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Adolf Eichmann (March 19, 1906 — June 1, 1962) was a high-ranking official in Nazi Germany, and a member of the SS (Schutzstaffel). He was largely responsible for the logistics of the extermination of millions of people during the Holocaust, in particular, Jews, which was called the "final solution" (Endlösung). He organised the identification and transportation of people to the various concentration camps. Therefore, he is often referred to as the 'Chief Executioner' of the Third Reich.
Early years
Adolf Eichmann was born and raised in Solingen, Germany. As a child, Eichmann was rather dark-complexioned, and other children taunted him for looking like "a Jew."
Nazi Germany
In 1934 he served as an SS corporal at Dachau concentration camp where he attracted the attention of Reinhard Heydrich. In September 1937, he was sent to Palestine with his superior Herbert Hagen to assess the possibilities of massive Jewish emigration from Germany to Palestine. They landed in Haifa but could only obtain a transit visa from the British authorities, so they went on to Cairo. In Cairo they met a member of the Haganah but the content of the meeting is disputed. They had also planned to meet Arab leaders in Palestine, including the Mufti of Jerusalem Amin al-Husayni, but entry to Palestine was refused by the British authorities. Afterwards they wrote a report recommending against large-scale emigration to Palestine for economic reasons and because it contradicted the German policy of preventing the establishment of a Jewish state there.
Eichmann attended the Wannsee conference in 1942, which was responsible for the determination of issues relating to 'the final solution of the Jewish question'. Receiving the rank of SS-Obersturmbannführer (Lieutenant Colonel), Eichmann was made head of Gestapo Department IV B 4, which was responsible for all the logistics relating to the extermination underway.
Post-War period
After World War II, Eichmann was captured by US troops. However, in 1946 he managed to escape from a prison camp. After many travels (mainly in Italy and the Middle East) also with the help of a passport issued by the Vatican, he settled in Argentina in 1950, under the name of Ricardo Klement, and brought his family to the country soon afterwards. He was kidnapped by a team of Israeli agents led by Peter Malkin of the Mossad (Israeli secret service) on May 11, 1960 as part of a covert operation. He was flown aboard an El Al jet from Argentina to Israel on May 21, 1960.
Eichmann in bulletproof glass booth during the open trial.
His trial in front of an Israeli court in Jerusalem started on February 11, 1961. He was indicted on 15 criminal charges, including charges of crimes against humanity, crimes against the Jewish people, and membership of an outlawed organization.
The trial caused huge international controversy as well as an international sensation. The Israeli government deliberately fueled the sensation by allowing news programs all over the world to broadcast the trial live without any restrictions. Television viewers saw a nondescript man sitting in a bulletproof glass booth while witnesses, including many Holocaust survivors, testified against him and his role in transporting victims to the extermination camps. During the whole trial, Eichmann insisted that he was only "following orders."
Convicted on all counts, Eichmann was sentenced to death (the only civil execution ever carried out in Israel) on December 2, 1961 and was hanged a few minutes after midnight on June 1, 1962 at Ramla prison.
See also: ODESSA
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