassen and Eichmann: P. Probierzym, AI; Hausner, p. 10; Rassinier, pp. 144–47; Lauryssens, p. 72.
"Let us write": Hausner, p. 10.
So began their sessions: S. Sassen, AI.
[>] "I sat at my desk": Lauryssens, p. 77.
"We used the Warsaw": Cesarani, p. 165.
"I sent my": Lauryssens, p. 77.
He continued with: BArch, Sassen Transcripts, 6/95.
[>] He rented his modest: AGN, Martin Bormann File; "Eichmann in Germany"; Goñi, p. 303.
"Beware of Klement": "Interview with Klaus Eichmann."
When Eichmann lost: Ibid.; Harris, p. 216.
[>] Eichmann was a quiet: R. Tonet interview, IMAE.
One night, he snatched: Hull, pp. 99–101.
Nor was he pleased: Von Lang, Eichmann Interrogated, pp. 286–90.
Klaus was more interested: Lauryssens, p. 101.
Eichmann's only wish: Lawson.
In Coronel Suárez: A. Hahn, AI; A. Kleinert, AI; Dr. E. Palenzola, AI; Harel, pp. 16–19; Friedman, The Blind Man.
[>] Lothar knew that he: AdsD, Nachlass Fritz Bauer, Box 1, Letter from Lothar Hermann to Fritz Bauer, June 25, 1960.
Born in Stuttgart: Fröhlich, pp. 11–14; Perels and Wojak, pp. 9–17.
[>] In December 1956: HHStAW, 461/32440/File 2, Arrest Warrant for Adolf Eichmann, December 12, 1956.
He charged his senior: HHStAW, 461/32440/File 2, Letter from Institute of Contemporary History, Munich, to Senior Public Prosecutor, Frankfurt on the Main, May 13, 1957; HHStAW, 461/32440/File 2, Letter from State Police, Buchen County, to Senior Public Prosecutor, Frankfurt on the Main, May 31, 1957; HHStAW, 461/32440/File 2, Letter from Federal Office of Criminal Investigations to Senior Public Prosecutor, Frankfurt on the Main, July 8, 1957; AdsD, Nachlass Fritz Bauer, Box 1, Letter from Lothar Hermann to Fritz Bauer, June 25, 1960.
[>] Wearing a blue dress: A. Hahn, AI; A. Kleinert, AI; Friedman, The Blind Man; Harel, pp. 18–19. To recount the scene of Sylvia Hermann's visit to the Eichmann house, I drew on these four primary sources, which contradict one another on various levels. What is beyond doubt is that Hermann found the address of Adolf Eichmann and presented herself at the house to see if Nick's father was indeed the Nazi war criminal, an act of tremendous courage.
CHAPTER 9
[>] On September 19: Vogel, pp. 55, 62.
"Eichmann has been": Harel, p. 4.
Bauer knew well: Perels and Wojak, p. 14; Shpiro, Geheimdienste in der Weltgeschichte, p. 306.
Although Chancellor: Schwarz, pp. 429–31; Fulbrook, pp. 60–61.
[>] Bauer detested the fact: NA, RG 263, Adolf Eichmann Name File (CIA), The Eichmann Trial and Allegations Against Secretary State Globke, February 7, 1961.
This is an extraordinary report from the American consul in Frankfurt. It reveals that Bauer, with the backing of Zinn, helped the Israelis capture Eichmann. It also reveals that Bauer hoped to use the capture of Eichmann to bring down Globke. Bauer hoped that Eichmann could corroborate testimony that Globke was involved in the deportation of Greek Jews.
Before making any move: Harel, pp. xviii-xix; Wojak, pp. 39–41; HHStAW, 461/32440/File 2, Letter to Senior Public Prosecutor, Frankfurt on the Main, from Federal Office of Criminal Investigations, July 8, 1957.
"I'll be perfectly frank": Producer's Notes, HAE.
[>] Not far from: A. Shalom, AI; Y. Gat, AI; Bar-Zohar, Spies in the Promised Land, p. 156; Bar-Zohar, The Avengers, p. 161.
On a late September day: Harel, pp. 1–2.
[>] The pursuit of war criminals: A. Shalom, AI; Fried, pp. 91–96; Bower, pp. 393–94.
The Mossad's lack: Fried, pp. 1–4; Douglas, pp. 154–56; Yablonka, p. 12.
Little mention: Zeev Eckstein, Kasztner's killer, was a paid informant of the Shin Bet, leading to accusations that the security services were behind the assassination, an unsubstantiated, unlikely scenario that Harel bitterly denied. Note Black and Benny, pp. 154–56.
Harel was the youngest: Bar-Zohar, Spies in the Promised Land, pp. 3–40; Black and Benny, pp. 25–47; Steven, pp. 36–46.
[>] In 1947: Deacon, p. 56.
"Abdullah is going": Derogy and Carmel, pp. 84–85.
Two months later: Steven, pp. 15–16.
"You ought to resign": Bar-Zohar, Spies in the Promised Land, p. 98.
"The past is over": Thomas, p. 40.
Over the next: Black and Benny, pp. 131, 161–68.
[>] With his successes: Steven, p. 63.
Harel was haunted: Harel, pp. 2–3.
He read transcripts: Diamant, Manuscript; Bower, p. 393.
Here was a man: Harel, pp. 2–3.
[>] First, Isser Harel: Ibid., pp. 4–9.
He had made separate: HHStAW, 461/32440/File 2, Investigation of Maria Liebl, From State Police of Buchen to Frankfurt Senior Public Prosecutor, June 9, 1957.
[>] Soon after: Harel, pp. 10–12; Aharoni, On Life and Death, p. 117.
[>] When Shaul Darom: Harel, pp. 12–13.
The Mossad chief: ISA, 3037/2-a, Biography of Hofstetter, March 21, 1961.
At the end: Harel, pp. 14–15.
He was greeted: Documentary Interview Notes, HAE; Y. Gat, AI; L. Volk, AI.
[>] Ilani inquired around: A. Kleinert, AI.
"My name is": Harel, pp. 16–22; AdsD, Nachlass Fritz Bauer, Box 1, Letter from Lothar Hermann to Fritz Bauer, June 25, 1960.
CHAPTER 10
[>] On April 8: Harel, pp. 24–26; AdsD, Nachlass Fritz Bauer, Box 1, Letter from Lothar Hermann to Fritz Bauer, June 25, 1960; ISA, 6384/4-g, Letter from Lothar Hermann to Tuviah Friedman, June 5, 1960.
[>] The letter from Lothar: Harel, pp. 26–27.
Harel had made: A. Shalom, AI.
"if you showed Isser": Bar-Zohar, Spies in the Promised Land, pp. 106–7.
[>] If this proved: CZA, C 10/3702, Memo from Institute of Jewish Affairs, Report 8a; NA, RG 263, Adolf Eichmann Name File (CIA), Adolf Karl Eichmann, FBI Memorandum, September 15, 1948; ISA, 3017/8-a, Notice on June 7, 1951.
He uncovered: Derogy and Carmel, p. 155.
Given the Mossad's: Aharoni, On Life and Death, pp. 117–22; Y. Gat, AI. Although Isser Harel claimed in his autobiography that he never lost interest in the Bauer tip, it is clear from the evidence and the testimony of agents who later participated in the operation to capture Eichmann in 1960 that Harel did indeed shelve the dossier.
At the end of August: Harel, p. 27.
"Sometimes you put together": A. Shalom, AI.
[>] Some months before: NA, RG 263, Adolf Eichmann Name File (CIA), Near Eastern Connections, March 19, 1958.