Eichmann Interrogated: Transcripts from the Archives of the Israeli Police

Adolf Eichmann made many statements when interviewed, and this review only touches on a few topics. One of these is the personal philosophy of Eichmann, including his rejection of Christianity: "More and more I came to the conclusion that God can't possibly be as small as in the Bible stories. I thought I had found my own belief. And I read Schopenhauer, who says the way of religious faith is safer and the way of freedom is a dangerous way, which the individual must perpetually work out for himself. I said to myself: The God I believe in is greater than the Christian God." (p. 39). Eichmann also touches on the early days of the Nazi Party: "Yes, Herr Hauptmann, of course there was hatred of the Jews in it. But in those days there were lots of party members with Jewish relatives by blood or marriage. I myself knew an SS-Scharfuhrer who was a Jew...I said to him: Good God, man, there's nothing I can do for you. The only advice I can give you is: Clear out, go to Switzerland or somewhere else, because it's no good for you here, it's no good, it's hopeless." (p. 41). The idea of sending Europe's Jews to Madagascar has at times been mistakenly attributed to the Poles. In actuality, this idea goes back to one of the early pioneers of Zionism. As Eichmann explains: "I remembered Theodor Herzl's efforts to bring about a Jewish state, described by Adolf Bohm, and that at one time Herzl had considered plans for Madagascar." (p. 65). After being asked by interrogator Avner W. Less if he got the idea from a Polish commission that had visited Madagascar in 1937, Eichmann replied: "No, never, never, never. I got the idea from Theodor Herzl." (p. 69). Eichmann also denied knowledge of the conclusions of the Polish commission, which had found the whole idea impractical, as recounted by Less: "...this Polish commission...came to the conclusion that a maximum of fifteen thousand European families could be settled there, while certain members of the commission thought that figure far too high..." (p. 69). Eichmann denies knowledge of any written order to exterminate the Jews. He instead claims that Heydrich communicated this order verbally from Hitler (p. 81). Eichmann briefly discusses the deal he made with Hungarian Jewish leader Rudolf Kastner, in which nearly 1,700 Jews were eventually freed (p. 211, 255). As the editor describes: "What Eichmann wanted to `straighten out' was a deal which Becher, with Himmler's approval, had made with a Swiss representative of the American Joint Committee. Several hundred Hungarian Jews selected by Dr. Kastner had already arrived, via Bergen-Belsen, in Switzerland, from where they would continue on to Palestine. But the agreed payment in foreign currency had not arrived in Germany." (p. 255). Even more intriguing is Eichmann and his claim of being prepared to free 1 million Jews in exchange for ten thousand trucks (p. 211).

This is a hard book to read, but highly recommended. It must have been Eichmann's worst nightmare: to find himself brought to justice by the very people he tried to exterminate. One feels no sympathy for the man; what makes the book so uncomfortable to read is to see him lie and dissemble. Like the monstrous bully he was, he is unable to accept responsibility or to show any genuine remorse. Rather, he claims to have been a cog in the wheel, to have no responsibility for what happened. One would almost wish he just denied guilt rather than put on this snivelling performance (but then, it is the Holocaust deniers who ought to be forced to read this book because it not only makes it clear what happened, it makes it obvious, to me at least, that Hitler ordered it).The brilliant interrogation of Captain Avner Less of the Israeli police should be read by all law enforcement officers as a way to trap a suspect. Eichmann denies knowledge of a particular matter and then is shown a document on that very subject that he signed. "I can't wriggle out of that one," becomes a refrain. Peculiar little sidelights about the Holocaust pop up. Captain Less asks about Jewish Nazis, for instance (of which there were a few, surprisingly enough) and Eichmann goes through a song and dance about how they had to be sent off to the camps because they were Jews but were isolated from the other prisoners because they were Nazis. Really twisted knowledge. It was impossible for me to read this book with a lower opinion of Eichmann than I already had, but it does give you insight into how evil can dominate someone who lacks a moral compass.

In many works attempting to discuss the minds behind the Nazi Final Solution, the reader is harnessed with the task of sorting facts from assumptions and interpretations that too often color an otherwise accurate book. However, Eichmann Interrogated allows the reader to study the words of one of the most notorious actors of Hitler's plans for genocide and mass murder. While reading the transcripts of Eichmann's interrogations at the hands of Israeli police, I attempted to try and understand what would cause Eichmann, a man who in his earlier years had a fascination for Jewish culture, to turn evil and attempt to destroy a whole race of people. Although the transcripts don't provide an answer to such a complex question, they did provide a means to study Eichmann. Through out the interrogation, Eichmann consistently denied his role in carrying out the Final Solution. Rather than admit to any actual killings of Jews, Eichmann stuck to a story which maintained that he was simply a soldier following orders, and even then, his only task was to ensure that the trains containing the Jews were running accurately. I found it also interesting to read that Eichmann claims to have provided alternatives to the wholesale slaughter of the Jews, such as exportation of all Jews to the African island of Mauritius, or the strangely Zionistic support for the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine. Although the truth about Eichmann and his motivations will never be clear, the transcripts of his interrogation, although possibly filled with lies, provides an interesting historical document for those wishing to learn more about the psychology of the engineers of the Final Solution.

The Israeli agents involved in his capture couldn't believe that such an unremarkable man could be the one with the blood of six million Jews on his hands - This book reveals how he could! This is one of the best books I have read in a long time, not (I agree) everyone's cup of tea but definately mine! Once started I couldn't put the thing down. I was locked to it with disbelief at the way Eichmann could rationalise all his actions (almost justify them) and distance himself from the end product of the conveyor-belt he claimed to be....just the transporter of! I know others have written not particularly savoury reviews of this book, but if you are in any way interested in the Holocaust then reading of the bringing to justice of one of it's most notorious perpetrators will be time well spent. Highly recommended...............Fascinating!

This book is essentially one extended interview (the actual sessions spanned almost a year). Eichmann acknowledges his role in the SS, yet he denies the most horrific charges against him. He presents himself as a soldier first, and spins out a defense that is a combination of: (1) his repeated, mantra-like claim of loyally following orders; and (2) his insistence that his responsibility was "relocation/emmigration," and he knew nothing about the subsequent exterminations. Most disturbing (and galling) is his constantly blaming events on others, such as other Nazis who had testified against him. He claims that because the British were blocking Jews from entering Palestine, he was forced to resettle Jews elsewhere, leading to the Final Solution. Eichmann is repeatedly confronted by evidence (documents and testimony) that contradict him. It is interesting to read his denials and spin. Also maddeningly frustrating. The historical notes are good, although I would have appreciated a bit more historical background.