• Published 03:02 14.03.10
  • Latest update 17:18 16.03.10

Did Germany help Eichmann escape to Argentina?

German court may release papers detailing Adolf Eichmann's escape and subsequent capture by Israel.

By Ofer Aderet Tags: Germany Holocaust Israel news

BERLIN - Germany's Federal Court of Justice is set to decide whether to release 4,500 pages of classified documents relating to Adolf Eichmann's escape to Argentina and his subsequent capture by Israeli agents.

According to Der Spiegel, the German journalist Gabriele Weber has appealed for the German domestic intelligence service, the BND, to release the documents. However, the BND says the documents are still classified for reasons of state security and for fear that publication of some documents might deter foreign intelligence services from future cooperation with Germany.

Eichmann, one of the chief architects of the Nazis' "Final Solution" to annihilate European Jewry, escaped to Argentina in 1950 after managing to hide in Europe for several years. He lived in Argentina for 10 years before being abducted by the Mossad and brought to trial in Israel. He was executed by hanging in 1962.

Israeli researchers are most interested in documents in the file allegedly detailing cooperation between the Mossad and German intelligence prior to Eichmann's capture. The BND's lawyers stress that the documents must be kept secret because much of the information they contain were received from a "foreign intelligence service." German observers believe the organization in question is the Mossad. Revealing the foreign service's name, they argue, will seriously damage intelligence cooperation between Germany and other countries.

Another potential embarrassment for German authorities lies in the possibility the documents vindicate theories, voiced by historians over the years, that Eichmann was assisted by German officials as he was on the run.

It's well-established that German officials in Buenos Aires maintained communication with Eichmann and provided him with passports and other documents. They also provided passports and documents to his family members, all under their real names.

Weber's lawyer, Rainer Geulen, said there were good reasons to believe Germany helped Eichmann escape. He said he believes the most sensitive information in the files concerns Eichmann's escape from Germany and may include Eichmann's own testimony about officials who helped him get away.

Eichmann's son, Ricardo, an archaeologist who lives in Berlin, told the weekly Der Spiegel he supported the documents' release, adding it was time they were made available for academic research.

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  • 20. 0 0
    To Charro?
    • Giora
    • 26.03.10
    • 21:30

    It would be better for you to go back to school and learn from sound material.

  • 19. 0 0
    Zionist (#2)
    • JJ
    • 16.03.10
    • 15:22

    "After the war there were plenty of Nazi sympathisers". Indeed: 'rat lines' -- http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/843805.html

  • 18. 0 0
    Not even news
    • Devasahayam
    • 15.03.10
    • 15:44

    This conclusion could easily have been reached by simple reading of Frederick Forsyth's "Odessa File" (for which Forsyth did much research) which showed that many SS personnel had simply "hidden in plain-sight" even within German police forces--so how much more would it be for them to have been in the German intel service BND?

  • 17. 0 0
    The Eichmann papers
    • Renny
    • 15.03.10
    • 12:09

    I think the papers should be released as I think we have a right to know who helped this monster to escape, particularly if the cathlic church helped him, which is very likely. It boggles the mind that religious people would help someone who assisted in killing millions.

  • 16. 0 0
    It should be released you can't deny the truth
    • me
    • 15.03.10
    • 10:11

    just because you think it might hurt germany, germany had already been hurt...we can't let the past be the past if they keep hiding things just because they are afraid the truth is to much to handle. After what germany did the least they can do is get clean and honest about it.

  • 15. 0 0
    The U.S. government helped Eichmann.
    • Edward
    • 15.03.10
    • 08:29

    The problem, I think, is less the revelation that Germany assisted Eichmann and other war criminals since this is well known. Large numbers of well known war criminals got--- and still get--- German social security pensions and benefits. Its highly doubtful that there could be any surprises here. Part of the problem of the archives is they contain too detailed information on how the U.S.-- and U.K.-- assisted and in many cases provided financial support and protection to German war criminals. These could be potentially quite scandalous and embarrassing to the U.S.--- especially revelations that the U.S. provided support to Latin American dictatorships to persecute Jews seen as counterproductive to U.S. "strategic interests" which included providing protection to German mass murderers.

  • 14. 0 0
    Open all the archives everywhere
    • Koch
    • 14.03.10
    • 19:36

    each and every archive should be opened , not only in germany but especially the very interesting archives from GB , US and Israel

  • 13. 0 0
    Eichmann
    • Yochanan Delmonte
    • 14.03.10
    • 18:53

    I lived in Germany for altogether 20 years. I have read extensively on what went on during that time as well as having spoken with plenty of people who had lived during that time. The Germans after WWII were still sympathetic to those who had committed crimes against humanity on Germany's behalf and were antagonistic towards anybody who exposed them; like Fritz Hermann Gräbe the Moses of Rovno. Sincerely, Jack

  • 12. 0 0
    what about Yoshua, or Jesus
    • charro
    • 14.03.10
    • 18:31

    I think this part of Jesus does not belong to this section, but, anyway, Jesus or Yoshua was born, lived and died as a Jew, ninety years after his presumed death some people made up all those ""miracles". Rome was in big social problems and the whole empire was in shambles, the emperor used this christianity idea in order to save the empire and to give people a reason to unite and defend the system.Shabat was the BIG day not sunday or any other day, but in order to erase anything of Judaism within Jesus, people invented the sunday shtik. this is one of the many things ""changed" in order to apeal christianity as a new religion.it was never intended to be as such it was a as Jesus as an equal to Jeremiah or Ishiayau, a protector of Jewish religion in timnes of being dominated by another culture, as many times before

  • 11. 0 0
    the truth about Jesus
    • cristian
    • 14.03.10
    • 16:52

    was jesus jew or gentile? jesus was jew did jesus live with judaism or christianity? jesus lived with judaism how is the new covenant of jesus? mashiaj wants to change our evil spirit for the good spirit did jesus adore statues? no jesus did not did jesus rest on sunday or saturday? on saturday was jesus wicked or righteous? jesus was righteous did jesus teach to do good or evil? jesus taught to do good was jesus furious because people were liars or sincere? because they were liars did jesus himself change anything of torah or his followers? his followers did,i invite you to read for yourself the gospels to look for the truth but at first you must forget what his liars followers did and said and you really know who jesus was.

  • 10. 0 0
    here the original story
    • Joshua Emigre
    • 14.03.10
    • 13:19

    http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,682826,00.html

  • 9. 0 0
    This was a spiegel story, not a daily mail story.
    • Joshua Emigre
    • 14.03.10
    • 13:18

    This was a SPIEGEL ONLINE story, not a daily mail story. FYI.

  • 8. 0 0
    Well..
    • FT
    • 14.03.10
    • 13:07

    Acording to Gaby Weber, who happens to come from my town/village etc, if I understood her Chat with Socrates right, Degussa is not only the source of Irans, Pakistans etc nuclear technology, via Steenbeck and this brillant student from Pakistan, ut also of Israels technology. The Speigel, again, but Gaby is different.

  • 7. 0 0
    BND helped Mossad catching him
    • evil-twin
    • 14.03.10
    • 12:27

    It's said that the BND got intel of the Mossad about Eichmann's location. But the BND didn't trust the German officials because some once helped Eichmann escape and would do it this time again. So instead they kept silent and helped the Israelis/Mossad to capure him.

  • 6. 0 0
    "Hitler and his crimes"
    • FT
    • 14.03.10
    • 12:06

    If things were so simple.

  • 5. 0 0
    No doubt Germany aided the SOB.
    • Stephen.
    • 14.03.10
    • 12:05

    Just to quote the following, Quote: the BND says the documents are still classified for reasons of state security and for fear that publication of some documents might deter foreign intelligence services from future cooperation with Germany. Unquote. There are many Nazi sympathizers in all walks of life in Germany. Many still talk of the "old" days when everything was "fine"! Good day.

  • 4. 0 0
    Brother Eichmann
    • FT
    • 14.03.10
    • 12:05

    Punishment is not everything. But I am happy that Gabriele Weber brings light into this part of the tragedy. Wish her good luck!

  • 3. 0 0
    Not only Germany,but...
    • David Nigel Braham
    • 14.03.10
    • 11:49

    Italy helped hundreds of Nazi war criminals escape through the port of Genoa,that includes Italian fascists. I beleive that nearly all developed countries gave asylum to Nazi war criminals,especially South American countries.

  • 2. 0 0
    After the war there were plenty of Nazi sympathisers
    • zionist forever
    • 14.03.10
    • 10:09

    If there is any truth to the accusation that senior government officials in Germany helped Eichman escape then we should remember Germany after the war is not what it is today. Plenty of former Nazi party members suddenly became good citizens who had always opposed the Nazis and became government officials but just because they were playing the respectable official didn't mean they no longer believed in the Nazi ideology and wanted to help men they privately saw as heros. There were also the corrupt officials who could be paid off to do a few favors to help former Nazis escape. I think that if there is any truth the these accusations then its perfectly understandable why it went on and that it was a different time and attitudes were different. The important thing is Eichman was caught and and put on trial in ISRAEL where he could be judged by jews for crimes against the jewish people not just a pannel of international judges on the grounds of war crimes.

  • 1. 0 0
    Open the archives!
    • Historian
    • 14.03.10
    • 10:01

    Germany should open the archives, all of them! This old excuse that "fear that publication of some documents might deter foreign intelligence services from future cooperation with Germany" is old and tired! Everything that has to do with Hitler and his crimes should be made public. How else are we supposed to educate the new generations if we don't have the full picture?