The Nazi Hunters
Page 17
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.
Now, on a late September: Harel, pp. 1–2.
The Mossad’s lack: Fried, pp. 1–4; Douglas, pp. 154–56; Yablonka, p. 12.
Harel himself was haunted: Harel, pp. 2–3.
He read transcripts: Diamant; Bower, p. 393.
Harel was completely: Harel, pp. 2–3.
Harel wanted to know: Ibid., pp. 4–9.
In January 1958: Harel, pp. 10–12; Aharoni, On Life and Death, p. 117.
Harel had tremendous: ISA, 3037/2-a, Biography of Hofstetter, March 21, 1961.
Hofstetter arrived in Buenos Aires: Harel, pp. 14–15.
He was greeted: Documentary Interview Notes, HAE; Y. Gat, author interview; L. Volk, author interview.
After some inquiries: A. Kleinert, author interview.
“My name is”: Harel, pp. 16–22; AdsD, Nachlass Fritz Bauer, Box 1, Letter from Lothar Hermann to Fritz Bauer, June 25, 1960.
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.
His letter wound: Harel, pp. 26–27.
At the end of August: Harel, p. 27.
The trail went cold: Aharoni, On Life and Death, pp. 117–22; Y. Gat, author interview. 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.
Chapter 4
This was information: Despite many efforts in Germany and Israel to uncover this source, I was unable to prove any of the abundant theories on his or her identity. One candidate was Willem Sassen, a Dutch journalist who had served in the SS’s corps of propagandists and later moved to Buenos Aires. On numerous occasions, he interviewed Adolf Eichmann in the development of a never-published memoir he wanted to cowrite with Sassen that would “counter the enemy propaganda” about Eichmann’s activities during the war. Stan Lauryssens, the author of a biography on Sassen, presents the idea that Sassen was the informant (based largely on the confirmed fact that Sassen later worked with the Mossad on finding Mengele). See Lauryssens. Others state that the information came from captured Nazi smugglers in Austria or a fugitive Nazi who wanted to get back at Eichmann for past wrongs. See Derogy and Carmel; Hausner. I suspect that the information came from an agent in the German intelligence services (likely from a fugitive Nazi in Argentina), particularly given the continued silence on the subject.
Zvi Aharoni and Isser Harel: Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE; Aharoni, On Life and Death, pp. 121–25; Producer’s Notes, HAE.
“This is simply unbelievable”: Aharoni, On Life and Death, p. 123.
“I want Zvi”: Ibid., p. 125.
Harel agreed: Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE; Harel, pp. 32–37.
Though equal in height: Bar-Zohar, Spies in the Promised Land, p. 110.
Haim Cohen joined them: Harel, p. 37.
“Prevent Bauer”: Derogy and Carmel, p. 177.
Harel knew this type: Shpiro, Geheimdienste in der Weltgeschichte.
But Ben-Gurion was clear: Wojak, p. 40; Yablonka, pp. 46–47; Harel, p. 38.
“Isser will deal”: Bar-Zohar, Ben-Gurion, p. 1374.
Three weeks later: NA, RG 263, Nazis/West Germany/Post WWII, Current Intelligence Weekly Summary, February 18, 1960; Williams, p. 478.
“evoked pictures”: Tetens, p. 149.
West German Chancellor: NA, RG 263, Nazis/West Germany/Post WWII, Current Intelligence Weekly Summary, February 18, 1960; Time, January 20, 1960; Fulbrook, p. 63; Tetens, pp. 42–60; Prittie, pp. 278–81.
“almost nationwide”: Tetens, p. 222; NA, RG 263, Nazis/West Germany/Post WWII, CIA Report, “Growth of Neo-Nazism,” March 21, 1958.
Soon after the Cologne: Producer’s Notes, HAE.
Chapter 5
His Israeli diplomatic papers: Documentary Transcript, HAE.
Aharoni had the kind: Aharoni, On Life and Death, pp. 9–102.
Aharoni was met: Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE; Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 88–91.
Two days later: Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE; Harel, pp. 43–45.
Roberto was one: Thomas, p. 68.
“For my friend”: Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE.
“Excuse me, please”: Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 92–96.
Listening to Juan’s: Documentary Interview Notes, HAE; Harel, pp. 48–51.
Confident in what: Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 88, 97.
On March 8: Ibid., p. 97.
Aharoni started the car: Harel, pp. 98–103.
“Go back tomorrow”: Research Notes, HAE.
On March 12: Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 103–4.
“And what do you”: Ibid.; Harel, pp. 59–60.
Later that afternoon: Documentary Interview Notes, HAE.
“What happened”: Research Notes, HAE.
“Ah. Never mind”: Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE.
The next day: Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 106–7.
He spotted a one-story: La Razon, April 24, 1961; Ahora, June 7, 1960; Lauryssens, p. 117.
Aharoni noticed: Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE.
On March 16: Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE; Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 106–12.
“It’s possible there’s been”: Research Notes, HAE.
Chapter 6
Over the past: Harel, p. 76; Demo Tape, HAE; Thomas, p. 75; Bar-Zohar, Spies in the Promised Land, pp. 108–9; Rein, pp. 143, 157–59.
Zvi Aharoni lay: Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 116–18.
Vardi was an Israeli: Ben-Natan, pp. 84, 90.
Vardi understood: Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 118–19.
On Sunday, April 3: Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE; Harel, pp. 73–77.
“Are you definitively sure”: Research Notes, HAE.
Chapter 7
In February 1945: Meding, p. 50.
“It’s a mere”: Newton, p. xv; Meding, p. 50.
He wanted Nazi: Rathkolb, pp. 205–20.
The Argentine secret service: 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.
Argentina was not alone: NA, RG 59, 800.0128/5-1547, “La Vista Report”; Simpson, pp. 185–87; Breitman, pp. 350–420.
Munich was swarming: Aarons and Loftus, p. 40.
On May 31: Eichmann Immigration Card, Direccion Nacional de Migraciones (DNM), Buenos Aires; Giovanna C Passenger List, July 1950, DNM; Goñi, pp. 292–317; Eichmann, Meine Flucht.
Eichmann had 485 pesos: Eichmann, Meine Flucht; AGN, Martin Bormann File; AGN, Josef Mengele File.
“the uncle of”: Aharoni and Dietl, p. 67.
When Vera and the boys: “Interview with Klaus Eichmann”; Lawson; Lauryssens, p. 39.
“Veronika”: Lawson.
On April 10: A. Shalom, author interview.
Now he was the Deputy: A. Shalom, author interview.
“How would you feel”: A. Shalom, author interview.
The first choice: A. Shalom, author interview; Y. Gat, author interview; Demo Tape, HAE.
The Mossad staff: Steven, p. 111; A. Shalom, author interview.
Any equipment: A. Shalom, author interview; Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 128.
As the Israeli: Yablonka, p. 46; Papadatos, pp. 52–62; Robinson, pp. 103–6.
Over the next: Harel, p. 89; New York Times, March 16, 1960.
Each night: Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 127.
&nbs
p; He had already contacted: Harel, pp. 38–39.
“Okay, everyone”: Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 140.
“I want to begin”: Demo Tape, HAE.
“We will bring”: Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, pp. 140–41.
Chapter 8
On April 24: Y. Gat, author interview; Harel, pp. 102–3.
He had flown to Rome: A. Shalom, author interview.
“Compatriot”: Ibid.
“What do you want”: Ibid.; Y. Gat, author interview.
Early the next morning: Y. Gat, author interview.
He had already: Harel, pp. 86–89, 99–100.
“Look, friends”: B. Tirosh, author interview.
Peleg was noticeably: Harel, p. 109.
Harel stressed that: B. Tirosh, author interview.
“Will you be able”: S. Shaul, author interview.
“It is a very”: B. Tirosh, author interview.
Lying flat: A. Shalom, author interview; Y. Gat, author interview; Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 128–29.
They needed to find: A. Shalom, author interview; Documentary Interview Notes, HAE.
In the best case: A. Shalom, author interview; J. Moskoviz, author interview.
“The initial team”: Harel, p. 111.
“Dead or alive”: Bar-Zohar, Ben Gurion, p. 1375; Derogy and Carmel, p. 176.
Chapter 9
Shalom and Gat spent: A. Shalom, author interview.
Their own cars: Yaakov Medad interview, Massuah Institute; Documentary Interview Notes, HAE; A. Shalom, author interview.
Yosef Klein, the manager: Y. Klein, author interview.
Shimoni shifted in his seat: Y. Klein, author interview.
For a while: Y. Klein, author interview; Harel, pp. 123–25.
“What your job”: Y. Klein, author interview.
On May 3: Harel, p. 135.
The first was in: Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 168; A. Shalom, author interview.
This second and better: Malkin, The Argentina Journal, p. 48; Harel, p. 132.
After the El Al: A. Shalom, author interview; Harel, p. 130.
On the evening: Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, pp. 153–56.
His hands numb: Peter Malkin interview, Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive; Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, pp. 155–56.
What none of: Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 130–31; Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE; Documentary Interview Notes, HAE.
Chapter 10
At Ezeiza Airport: Y. Klein, author interview; Harel, p. 138.
Back at Maoz: Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, pp. 163–64; Harel, pp. 136–37.
Meanwhile, Avraham Shalom: A. Shalom, author interview; Harel, p. 148.
He also assisted: Yaakov Medad interview, Massuah Institute; Aharoni and Dietl, p. 132.
Throughout all this: Peter Malkin interview, Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive; Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 132.
On May 8: Harel, pp. 142–43.
“We’re glad you’re here”: Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, pp. 169–70.
A hand-drawn map: Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 143.
The Chevrolet would be: Harel, p. 147; Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 133–34; A. Shalom, author interview; M. Tabor interview, IMAE; P. Malkin interview, HAE.
On May 9: R. Eitan, author interview.
He sat down with: Harel, pp. 147–49.
“We’re planning”: Y. Klein, author interview.
Klein had mapped: Ibid.
Now Klein told: Ibid.; Harel, pp. 152–53.
At Tira: M. Tabor interview, IMAE; Producer’s Notes, HAE; Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, pp. 168–69.
“Can you tell me”: Aharoni and Dietl, p. 138.
Meanwhile, in the garage: A. Shalom, author interview.
“You were chosen”: Harel, p. 150.
What should they do: Aharoni and Dietl, p. 183.
What would happen: Ibid., p. 136; A. Shalom, author interview.
What if they: Harel, p. 150.
As many of the team: R. Eitan, author interview.
“Are there any questions”: Y. Gat, author interview.
Chapter 11
When the Mossad team: Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, pp. 181–83.
Adolf Eichmann began: Lawson; Pearlman, p. 1.
This bus was filled: “Eichmann File,” Tribunales Federales de Comodoro Py, Buenos Aires.
At the plant: Ibid.; Clarin, May 27, 1960; Pearlman, p. 4.
Zvi Aharoni turned: Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 184; P. Malkin interview, Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive.
Gat was in the: Y. Gat, author interview.
In five minutes: A. Shalom, author interview.
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, Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive; P. Malkin interview, HAE; M. Tabor interview, IMAE; Pearlman, p. 53.
They had no guns: A. Shalom, author interview.
The lights from the bus: Harel, p. 162; Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE.
Malkin looked toward: P. Malkin interview, Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive; P. Malkin interview, HAE; McKechnie and Howell.
Shalom and Gat: A. Shalom, author interview; Y. Gat, author interview.
“Do we take off”: R. Eitan, author interview.
Tabor and Malkin: M. Tabor interview, IMAE.
At 8:05 P.M.: A. Shalom, author interview; P. Malkin interview, HAE; P. Malkin interview, Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive; Research Notes, HAE; M. Tabor interview, IMAE; Y. Gat, author interview; R. Eitan, author interview; Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 136–39; Harel, pp. 163–65; Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, pp. 185–87.
Isser Harel sat alone: Harel, pp. 160–61.
There was no way: Demo Tape, HAE; A. Shalom, author interview.
He stared at: Harel, p. 161.
Chapter 12
Eichmann staggered uneasily: M. Tabor interview, IMAE; Peter Malkin interview, Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive; Malkin, The Argentina Journal, p. 105.
Eichmann stood: Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 188.
Aharoni could not fathom: Aharoni and Dietl, p. 140.
“No man can”: NA, RG 263, Adolf Eichmann Name File (CIA), General Expansiveness of [excised], August 24, 1961.
He found several: P. Malkin interview, Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive.
This was the moment: 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, Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive; A. Shalom, author interview; 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 erupted in the room: A. Shalom, author interview; Y. Gat, author interview.
They drove into: A. Shalom, author interview; Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 143–44; Y. Medad interview, Massuah Institute.
When they reached: Harel, p. 161.
As Shalom gave: A. Shalom, author interview; Aharoni and Dietl, pp. 143–44.
“The typewriter”: Documentary Interview Notes, HAE.
“That’s all”: Harel, pp. 169–70.
Back on Garibaldi Street: Lawson; Lauryssens, p. 125.
“I’m going back”: Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 192.
Hours later: Malkin, The Argentina Journal, p. 74.
This was only: A. Shalom, author interview; Y. Gat, author interview; Aharoni and Dietl, p. 155.
Tabor had already: M. Tabor interview, IMAE.
He lay on the bed: Malkin, Eichmann in My Hands, p. 193.
After daybreak: Y. Gat, author interview; A. Shalom, author interview.
“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.
“Are you prepared”: Z. Aharoni interview, IMAE.
Chapter 13
“The old man is gone”: “Interview with Klaus Eichmann.”
They went to see: 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.
Vera Eichmann went: “Eichmann File,” Tribunales Federales de Comodoro Py, Buenos Aires; Weber, pp. 135–39.
Then a search around: Anderson, p. 98.
Nick and Dieter pawned: “Interview with Klaus Eichmann.”
Tacuara had been: Anonymous Tacuara members, author interview; Gutman; Marty.
Though not in Tacuara: “Interview with Klaus Eichmann”; Anonymous Tacuara members, author interview; 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.
“Are you the man”: P. 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.
Too scared to attempt: P. Malkin interview, Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive.
The day after: Y. Klein, author interview.