Eichmann (4½ Stars)

This is a true story based on the interrogation of the Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann by Captain Avner Less in Israel in 1960. In an interview 20 years later Less said that many people had not heard of Eichmann, and so it had become his mission in life to tell everyone that Eichmann was just as evil as Hitler. I confess that although I vaguely remembered the name I couldn't have said anything about him. This film was my first real introduction to the man.

During the war Eichmann's official job was as a transportation officer. This might sound like he played a minor role in the war, but he was actually a very important person. His job was to arrange the transport of Jews from Germany, Poland and Hungary to concentration camps. Not satisfied with this, he used to travel to the camps personally to give advice on executing Jews in order to make room for the next transports. Cyclon B gas was used to kill Jews on his recommendation, since it was far more efficient than the methods that had been previously used. Far from "obeying orders", Eichmann openly disobeyed orders if he thought they were wrong. In 1945 Himmler ordered Eichmann to stop killing Jews because German defeat was imminent, but Eichmann reacted by speeding up the executions to rid the world of as many Jews as possible before it was too late.

After the war Eichmann was captured by the Americans, but he was freed after giving a false name. He emigrated to Argentina using a fake passport. For many years it was thought that this was his own doing, but it was later revealed that the Argentinian government had promised safe haven to any German Nazis who were able to reach their country. In 1960 Israeli agents captured Eichmann and smuggled him to Israel, despite complaints from Argentina and demands that he should be sent back to them. Eichmann was tried in 1961, found guilty, and executed in 1962.

The film is as much about the interrogator Avner Less as it is about Eichmann himself. Less was a man dedicated to democracy and fair legal systems. His life was under threat from Jews who considered that Eichmann didn't deserve a trial and should be executed immediately.