Hunting Eichmann

by Neal Bascomb

  [>] "Are there any questions": Y. Gat, AI.

  Harel then told the men: Harel, p. 150.

  [>] Lying in his bed: A. Shalom, AI.

  In his room: P. Malkin interview, HAE; Malkin, The Argentina Journal, p. 77.

  "I'm going to": P. Malkin interview, HAE.

  CHAPTER 20

  [>] When the Mossad team: Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, pp. 181–83.

  [>] Adolf Eichmann started: Lawson; Pearlman, p. 1.

  This bus was usually: "Eichmann File," Tribunales Federales de Comodoro Py, Buenos Aires.

  Once at the plant: Ibid.; Clarin, May 27, 1960; Pearlman, p. 4.

  [>] Aharoni turned the Buick: Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 184; Peter Malkin interview, Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive.

  Gat was next to: Y. Gat, AI.

  In five minutes: A. Shalom, AI.

  Aharoni stopped: Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 136–37; M. Tabor interview, IMAE.

  [>] "Thank you": Aharoni and Dietl, p. 137; Malkin, The Argentina Journal, p. 102.

  Malkin prepared himself: P. Malkin interview, Spielberg Archive; P. Malkin interview, HAE; M. Tabor interview, IMAE; Pearlman, p. 53.

  They had no guns: A. Shalom, AI.

  The lights from the bus: Harel, p. 162; Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE.

  [>] Malkin looked toward: P. Malkin interview, Spielberg Archive; P. Malkin interview, HAE; McKechnie and Howell.

  Shalom and Gat: A. Shalom, AI; Y. Gat, AI.

  "Do we take off": R. Eitan, AI.

  [>] Standing side by side: M. Tabor interview, IMAE.

  Nursing a hot tea: Harel, pp. 160–61.

  She would not go: Demo Tape, HAE; A. Shalom, AI.

  [>] He stared at: Harel, p. 161.

  Bus 203 came: A. Shalom, AI; P. Malkin interview, HAE; P. Malkin interview, Spielberg Archive; Research Notes, HAE; M. Tabor interview, IMAE; Y. Gat, AI; R. Eitan, AI; Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 136–39; Harel, pp. 163–65; Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, pp. 185–87.

  [>] Never say: R. Eitan, AI.

  CHAPTER 21

  [>] Eichmann shuffled: M. Tabor interview, IMAE; Peter Malkin interview, Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive; Malkin, The Argentina Journal, p. 105.

  For a moment: Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 188.

  Aharoni wondered: Aharoni and Dietl, p. 140.

  "No man can": NA, RG 263, Adolf Eichmann Name File (CIA), General Expansiveness of [excised], August 24, 1961.

  At first Eichmann: Eichmann, Meine Flucht.

  [>] The doctor found: P. Malkin interview, Spielberg Archive.

  Aharoni wanted to begin: Aharoni, On Life and Death, pp. 98–101.

  "What's your name": Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 142–43; Harel, pp. 166–67; Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE; Research Notes, HAE; P. Malkin interview, Spielberg Archive; A. Shalom, AI; Friedman, The Blind Man. The exact transcript of the interrogation is not available. Aharoni and Harel recounted their versions as definitive. I have drawn from these two as well as the recollections of several others.

  [>] Joy swept over: A. Shalom, AI; Y. Gat, AI.

  [>] Shalom and Aharoni first: A. Shalom, AI; Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 143–44; Yaakov Medad interview, Massuah Institute.

  When they reached: Harel, p. 161.

  "The moment I saw": Producer's Notes, HAE.

  Shalom recounted: A. Shalom, AI; Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 143–44.

  [>] "The typewriter": Documentary Interview Notes, HAE.

  "That's all": Harel, pp. 169–70.

  At the house: Lawson; Lauryssens, p. 125.

  [>] "I'm going back": Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 192.

  A few hours later: Malkin, The Argentina Journal, p. 74.

  [>] It was unlikely: A. Shalom, AI; Y. Gat, AI; Aharoni and Dietl, p. 155.

  If the police came: Harel, p. 199.

  Tabor had already: M. Tabor interview, IMAE.

  [>] As he lay: Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 193.

  CHAPTER 22

  [>] On the morning: Y. Gat, AI; A. Shalom, AI.

  "I just have": Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 194.

  "Why did you": Harel, p. 190.

  [>] "Why didn't your family": Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE.

  "No, I don't know": Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 194.

  [>] "Are you prepared": Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE.

  "The old man is gone": "Interview with Klaus Eichmann."

  [>] Together they rushed: Ibid.; AGN, Martin Bormann File. In Klaus Eichmann's recollection of this day recounted to Quick magazine, he stated only that he went to his father's "best friend," not Carlos Fuldner. However, the Argentine archives reveal in a police report/interview with Fuldner that the Eichmann sons came to him, although he said that this occurred only after it was reported publicly that Eichmann had been taken by the Israelis. This later date seems suspect, and it is my conclusion that Fuldner and the "best friend" were the same individual. They also planned: S. Sassen, AI.

  Vera Eichmann went: "Eichmann File," Tribunales Federales de Comodoro Py, Buenos Aires; Weber, pp. 135–39.

  [>] A search around: Anderson, p. 98.

  News of the capture: Y. Klein, AI.

  "Let's do it": Ibid.

  The flow of ideas: Ibid.; M. Tabor interview, IMAE; Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 156–60.

  [>] "You are in charge": A. Shalom, AI.

  The El Al flight: Harel, p. 185.

  Meanwhile in Tel Aviv: B. Tirosh, AI.

  Every time a car: Malkin, The Argentina Journal, p. 57.

  [>] He was obedient: P. Malkin interview, Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive.

  Tabor was reminded: M. Tabor interview, IMAE; Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE.

  Nesiahu was an orthodox: Intelligence and Terrorism Information Bulletin (Israel), January 2004; Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, pp. 96–97.

  [>] When one of Harel's: Ibid., p. 155.

  "The thought of cooking": Ibid., p. 198.

  In the early hours: Ibid., p. 199; Malkin, The Argentina Journal, pp. 13, 18, 19, 31, 84.

  [>] They also scoured: Harel, pp. 209–10; Clarin, May 13, 1960.

  [>] "Adolf Eichmann has": Harel, pp. 170–71.

  "I've come": Bar-Zohar, Ben Gurion, pp. 1374–75.

  [>] "This morning I met": Yablonka, p. 30.

  CHAPTER 23

  [>] At the house: S. Sassen, AI; Lauryssens, pp. 125–26.

  Some of his associates: P. Probierzym, AI.

  Nick and Dieter had: "Interview with Klaus Eichmann."

  [>] Tacuara was a radical: Anonymous Tacuara members, AI; Gutman; Kenneth Marty, "Neo-Fascist Irrationality or Fantastic History? Tacuara, the Andinia Plan and Adolf Eichmann in Argentina" (PhD diss., Princeton University, 1996).

  Though not Tacuara: "Interview with Klaus Eichmann"; Anonymous Tacuara members, AI; Demo Tape, HAE; Gutman. In his interview with Quick, Klaus Eichmann referred to a "Peronist youth group" that came to their aid. It is clear from interviews with several Tacuara members, as well as from the research of Marty and Gutman, that this group was in fact Tacuara. Later, the fascist youth movement took on a more prominent role in the Eichmann affair. Please see chapter 27 for more details.

  Without her knowledge: L. Volk, AI.

  [>] Yosef Klein did not: Y. Klein, AI.

  [>] Now that he was: A. Shalom, AI.

  [>] "The search for": Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 149–50; A. Shalom, AI; R. Eitan, AI.

  He had shuddered: Documentary Interview Notes, HAE; Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, pp. 170–72; Posner and Ware, pp. 134–42.

  Later that day: Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 150–51.

  [>] "Stop insulting me": Aharoni and Dietl, p. 152.

  Earlier, when he: Harel, pp. 194–98; Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE.

  [>] On his arrival: Levai, Eichmann in Hungary, pp. 67–69; The Trial of Adolf Eichmann, p. 2014; Levai, Black Book, pp. 86–88, 108; Hausner, p. 137; Nagy-Talavera, p. 286.

  "Once I've said no": Cesarani, p. 180.

  "The sight of": Harel, p. 184.

/>   [>] "I know what": Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 236.

  On May 16: Documentary Interview Notes, HAE; Harel, pp. 212–14.

  [>] "Dr. Menelle": Harel, p. 215.

  Back at the safe house: A. Shalom, AI; Y. Gat, AI; Harel, pp. 194–98.

  [>] A few tasks: M. Tabor interview, IMAE; Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 157–58.

  "To even be": Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 223.

  [>] "Are you the man": Peter Malkin interview, Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive; P. Malkin interview, HAE; Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, pp. 201–4.

  There have been some arguments about whether it was possible for Malkin to carry on these conversations. In his memoir, Isser Harel related how Malkin spoke to Eichmann at length, but Aharoni discounted that possibility because of the lack of a common language. Other operatives on the mission have said that Malkin did speak to Eichmann. Further, Malkin's recollections of these conversations are pretty consistent, both in his memoir and in the interviews cited above. I have attempted to relate only those conversations that I have confirmed in both his book and the interviews, although they required some spare editing to make sense to readers.

  CHAPTER 24

  [>] On a clear: Eban, pp. 306–13; Kurzman, p. 424.

  After World War II: Bar-Zohar, The Avengers, pp. 24–25.

  [>] However, every effort: Harel, pp. 221–26; S. Alony, AI; D. Alon, AI; "Eichmann File," Tribunales Federales de Comodoro Py, Buenos Aires.

  "Announcing the departure": Reynolds, p. 9.

  At exactly: S. Shaul, AI.

  [>] May 20 was: Harel, pp. 216–17.

  [>] With international delegations: A. Shalom, AI.

  Radio reports indicated: La Nacion, May 19, 1960; La Razon, May 19, 1960.

  That night: "Interview with Klaus Eichmann"; Anonymous Tacuara members, AI; S. Sassen, AI; A. Levavi, AI.

  "Don't do anything stupid": "Interview with Klaus Eichmann."

  [>] "Let me ask you this": Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 218.

  "You do realize": Ibid., p. 218.

  Eichmann was unfazed: Ibid., p. 220.

  [>] "I do like wine": Peter Malkin interview, Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive; Harel, pp. 208–9; Y. Gat, AI; Yaakov Medad interview, Massuah Institute; Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 152–53. The signing of the statement by Eichmann is rife with conflicting stories. In Aharoni's memoir, he stated that he was the one who prompted Eichmann to sign, an assertion that has been supported by Avraham Shalom and Yaakov Gat. Meanwhile, Malkin, backed by Isser Harel's account, stated that he secured the signature. Given that Harel had access to all of the post-operation accounts, I chose to present the Malkin version, although I accept the possibility that it was a more collaborative process. In fact, this is how Rafi Eitan remembers the signing unfolding.

  [>] "I, the undersigned": ISA, 2150/4-hz, Letter from Michael Comay, Israeli UN representative, to President of UN Security Council, June 21, 1960.

  "What date should": Hausner, p. 275.

  "What the hell": Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 232; Yaacov Medad interview, Massuah Institute.

  [>] Captain Shmuel Wedeles: Collective testimony from El Al flight crew, AI.

  Ten minutes later: B. Tirosh, AI; S. Shaul, AI; D. Alon, AI.

  [>] On the way: A. Shalom, AI; Aharoni and Dietl, p. 161.

  A host of diplomats: L. Volk, AI.

  Klein ran about: Y. Klein, AI.

  At last, at 4:05: S. Shaul, AI.

  [>] Klein followed the plane's: Y. Klein, AI.

  "Who are those people": L. Volk, AI.

  [>] Arye Friedman and Mordechai Avivi: Harel, p. 228.

  Shalom and Aharoni watched: A. Shalom, AI; Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 161–62.

  In a café near: Harel, pp. 230–31.

  [>] He gathered: A. Shalom, AI; D. Alon, AI.

  In the dark hours: Y. Gat, AI; A. Shalom, AI.

  Everyone settled back: Harel, p. 235; Aharoni and Dietl, p. 162.

  CHAPTER 25

  [>] On the cold: A. Shalom, AI; Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, pp. 235–41.

  [>] At Maoz, Shalom Dani: Harel, pp. 243–44.

  Tabor spent most: M. Tabor interview, IMAE; R. Eitan, AI.

  Avraham Shalom also: A. Shalom, AI.

  He shared his: Harel, p. 240.

  [>] Harel had sent: Ibid., pp. 244–25; "Interview with Klaus Eichmann."

  [>] Back at Tira: Y. Gat, AI; Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, pp. 240–41.

  "It isn't necessary": Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, pp. 241–43; Aharoni and Dietl, p. 163; A. Shalom, AI; Y. Gat, AI; R. Eitan, AI.

  [>] "We're advancing": S. Shabtai, AI; D. Alon, AI; D. Sasson, AI.

  "Are you going": L. Volk, AI.

  At the airport: Harel, p. 249; A. Shalom, AI.

  [>] In the aeronautical: S. Shaul, AI.

  Aharoni drove conservatively: Aharoni and Dietl, p. 164; Y. Gat, AI.

  [>] At a preappointed: Harel, pp. 250–51.

  [>] "Be absolutely silent": Y. Gat, AI.

  "Do something with": R. Eitan, AI.

  "Form a circle": D. Alon, AI.

  Wedeles was right: Y. Gat, AI; Y. Klein, AI; Harel, pp. 251–52.

  "Pretend to sleep": D. Alon, AI; S. Shabtai, AI; D. Sasson, AI.

  [>] As the Britannia: Harel, pp. 254–55.

  Harel left his: A. Shalom, AI.

  "You surprise me": Y. Klein, AI.

  [>] Minute after minute: Aharoni and Dietl, p. 165.

  As Harel crossed: Harel, p. 255.

  "El Al is ready": S. Shaul, AI; B. Tirosh, AI; O. Kabiri, AI.

  [>] Klein was standing: Y. Klein, AI.

  [>] "What is the problem": S. Shaul, AI.

  At half past: "Interview with Klaus Eichmann."

  CHAPTER 26

  [>] When the Britannia: S. Shabtai, AI.

  "You've been accorded": Harel, p. 260.

  [>] The chief pilot: O. Kabiri, AI; S. Shaul, AI; D. Alon, AI.

  Hour after hour: S. Shaul, AI; Harel, pp. 260–66.

  [>] Yosef Klein concluded: Y. Klein, AI.

  "big exclusive": Ibid.

  [>] The last task: A. Shalom, AI; R. Eitan, AI.

  Red lights flashed: D. Sasson, AI; D. Alon, AI; O. Kabiri, AI; S. Shaul, AI; Y. Gat, AI.

  [>] Harel congratulated: Harel, pp. 268–69.

  So before the steward: Y. Gat, AI.

  The rest of the stopover: A. Shalom, AI.

  Before they took off: S. Shaul, AI.

  [>] Only five years: Goldman, p. 51.

  Shaul and Hassin had: S. Shaul, AI.

  It flew up: Ibid.; D. Alon, AI.

  With the plane: Harel, p. 269.

  At 6:55 A.M.: Aharoni and Dietl, p. 116.

  There was no celebration: S. Shabtai, AI.

  [>] The captain also praised: S. Shaul, AI.

  Customs officials attempted: M. Tabor interview, IMAE; Y. Gat, AI; B. Tirosh, AI.

  "I have been waiting": Aharoni and Dietl, p. 166.

  "The monster is": B. Tirosh, AI.

  Tabor and Gat escorted: Y. Gat, AI; Reynolds, pp. 10–11.

  "I brought you": Harel, p. 271; Bar-Zohar, Ben Gurion, pp. 1374–77.

  [>] Only a few hours: ISA, 3039/1-a, Hofstetter Memo; Harel, p. 274.

  "How many people": R. Eitan, AI.

  "I am Adolf Eichmann": Yablonka, p. 31. Curiously, Halevi issued the warrant under the International Treaty for the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (under the UN charter), which applied only to crimes committed after 1949. The correct law would have been Israel's Nazi and Nazi Collaborators Law (1950).

  Harel then cabled: AdsD, Nachlass Fritz Bauer, Box 1, Letter from Haim Cohen to Dr. Fritz Bauer, May 22, 1960; Harel, pp. 274–75.

  [>] "I have to inform": "The Beast in Chains," Time, June 6, 1960; Robinson, p. 105.

  "When they had": Robinson, p. 106.

  CHAPTER 27

  [>] On May 25: A. Shalom, AI.

  When Shalom returned: Ibid.; Y. Gat, AI.
>
  [>] "You were in": M. Tabor interview, IMAE.

  "Look, didn't you": Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 250.

  "I'm not naive": Aharoni and Dietl, p. 167.

  Eichmann was being: Von Lang, Eichmann Interrogated, pp. xix-xx; S. Nagar interview, IMAE.

  [>] On the afternoon: Yablonka, pp. 66–67.

  The two men: ISA, 3039/1-a, Hofstetter Memo.

  "You recognize me": Von Lang, Eichmann Interrogated, pp. 4–5.

  [>] "But, Captain": Ibid., p. viii.

  In Israel, the shock: Yablonka, p. 36.

  [>] "The Jewish state": Cesarani, p. 239.

  As for the half: Yablonka, pp. 36–37.

  "Israeli agents": Time, June 1, 1960.

  Arturo Frondizi had: A. Levavi, AI.

  Frondizi was also: Rein, pp. 177–79; Cesarani, p. 238.

  "I don't think": A. Levavi, AI.

  "Jewish volunteers": ISA, 2150/4-hz, Letter from the Permanent Representative of Israel to the President of the Security Council, June 21, 1960.

  "supreme moral justification": Ibid.

  The Argentines clearly: Rein, pp. 179–81.

  [>] Unable to strike: Ibid., pp. 206–7; Haim, "Jewish Leadership in Times of Crisis." On July 12: "Eichmann File," Tribunales Federales de Comodoro Py, Buenos Aires.

  One afternoon: L. Volk, AI.

  [>] By the fall: "Eichmann File."

  Chancellor Konrad Adenauer: Wolffsohn, p. 25.

  Still, as the trial: Gardner-Feldman, pp. 134–35; Lavy, pp. 87–88; Vogel, pp. 125–26.

  Although there was no overt agreement, officials on both sides have alluded to this understanding.

  [>] "General Heydrich ordered": Eichmann, "Memoirs."

  Within days of: Lauryssens, p. 128.

  The chief of: NA, RG 263, Adolf Eichmann Name File (CIA), Existence of Eichmann Memoirs, September 13, 1960; NA, RG 263, Adolf Eichmann Name File (CIA), Life and Eichmann Memoirs, September 16–20, 1960.

  The Mossad had: NA, RG 263, Adolf Eichmann Name File (CIA), Adolf Eichmann Case, August 15, 1960; ISA, 3039/1-a, Hofstetter Memo.

  [>] While Eichmann's shocking: M. Gilead interview, IMAE; Cesarani, p. 243.

  These documents: Yablonka, p. 73.

  "Congratulations on your": Levy, p. 89.

  "You never saw": Ibid.

  In the months: ISA, 3039/1-a, Hofstetter Memo.

  On the evening: Friedman, The Hunter, pp. 255–56.

  [>] On November 1: YVS, TR.3, File 1052, Testimony of Zeev Sapir, January 11, 1960.

  An Israeli association: Yablonka, p. 95.

  After being rescued: YVS, TR.3, File 1052, Testimony of Zeev Sapir, January 11, 1960; Zeev Sapir Testimony at Eichmann Trial, Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive; Z. Sapir interview, IMAE; YVS, O.3, File 6151, Testimony of Zeev Sapir, April 9, 1990.