Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
London : Quercus, 2009.
Description
History. Nonfiction. HTML: Hunting Eichmann is the first complete narrative of a relentless and harrowing international manhunt. When the Allies stormed Berlin in the last days of the Third Reich, Adolf Eichmann shed his SS uniform and vanished. Following his escape from two American POW camps, his retreat into the mountains and out of Europe, and his path to an anonymous life in Buenos Aires, his pursuers are a bulldog West German prosecutor, a blind Argentinean Jew and his beautiful daughter, and a budding, ragtag spy agency called the Mossad, whose operatives have their own scores to settle (and whose rare surveillance photographs are published here for the first time). The capture of Eichmann and the efforts by Israeli agents to secret him out of Argentina to stand trial is the stunning conclusion to this thrilling historical account, told with the kind of pulse-pounding detail that rivals anything you'd find in great spy fiction..… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Stbalbach
Hunting Eichmann is a gripping thriller, a detailed, accurate and well paced account, the best of creative nonfiction. Initially I was hesitant to give over 10 hours of my life to a common criminal ("banality of evil") however I'm glad I did as this is more than a Nazi hunt story. Prior to the
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capture of Eichmann in Argentina, and subsequent trial in Israel, the Holocaust was not a big part of popular culture, interest in Eichmann sparked a global interest in the Holocaust leading to waves of survivor memoirs, studies, films and so on. And so it was that Eichmann unintentionally helped to write the history he sought to hide (from). This is an important story worthwhile not only for a good thriller but a key moment in time. Show Less
LibraryThing member krazy4katz
A nail-biting cliffhanger even though we know how it ends. Bascomb tells this story with all the sensitivity and attention to context necessary to give you a sense of both the hunters and the huntee. I was amazed at how Eichmann was able to elude capture in Europe and shocked at the identities of
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some of the people who aided his escape. The stories of the people who risked their lives to capture him -- what can I say? Heartbreaking, heartrending. Yet, for them it was unique opportunity to bring justice in the name of so many wounded and murdered souls. An incredible story well worth reading. I know I am getting off topic, but I just wish the world could learn a few lessons here. Show Less
LibraryThing member KR2
Despite the author repeating himself at times, this was an incredible book that i could not put down. This book shows how we should never forget the atrocities of the Third Reich. Mossad agents could have easily killed Eichmann, but they held back their emotions and brought this person to justice.
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This is the story of how they went about doing that. In a day where there are those who want to deny the holocaust ever happened, this is a must read. It is well researched and fairly well written...moreDespite the author repeating himself at times, this was an incredible book that i could not put down. This book shows how we should never forget the atrocities of the Third Reich. Mossad agents could have easily killed Eichmann, but they held back their emotions and brought this person to justice. This is the story of how they went about doing that. In a day where there are those who want to deny the holocaust ever happened, this is a must read. It is well researched and fairly well written. The author was interviewed on extension 720. Show Less
LibraryThing member KurtWombat
History is untidy. That's easy to forget when everything is presented to us as a timeline. I have always assumed that as World War II ended, there was a concerted international effort to round up the Nazi war criminals and bring them to justice. Quite the contrary. Those who were not recruited by
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the Allied countries including the USA to acquire their various areas of expertise or were not rounded up as a happenstance during final days of the armed conflict, often were allowed to blend in with the peacetime world. Some were even allowed high posts in the post war German government. The most evil fled abroad--among them Adolf Eichman who created and drove the social mechanics that carried millions of Jews to their deaths. The story of his discovery and capture are amazing. The characters involved are compelling and the power of the Nazi crimes are never undersold. Neal Bascomb does a solid job of reporting and the book is well structured so there is little confusion amidst a story that spans many countries and many years. While the book is all those things, I wished it was something else. The story starts with Eichman and we follow him in his efforts to elude capture and escape Europe. I would rather the story had started with the Jews who became his pursuers. From their perspective, even more emotion could have been drawn from the story and Eichman's crimes unraveled like the true mystery that they were after the war. Most people had never heard of Eichman or the part he played. The story of Eichman's capture was not just a criminal being brought to justice, but also a ringing justification for the existence of Israel. By the time of his capture in 1960, the world had rather successfully turned its collective back on The Holocaust. Even many living in Israel knew little of what had actually happened. His capture became a world-wide sensation and his trial an opportunity to educate a world suddenly sitting at attention. Likely without this event, the extent of stories told about The Holocaust since his capture would have been terribly muted instead of attaining a dramatic place amidst the historical/entertainment structure among western cultures. All this would have been more powerful if told from the perspective of the Jewish pursuers from the beginning instead of their taking over the story about half way through. Maybe that was thought too little focus on Eichman. Considering his crimes, that focus could not have wandered far. All that being said, an amazing and compelling true story that gladly is not lost to history's devouring tide. Show Less
LibraryThing member Risa15
Adolph Eichmann, managed to escape in the confusion that followed WWIi and remained a wanted war criminal until he was finally captured by the Israelis in 1960.
This account tells the story of his escape and the information that finally led to his capture. A readable account that reads like fiction
This account tells the story of his escape and the information that finally led to his capture. A readable account that reads like fiction
LibraryThing member kraaivrouw
Adolf Eichmann was the model for Hannah Arendt's banality of evil. Kafka could not have written a more bloodless bureaucrat than Eichmann - the Chief Operating Officer of the Final Solution. Although he was manifestly responsible for the deaths of 6 million or more Jews, Communists, prisoners of
Hunting Eichmann tells the story of the 15-year hunt for Adolf Eichmann after the War ended. Eichmann had been last seen in Hungary, overseeing the systematic murder of over 430,000 Hungarians before fleeing the country in 1945. Captured by the Americans under a false name in 1946, Eichmann escaped them and eventually made his way to Argentina where a community of expatriate Nazis waited to welcome him.
Bascomb's book is the most comprehensive story of how Eichmann was tracked down yet written. Bascomb had access to extensive written materials all over the world that have recently become declassified. In addition, he was able to interview every major player in the story of the capture. It is clear from reading the book that the US and the Europeans were invested in ignoring the Nazis that were left unprosecuted after Nuremberg because bringing them and their stories to light would have also shed light on the number of prominent ex-Nazis working for the U.S. and various other European governments. By the time WWII ended everyone was primarily concerned with fighting Communism and looked the other way when convenient.
Had it not been for the relentless bravery of Nazi hunters like Simon Wisenthal and Tuviah Friedman the case might have gone cold, but their work along with the work of concentration camp survivors in Argentina identified and located Eichmann. The Israelis were tipped off to his location by a West German prosecutor and the capture was on. This team of a dozen Israelis - over half of whom were concentration camp survivors or who had lost their entire families to the camps - went to Argentina to pick him up. That they did so was pretty amazing. That they managed to hold him for 10 days without murdering him outright, despite how soul sucking being in his presence was, is nothing short of a miracle.
This book reads like the best fictional spy stories you've ever read. The history is fascinating and the writing is gripping. I'm not sure that I enjoyed this, but it was well worth reading.
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war, Gypsies, political dissidents, homosexuals, mentally retarded people, and anyone else who had the misfortune to be caught in the wheels of the Nazi system, he never accepted responsibility. He was just following orders. "I never killed anyone ... I was involved in collection and transport."Hunting Eichmann tells the story of the 15-year hunt for Adolf Eichmann after the War ended. Eichmann had been last seen in Hungary, overseeing the systematic murder of over 430,000 Hungarians before fleeing the country in 1945. Captured by the Americans under a false name in 1946, Eichmann escaped them and eventually made his way to Argentina where a community of expatriate Nazis waited to welcome him.
Bascomb's book is the most comprehensive story of how Eichmann was tracked down yet written. Bascomb had access to extensive written materials all over the world that have recently become declassified. In addition, he was able to interview every major player in the story of the capture. It is clear from reading the book that the US and the Europeans were invested in ignoring the Nazis that were left unprosecuted after Nuremberg because bringing them and their stories to light would have also shed light on the number of prominent ex-Nazis working for the U.S. and various other European governments. By the time WWII ended everyone was primarily concerned with fighting Communism and looked the other way when convenient.
Had it not been for the relentless bravery of Nazi hunters like Simon Wisenthal and Tuviah Friedman the case might have gone cold, but their work along with the work of concentration camp survivors in Argentina identified and located Eichmann. The Israelis were tipped off to his location by a West German prosecutor and the capture was on. This team of a dozen Israelis - over half of whom were concentration camp survivors or who had lost their entire families to the camps - went to Argentina to pick him up. That they did so was pretty amazing. That they managed to hold him for 10 days without murdering him outright, despite how soul sucking being in his presence was, is nothing short of a miracle.
This book reads like the best fictional spy stories you've ever read. The history is fascinating and the writing is gripping. I'm not sure that I enjoyed this, but it was well worth reading.
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LibraryThing member jtbeacham
Interesting historical spy thriller written like a fast paced action movie. I enjoyed it.
LibraryThing member yeremenko
The sad truth is the vast majority of the guilty parties involved in the Holocaust were never punished and didn't even need to change their names and hide, many others were lightly punished, then set free. The reality that most Nazis escaped justice makes the story of Eichman's capture a rare
Bascomb's book is the most complete and detailed of the many accounts of the operation. He cuts away some of the mystique. Far from the intricate world wide net finding a master criminal we see Eichman was found mostly because his son's kept the name Eichman and were not shy about sharing their pro-Nazi sentiments. But the details of hos the Israelis captured and got him out of Argentina are fascinating.
An excellent read.
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instance of justice.Bascomb's book is the most complete and detailed of the many accounts of the operation. He cuts away some of the mystique. Far from the intricate world wide net finding a master criminal we see Eichman was found mostly because his son's kept the name Eichman and were not shy about sharing their pro-Nazi sentiments. But the details of hos the Israelis captured and got him out of Argentina are fascinating.
An excellent read.
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LibraryThing member runner56
Hunting Eichmann is an edge of the seat tense adventure story, and made all the more exciting when you realize that this is a true account of the life and eventual death of a notorious nazi killer. There is no more greater satisfaction than seeing someone of great evil being made to pay for his
This is a book that deserves to be read by anyone who has a passing interest in the fate of Hitler's most ardent and fanatical supporters...or indeed if you just love a good, exciting and truthful adventure story, you will not be disappointed and indeed may give a little cheer when the El Al flight crew arrive safely with their precious cargo in Tel Aviv...read enjoy and be thankful this genocidal murderer was brought to justice
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crimes and few people in history have been guilty of more crimes than Adolf Eichmann. He was the operational manager of the genocide that saw the dispatch and murder of some six million jews during the second world war. In style and content this is a very easy book to read, absorb and accept, at no time are you bombarded with heavy historical facts that could detract from the readability and boys own story telling of the book. Eichmann escaped from Germany at the end of the war and soon made his way to Argentina where he lived in relative obscurity for a number of years. His wife and sons joined him at a later date and the family were always blind to criticism aimed at Eichmann. For such an evil man Adolf Eichmann presented as an unassuming figure, there is no doubt that part of this was due to the fact that he wished to blend into his new surroundings and not draw attention to this evil past. But he had a price on his head and a team of Mossad agents, when they confirmed that it was indeed Eichmann living in Buenos Aires, masterminded a simple yet ingenious plot to "grab" Eichmann, keep him hostage and then disguised as an El Al official smuggle him on board an Israeli jet bound for Tel Aviv. You can feel the tension from the moment Eichmann is taken and during his long flight back to receive the justice he so richly deserved, the journey home was filled with danger and the flight arrived in Tel Aviv with just moments of fuel to spare...Phew!!! This is a book that deserves to be read by anyone who has a passing interest in the fate of Hitler's most ardent and fanatical supporters...or indeed if you just love a good, exciting and truthful adventure story, you will not be disappointed and indeed may give a little cheer when the El Al flight crew arrive safely with their precious cargo in Tel Aviv...read enjoy and be thankful this genocidal murderer was brought to justice
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LibraryThing member sscarllet
This book languished on my too read list for far too long. I don't know what was stopping me from starting it. While not quite the action adventure story that the blurb on the back suggests, it still is very exciting. On top of the actual capture of Eichmann, reading about how a covert operations
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works and all the research and dedication that goes into capturing a criminal on foreign soil. Show Less
LibraryThing member bke
I had always been curious how Nazis got out of Europe. If Eichmann was typical, through the connivance of the Roman Catholic church and sympathetic governments like Peronist Argentina. It was interesting reading how the Mossad planned and executed the operation. Can't really say it was suspenseful
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since the outcome was known. Show Less
LibraryThing member slug9000
This is my favorite type of book: Non-fiction that reads like fiction. I really enjoyed this book, and would definitely rank it in my top ten favorite non-fiction books. It starts with a brief biography of Adolf Eichmann, concentrating mostly on his brutality as a key player in the Final Solution,
The most interesting part of the book is the account of the Mossad's involvement in apprehending Eichmann. Reading how the Mossad initially became involved (after missing an earlier opportunity to capture Eichmann), and how they carefully planned the capture, was like reading a spy novel. The book gives background on each of the operatives (many of whom were Holocaust survivors) and details their feelings about capturing (and then guarding while they secured transport out of Argentina) a man who orchestrated the death of many of their friends and family.
The book also does give some details on Eichmann's life from his perspective, to the extent that such information is available. We find out a little about his life in Argentina, his family, and how he viewed himself vis a vis the Holocaust.
I highly, highly recommend this book. The only negative I found in this book was the fact that the pictures are clustered together in the middle of the book (which I normally like), but I did find that they "spoiled" the end of the book. I knew that Eichmann was captured, but some of the pictures gave away some details I didn't know, and I hadn't reached that point in the book yet. So I do recommend skipping past the pictures and reviewing them at the end.
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and details how he fled to Argentina with the assistance of Nazi sympathizers (including the Vatican). The most interesting part of the book is the account of the Mossad's involvement in apprehending Eichmann. Reading how the Mossad initially became involved (after missing an earlier opportunity to capture Eichmann), and how they carefully planned the capture, was like reading a spy novel. The book gives background on each of the operatives (many of whom were Holocaust survivors) and details their feelings about capturing (and then guarding while they secured transport out of Argentina) a man who orchestrated the death of many of their friends and family.
The book also does give some details on Eichmann's life from his perspective, to the extent that such information is available. We find out a little about his life in Argentina, his family, and how he viewed himself vis a vis the Holocaust.
I highly, highly recommend this book. The only negative I found in this book was the fact that the pictures are clustered together in the middle of the book (which I normally like), but I did find that they "spoiled" the end of the book. I knew that Eichmann was captured, but some of the pictures gave away some details I didn't know, and I hadn't reached that point in the book yet. So I do recommend skipping past the pictures and reviewing them at the end.
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LibraryThing member Chris_El
After reading The House on Garibaldi Street, about the capture of Eichmann written by the head Mossad agent I was concerned this book might just feel like a re-hash.
However, this book told more of the story of who Eichmann was before the capture and it talked about the international reaction after
One of the interesting things is reading about how he justified his actions. He stated that he felt he was right with God and he had done no wrong. Prior to his capture he dictated his memoirs to an author who published after his cature. He spent quite a bit of time justifiying himself there to so he obviously felt defensive about his record.
This book does talk about some of the survivors of the holocaust and what Eichmann was responsible for. It does not list the background of the agents and their stories like The House on Garibaldi does.
Overall I'd say this is the easier read of the two books and covers more ground before and after the capture.
However, this book told more of the story of who Eichmann was before the capture and it talked about the international reaction after
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his capture. It also discussed the trial and the results on the nation of Israel. One of the interesting things is reading about how he justified his actions. He stated that he felt he was right with God and he had done no wrong. Prior to his capture he dictated his memoirs to an author who published after his cature. He spent quite a bit of time justifiying himself there to so he obviously felt defensive about his record.
This book does talk about some of the survivors of the holocaust and what Eichmann was responsible for. It does not list the background of the agents and their stories like The House on Garibaldi does.
Overall I'd say this is the easier read of the two books and covers more ground before and after the capture.
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LibraryThing member breic
Extremely detailed, to the point where you have to wonder how much Bascomb made up. Yet it doesn't feel like a novel, because the writing lacks any pizzazz. I found it interesting to learn about all the details involved in a real-life "Mission Impossible" spy mission. It's as complex as you'd think
> Buenos Aires was awash with refugee German Nazis, Italian Fascists, Spanish Falangists, Belgian Rexists, and expatriate members of the French Vichy government, the Romanian Iron Guard, the Croatian Ustashi, and the Hungarian Arrow Cross. The number of high-level war criminals totaled in the low hundreds, but many thousands more had been members of these groups and, at the very least, complicit in the atrocities of the war. They associated with one another, and some were very close to Perón…
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(and a bit tedious). > Buenos Aires was awash with refugee German Nazis, Italian Fascists, Spanish Falangists, Belgian Rexists, and expatriate members of the French Vichy government, the Romanian Iron Guard, the Croatian Ustashi, and the Hungarian Arrow Cross. The number of high-level war criminals totaled in the low hundreds, but many thousands more had been members of these groups and, at the very least, complicit in the atrocities of the war. They associated with one another, and some were very close to Perón…
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LibraryThing member debs4jc
Tells the story of the people who doggedly hunted down Adolf Eichmann, a high ranking Nazi who helped organize and run "The Final Solution". The book opens with the scene in which Mossad agents are about to capture Eichmann as he returns to his South American home, and then goes back in time to
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explain who Eichmann was, how he escaped capture after the war, and who the people were who were obsessed with captured him. I found parts of this book fascinating, as anyone would I wondered what Eichmann's motivations were and I also found it amazing how he evaded capture. I also found it amazing how he was able to be hunted down and the book captured the tension of the agents sweating it out as they methodically plotted his capture and extradition. Students of history will definitely find this one interesting. Show Less
LibraryThing member iBeth
Until I read this book, I didn't realize how little I knew about the post-WWII era. I'd assumed that surely every civilized person wanted to bring Nazi war criminals to justice. On the contrary, Eichmann's discovery/capture/trial was a risky long-shot, a venture whose success transformed the
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world's attitude towards ex-Nazis. Even though I knew how the story ended, I found myself holding my breath in suspense at various points. Show Less
LibraryThing member Castlelass
Non-fiction about the capture of Adolph Eichmann, the notorious Nazi responsible for transportation of millions of Jews to the death camps during WWII. This book traces the Israeli Mossad’s efforts to locate Eichmann and bring him to justice. Although I knew the basics of the story, I had no idea
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of the complexity of the task. I was impressed at the author’s ability to maintain a thread of tension and suspense, especially since the outcome is already known. The author also kept the story tightly leashed. It would have been easy to range far afield, since he had to cover enough of Eichmann’s early years, his rise to power in the Nazi SS, and how he escaped after the end of the war. I found it fast-paced and riveting. It reads like a mystery or thriller. The writing is journalistic in style: straight-forward and easily followed. Content includes descriptions of Holocaust atrocities and violence. Recommended to those interested in WWII history, the Holocaust, international espionage, or war crimes. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
2009
Physical description
ix, 390 p.; 24 cm
ISBN
9781847247384
Local notes
Donated by Pam Tatz, February 2020