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Ich jagte Eichmann
The true story behind “one of history’s great manhunts” and the film Operation Finale by the Mossad legend who caught the most wanted Nazi in the world (The New York Times).
1n 1960 Argentina, a covert team of Israeli agents hunted down the most elusive war criminal alive: Adolf Eichmann, chief architect of the Holocaust. The young spy who tackled Eichmann on a Buenos Aires street—and fought every compulsion to strangle the Obersturmführer then and there—was Peter Z. Malkin. For decades Malkin’s identity as Eichmann’s captor was kept secret. Here he reveals the entire breathtaking story—from the genesis of the top-secret surveillance operation to the dramatic public capture and smuggling of Eichmann to Israel to stand trial.
The result is a portrait of two men. One, a freedom fighter, intellectually curious and driven to do right. The other, the dutiful Good German who, through his chillingly intimate conversations with Malkin, reveals himself as the embodiment of what Hannah Arendt called “the banality of evil.” Singular, riveting, troubling, and gratifying, Eichmann in My Hands “remind[s] of what is at stake: not only justice but our own humanity” (New York Newsday).
Now Malkin’s story comes to life on the screen with Oscar Isaac playing the heroic Mossad agent and Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley playing Eichmann in Operation Finale.
1n 1960 Argentina, a covert team of Israeli agents hunted down the most elusive war criminal alive: Adolf Eichmann, chief architect of the Holocaust. The young spy who tackled Eichmann on a Buenos Aires street—and fought every compulsion to strangle the Obersturmführer then and there—was Peter Z. Malkin. For decades Malkin’s identity as Eichmann’s captor was kept secret. Here he reveals the entire breathtaking story—from the genesis of the top-secret surveillance operation to the dramatic public capture and smuggling of Eichmann to Israel to stand trial.
The result is a portrait of two men. One, a freedom fighter, intellectually curious and driven to do right. The other, the dutiful Good German who, through his chillingly intimate conversations with Malkin, reveals himself as the embodiment of what Hannah Arendt called “the banality of evil.” Singular, riveting, troubling, and gratifying, Eichmann in My Hands “remind[s] of what is at stake: not only justice but our own humanity” (New York Newsday).
Now Malkin’s story comes to life on the screen with Oscar Isaac playing the heroic Mossad agent and Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley playing Eichmann in Operation Finale.
313 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1990
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September 18, 2015
Eichmann in my Hands, by Peter Malkin and Harry Stein is a tense and exciting personal memoir, which narrates the true accounts from Mossad’s mission in Buenos Aires which led to the capture and trial of Adolf Eichmann - a name which synonyms with Nazism and evils during the days of Holocaust – the most sought-after war criminal. Peter Malkin was one of the Israeli agents who participated in this mission and the reader gets to know first-hand details on the planning, execution and aftermath of the mission. Malkin had to wait until 1990 to get these accounts published and even then he had to change the names of most of the agents who participated in the mission due to security reasons.
Eichmann in my Hands is a beautifully balanced book, which narrates the story of Peter Malkin and his life in parallel with the life of Adolf Eichmann and later merging them together during the days of the mission with much intensity. Peter Zvi Malkin was only four and a half years old when his parents along with his brothers fled Poland to Palestine. His sister Fruma who was married at that time had to stay behind in Poland along with her husband and kids and they all perished there during the genocide. For Peter Malkin, who joined Israeli Intelligence in 1950, this was a personal mission as his family never really recovered from the loss of Fruma and other relatives and it was his chance to come face-to-face with the man who was mainly responsible for these wanton war crimes.
Adolf Eichmann joined Austrian SS in 1932 and rose through the SS ranks swiftly; by 1938 he was given the charge of forming Austria's Central Office of Jewish Emigration, which would forcibly remove the Jews from Austria. In 1939 he was heading the Reich Central Security Office department that dealt with Jewish evacuation from Berlin and in 1942 he was one of the key figures in the Wannsee Conference that developed the ‘Final Solution’ - the official policy of genocide against the Jewish people. He was the man who controlled the transportation of all the Jews headed for the concentration camps in Poland and was responsible for the death of millions. For him the mission of eliminating Jews from the face of earth was the supreme priority even during the days of the collapse of The Reich. He fled Hungary early May 1945 to Austrian Alps and even though the US Army captured him he escaped from their captivity in early 1946.
In April 1960, after 15 years, Israeli Intelligence got wind of Eichmann that he was living in Buenos Aires under the assumed identity of Ricardo Klement. A mission to kidnap him was formulated and a small team of agents was assigned with this Operation. The planning, preparation, weeks of reconnaissance of target area and the final capture of Eichmann – on May 11, 1960 - are all narrated in pulsating details, which will make this a hard to put down book. After the kidnapping Eichmann is taken away to a safe house on the suburbs of Buenos Aires and there after a brief interrogation he acknowledges his true identity with these words.
“Ich bin Adolf Eichmann… I know I am in the hand of Israelis”
The hunt of 15 years was complete and then began the part of the mission, which focused on transporting him back to Israel for legal trials. On May 23, 1960 he was drugged and smuggled on-board a special El Al flight - which came to Buenos Aires with a diplomatic delegation - as a drunken crew-member and was bought back to Israel. The success of the mission was met by a dramatic announcement by David Ben Gurion, the then prime minister, at Israeli Knesset:
After transporting Eichmann back to Israel, the agents fled from Argentina through various routes and Malkin along with another agent escaped on-board a train to Santiago, Chile and then to Israel.
The conversations that Malkin has with his prisoner during their days at the safe house awaiting transport to Israel is pretty absorbing and powerful and gives the reader insights into ‘How supposedly civilized people descended to such depths of barbarism’ during the days of Holocaust. Eichmann never expresses even a faint glimpse of remorse during these conversations; for him he was following the orders as a proud soldier and everything that he did was appropriate. Reading through these segments can be moving or even disturbing for some readers as Eichmann’s calm and gentle demeanor and the normalcy with which he discusses the murder of millions creates a chilling atmosphere of evil. Overall this is a fascinating book, which describes an intelligence operation with all its thrills combined with moving narrations of the personal life and emotional struggles of the author.
Eichmann in my Hands is a beautifully balanced book, which narrates the story of Peter Malkin and his life in parallel with the life of Adolf Eichmann and later merging them together during the days of the mission with much intensity. Peter Zvi Malkin was only four and a half years old when his parents along with his brothers fled Poland to Palestine. His sister Fruma who was married at that time had to stay behind in Poland along with her husband and kids and they all perished there during the genocide. For Peter Malkin, who joined Israeli Intelligence in 1950, this was a personal mission as his family never really recovered from the loss of Fruma and other relatives and it was his chance to come face-to-face with the man who was mainly responsible for these wanton war crimes.
Adolf Eichmann joined Austrian SS in 1932 and rose through the SS ranks swiftly; by 1938 he was given the charge of forming Austria's Central Office of Jewish Emigration, which would forcibly remove the Jews from Austria. In 1939 he was heading the Reich Central Security Office department that dealt with Jewish evacuation from Berlin and in 1942 he was one of the key figures in the Wannsee Conference that developed the ‘Final Solution’ - the official policy of genocide against the Jewish people. He was the man who controlled the transportation of all the Jews headed for the concentration camps in Poland and was responsible for the death of millions. For him the mission of eliminating Jews from the face of earth was the supreme priority even during the days of the collapse of The Reich. He fled Hungary early May 1945 to Austrian Alps and even though the US Army captured him he escaped from their captivity in early 1946.
In April 1960, after 15 years, Israeli Intelligence got wind of Eichmann that he was living in Buenos Aires under the assumed identity of Ricardo Klement. A mission to kidnap him was formulated and a small team of agents was assigned with this Operation. The planning, preparation, weeks of reconnaissance of target area and the final capture of Eichmann – on May 11, 1960 - are all narrated in pulsating details, which will make this a hard to put down book. After the kidnapping Eichmann is taken away to a safe house on the suburbs of Buenos Aires and there after a brief interrogation he acknowledges his true identity with these words.
“Ich bin Adolf Eichmann… I know I am in the hand of Israelis”
The hunt of 15 years was complete and then began the part of the mission, which focused on transporting him back to Israel for legal trials. On May 23, 1960 he was drugged and smuggled on-board a special El Al flight - which came to Buenos Aires with a diplomatic delegation - as a drunken crew-member and was bought back to Israel. The success of the mission was met by a dramatic announcement by David Ben Gurion, the then prime minister, at Israeli Knesset:
“One of the greatest of the Nazi war criminals, Adolf Eichmann, who was responsible together with the Nazi leaders for what they called the ‘final solution’ of the Jewish question is under arrest in Israel and will be put on trial.”
After transporting Eichmann back to Israel, the agents fled from Argentina through various routes and Malkin along with another agent escaped on-board a train to Santiago, Chile and then to Israel.
The conversations that Malkin has with his prisoner during their days at the safe house awaiting transport to Israel is pretty absorbing and powerful and gives the reader insights into ‘How supposedly civilized people descended to such depths of barbarism’ during the days of Holocaust. Eichmann never expresses even a faint glimpse of remorse during these conversations; for him he was following the orders as a proud soldier and everything that he did was appropriate. Reading through these segments can be moving or even disturbing for some readers as Eichmann’s calm and gentle demeanor and the normalcy with which he discusses the murder of millions creates a chilling atmosphere of evil. Overall this is a fascinating book, which describes an intelligence operation with all its thrills combined with moving narrations of the personal life and emotional struggles of the author.
August 30, 2019
In 1960 , a small group of elite Israeli agents secretly went into Argentina to capture the world's most wanted war criminal Adolf Eichmann , and bring him to justice. Their task was to to lead a team to Argentina to capture Eichmann alive, and to take him back to Israel for trial, so that the truth could be exposed to the world and so that the world would know why a Jewish homeland must exist!
The man who actually snatched Eichmann off the streets was Peter Malkin , a young Israeli who lost his sister and nephew in the holocaust, thanks to the work of Eichmann.
What follows is fascinating account beginning with the story of two men : Malkin , and the monster who he captured , Eichmann.
I enjoyed reading about Malkin's childhood and youth-he came to Israel, from Poland , when he was four years old.
Particularly interesting is the brutality of the British , in the 'Palestine' colony , towards the Jews.
The book outlines the exploits of the Israeli agents in Argentina, the capture of Eichmann , and the conversations between Malkin and Eichmann , which reveal the chlling mind of a killer.
The book concludes with a short chapter , asking the question if a holocaust could happen again.
There are troubling parallels between the systematic vilification of Jews before the Holocaust and the current vilification of the Jewish people and Israel. Suffice it to note the annual flood of anti-Israel resolutions at the UN; or the public opinion polls taken in Europe, which single out Israel as a danger to world peace; or the divestment campaigns being waged in the US against Israel; or the attempts to delegitimize Israel's very existence. The complicity of the Allies in WW II is mirrored by the support the PLO has been receiving from Europe, China and Russia to this very day.
If remembering Auschwitz should teach us anything, it is that we must all support Israel and the Jewish people against the vilification and the complicity we are witnessing, knowing where it inevitably leads.
As with the holocaust, the same kind of Jew-haters will again attempt to appease Arab rage with Jewish blood and land. We must stand up against it. Jews are still dying for only one reason; being a Jew.
Like a Phoenix out of the ashes of the Shoah (as the holocaust is known in Hebrew) the reborn Jewish State of Israel arose. The great hope of the Jewish Nation - the national anthem of Israel is Hatikvah - the Hope.
The man who actually snatched Eichmann off the streets was Peter Malkin , a young Israeli who lost his sister and nephew in the holocaust, thanks to the work of Eichmann.
What follows is fascinating account beginning with the story of two men : Malkin , and the monster who he captured , Eichmann.
I enjoyed reading about Malkin's childhood and youth-he came to Israel, from Poland , when he was four years old.
Particularly interesting is the brutality of the British , in the 'Palestine' colony , towards the Jews.
The book outlines the exploits of the Israeli agents in Argentina, the capture of Eichmann , and the conversations between Malkin and Eichmann , which reveal the chlling mind of a killer.
The book concludes with a short chapter , asking the question if a holocaust could happen again.
There are troubling parallels between the systematic vilification of Jews before the Holocaust and the current vilification of the Jewish people and Israel. Suffice it to note the annual flood of anti-Israel resolutions at the UN; or the public opinion polls taken in Europe, which single out Israel as a danger to world peace; or the divestment campaigns being waged in the US against Israel; or the attempts to delegitimize Israel's very existence. The complicity of the Allies in WW II is mirrored by the support the PLO has been receiving from Europe, China and Russia to this very day.
If remembering Auschwitz should teach us anything, it is that we must all support Israel and the Jewish people against the vilification and the complicity we are witnessing, knowing where it inevitably leads.
As with the holocaust, the same kind of Jew-haters will again attempt to appease Arab rage with Jewish blood and land. We must stand up against it. Jews are still dying for only one reason; being a Jew.
Like a Phoenix out of the ashes of the Shoah (as the holocaust is known in Hebrew) the reborn Jewish State of Israel arose. The great hope of the Jewish Nation - the national anthem of Israel is Hatikvah - the Hope.
June 25, 2018
In 1960 , a small group of elite Israeli agents secretly went into Argentina to capture the world's most wanted war criminal Adolf Eichmann , and bring him to justice. Their task was to to lead a team to Argentina to capture Eichmann alive, and to take him back to Israel for trial, so that the truth could be exposed to the world and so that the world would know why a Jewish homeland must exist!
The man who actually snatched Eichmann off the streets was Peter Malkin , a young Israeli who lost his sister and nephew in the holocaust, thanks to the work of Eichmann.
What follows is fascinating account beginning with the story of two men : Malkin , and the monster who he captured , Eichmann.
I enjoyed reading about Malkin's childhood and youth-he came to Israel, from Poland , when he was four years old.
Particularly interesting is the brutality of the British , in the 'Palestine' colony , towards the Jews.
The book outlines the exploits of the Israeli agents in Argentina, the capture of Eichmann , and the conversations between Malkin and Eichmann , which reveal the chlling mind of a killer.
The book concludes with a short chapter , asking the question if a holocaust could happen again.
There are troubling parallels between the systematic vilification of Jews before the Holocaust and the current vilification of the Jewish people and Israel. Suffice it to note the annual flood of anti-Israel resolutions at the UN; or the public opinion polls taken in Europe, which single out Israel as a danger to world peace; or the divestment campaigns being waged in the US against Israel; or the attempts to delegitimize Israel's very existence. The complicity of the Allies in WW II is mirrored by the support the PLO has been receiving from Europe, China and Russia to this very day.
If remembering Auschwitz should teach us anything, it is that we must all support Israel and the Jewish people against the vilification and the complicity we are witnessing, knowing where it inevitably leads.
As with the holocaust, the same kind of Jew-haters will again attempt to appease Arab rage with Jewish blood and land. We must stand up against it. Jews are still dying for only one reason; being a Jew.
Like a Phoenix out of the ashes of the Shoah (as the holocaust is known in Hebrew) the reborn Jewish State of Israel arose. The great hope of the Jewish Nation - the national anthem of Israel is Hatikvah - the Hope.
The man who actually snatched Eichmann off the streets was Peter Malkin , a young Israeli who lost his sister and nephew in the holocaust, thanks to the work of Eichmann.
What follows is fascinating account beginning with the story of two men : Malkin , and the monster who he captured , Eichmann.
I enjoyed reading about Malkin's childhood and youth-he came to Israel, from Poland , when he was four years old.
Particularly interesting is the brutality of the British , in the 'Palestine' colony , towards the Jews.
The book outlines the exploits of the Israeli agents in Argentina, the capture of Eichmann , and the conversations between Malkin and Eichmann , which reveal the chlling mind of a killer.
The book concludes with a short chapter , asking the question if a holocaust could happen again.
There are troubling parallels between the systematic vilification of Jews before the Holocaust and the current vilification of the Jewish people and Israel. Suffice it to note the annual flood of anti-Israel resolutions at the UN; or the public opinion polls taken in Europe, which single out Israel as a danger to world peace; or the divestment campaigns being waged in the US against Israel; or the attempts to delegitimize Israel's very existence. The complicity of the Allies in WW II is mirrored by the support the PLO has been receiving from Europe, China and Russia to this very day.
If remembering Auschwitz should teach us anything, it is that we must all support Israel and the Jewish people against the vilification and the complicity we are witnessing, knowing where it inevitably leads.
As with the holocaust, the same kind of Jew-haters will again attempt to appease Arab rage with Jewish blood and land. We must stand up against it. Jews are still dying for only one reason; being a Jew.
Like a Phoenix out of the ashes of the Shoah (as the holocaust is known in Hebrew) the reborn Jewish State of Israel arose. The great hope of the Jewish Nation - the national anthem of Israel is Hatikvah - the Hope.
August 16, 2020
One of the best and most moving books I have ever read! Everyone and I mean everyone should read this one!
October 18, 2022
This book started out slowly and didn't hold my interest at first, but once Malkin began writing about the operation to capture Eichmann, I was riveted. The story balances the quotidian and the thrilling details essential to any long-term stakeout and secretive operation, and it never feels sensationalized and over-the-top. Malkin's attention to detail, logistical explanations, and personal recollections bring this to life in a powerful way.
Also, even though I didn't find everything in the first parts of the book interesting, I appreciated it all by the end, seeing how the initial set-up gave me a greater sense of who Malkin and his family were, what his work was like, and what Israel was like in the early days of its nationhood. The later parts of the book had more impact because of the detailed backstory, and the ending is emotionally satisfying and meaningful.
It would be interesting to read other books about Eichmann's capture and trial, but I can't imagine that any of them would top this, simply because it is so direct and personal. Even though it didn't have all of the big-picture and documented details that historians later gathered together to tell the whole story, it was extraordinary to get such a detailed, personal look at the key players and what they experienced.
Also, even though I didn't find everything in the first parts of the book interesting, I appreciated it all by the end, seeing how the initial set-up gave me a greater sense of who Malkin and his family were, what his work was like, and what Israel was like in the early days of its nationhood. The later parts of the book had more impact because of the detailed backstory, and the ending is emotionally satisfying and meaningful.
It would be interesting to read other books about Eichmann's capture and trial, but I can't imagine that any of them would top this, simply because it is so direct and personal. Even though it didn't have all of the big-picture and documented details that historians later gathered together to tell the whole story, it was extraordinary to get such a detailed, personal look at the key players and what they experienced.
February 21, 2019
Beautiful written and compelling story. One of those books that makes me want to know more about what happened, especially about the trial. I would highly recommend.
February 13, 2020
Having just read The House on Garibaldi Street by Isser Harel also dealing with the capture of Eichmann I was apprehensive about this book but the different perspective and point of view from which this book is written makes it an equally fascinating read.
September 6, 2018
This is an amazing, superbly written, straightforward, true first person account of the planning and capture of Adolph Eichmann, the Nazi officer directly responsible for Hitler’s “Final Solution,” otherwise known as the extermination of 6,000,000 Jews during World War II. The author matter-of-factly describes his team’s surveillance and take-down of Eichmann. He also recounts the horror of their daily conversations while awaiting transportation to Israel for trial and discusses the lasting personal effects of the mission.
I highly and wholeheartedly recommend this book to everyone whether they are a student of history or just someone looking for an incredibly interesting non-fiction read.
I highly and wholeheartedly recommend this book to everyone whether they are a student of history or just someone looking for an incredibly interesting non-fiction read.
September 5, 2018
Exciting, Moving, and Sad
This book is more biographical than I had expected, but I am glad. The first- person narrative, description of life in the very-young Israel of the time, and glimpse of the world at large in those times, added alot to what was otherwise a quintessential spy story.
This book is more biographical than I had expected, but I am glad. The first- person narrative, description of life in the very-young Israel of the time, and glimpse of the world at large in those times, added alot to what was otherwise a quintessential spy story.
January 11, 2015
Could have easily read this book in one sitting. Was very hard to put down. An important historical story written through the eyes of one remarkable person. Its easy to be hooked just by learning the author's personality alone. Could definitely pass as fiction too.
October 3, 2018
Powerful Personal History
I read this book after watching the movie. It's a different story and is very compelling. It underlines the importance of intelligence work and the people who participated.
I read this book after watching the movie. It's a different story and is very compelling. It underlines the importance of intelligence work and the people who participated.
September 16, 2018
Omg. What an incredible story of a remarkable man who risked everything to be part of the team that captured that disgusting pig Eichmann.
January 19, 2020
This was was such a fascinating real life spy story!
March 8, 2024
4.5. Amazing story.
January 4, 2019
Could it happen again?
Although the book is about Eichmann's capture and the plan that led to it, I was more struck by His character and by his defense concerning his involvement in the Holocaust.
Of all the Nazi war criminals, Adolph Eichmann stands out among the most notorious. His involvement with the "Final Solution" puts him above Himmler, Mengele, and others. In his own words "I had a job to do. It was a job". Killing 6 million Jews was just a job..
He followed orders to the letter; he didn't give up even in the end when others had questions about the morality of their actions. Eichmann made sure the trains were full of Jews traveling to their deaths. For Eichmann it would have been immoral not to. For him morality was serving the cause, not thinking for himself as to what was right or wrong.
In essence, Eichmann was someone like you or I , but with a profound difference in his worldview and in his thinking. He was raised in a loveliness home an taught that his value came from serving the collective; from obeying orders. There was no room for compassion or mercy; he could not view the situation from others' perspectives and was shocked that he would be expected to.
The book is well-written and although much of the first part is background information concerning the author and Eichmann, I found it necessary to put everything into context, especially the information about Eichmann.
Although the book is about Eichmann's capture and the plan that led to it, I was more struck by His character and by his defense concerning his involvement in the Holocaust.
Of all the Nazi war criminals, Adolph Eichmann stands out among the most notorious. His involvement with the "Final Solution" puts him above Himmler, Mengele, and others. In his own words "I had a job to do. It was a job". Killing 6 million Jews was just a job..
He followed orders to the letter; he didn't give up even in the end when others had questions about the morality of their actions. Eichmann made sure the trains were full of Jews traveling to their deaths. For Eichmann it would have been immoral not to. For him morality was serving the cause, not thinking for himself as to what was right or wrong.
In essence, Eichmann was someone like you or I , but with a profound difference in his worldview and in his thinking. He was raised in a loveliness home an taught that his value came from serving the collective; from obeying orders. There was no room for compassion or mercy; he could not view the situation from others' perspectives and was shocked that he would be expected to.
The book is well-written and although much of the first part is background information concerning the author and Eichmann, I found it necessary to put everything into context, especially the information about Eichmann.
October 1, 2019
Gripping
This was a gripping account of the capture of Adolf Eichmann the man responsible for the transport and murders of six million Jews during the Nazi occupation of Europe.
What I found particularly interesting were the discussions the author had with Eichmann which revealed Eichmann’s belief that he had done nothing wrong. At one point Eichmann said “I love children.” This from the man responsible for the deaths of millions of children. He also claimed to like Jews. He seemed to truly believe himself.
What I took from this book was that all ideologies including religious ones can be weaponized when believed to be above all else. The question is asked if this could happen again. I believe it is still happening although not on the same scale and not in the same way but people are still running cars over protesters, bombing mosques churches and synagogues, declaring jihad, and building walls along borders. It’s the loss of humanity that allows these things to happen, the focus on what makes us different rather than the underlying fact that at the heart of the matter, we are all the same.
I have deep admiration for the restraint and discipline the team had when dealing with Eichmann particularly since they had personally been victims of his atrocities. I’ve tried imaging myself in that position and it must’ve taken tremendous strength to overcome the instinct for revenge. They are true heroes.
I highly recommend this book.
This was a gripping account of the capture of Adolf Eichmann the man responsible for the transport and murders of six million Jews during the Nazi occupation of Europe.
What I found particularly interesting were the discussions the author had with Eichmann which revealed Eichmann’s belief that he had done nothing wrong. At one point Eichmann said “I love children.” This from the man responsible for the deaths of millions of children. He also claimed to like Jews. He seemed to truly believe himself.
What I took from this book was that all ideologies including religious ones can be weaponized when believed to be above all else. The question is asked if this could happen again. I believe it is still happening although not on the same scale and not in the same way but people are still running cars over protesters, bombing mosques churches and synagogues, declaring jihad, and building walls along borders. It’s the loss of humanity that allows these things to happen, the focus on what makes us different rather than the underlying fact that at the heart of the matter, we are all the same.
I have deep admiration for the restraint and discipline the team had when dealing with Eichmann particularly since they had personally been victims of his atrocities. I’ve tried imaging myself in that position and it must’ve taken tremendous strength to overcome the instinct for revenge. They are true heroes.
I highly recommend this book.
April 23, 2019
A brilliant book about an operation carried out by Israeli agents to capture one of the most evil men ever born on this world. Yes, they violated Argentine sovereignty, but the for the Argentine's, for any South American nation to give harbor to any of the Nazi's, this makes them, in my eyes, as guilty as the Nazi's themselves. Eichmann remained an unrepentant Nazi until his dying day. Cremating him and dumping the ashes at sea was a good thing - the history that this evil man left behind is enough and it should never be forgotten. As I see my own country tumbling backwards, with unbidden racism on the rise, and I see millenials who don't want to learn from history, but want to re-write it, I fear for the future if left in the hands of people who won't learn from history. The Jewish holocaust, one of many humanity has visited upon itself (Stalin's pogroms and programs, The Balkans, the Armenians, Cambodia in the 70s, the American Indians and more), wasn't the first, but it was the most organized, and the most horrible. It must never be forgotten. Even if people have to be forced to remember it. Because it can happen again. Even here in America.
March 23, 2020
Not surprisingly, this is an interesting book. I can remember when it happened and how thrilled so many people were. I knew the basic facts reported on the news and in the newspapers. But those facts don't begin to describe the feelings of someone who had lost family members to the Nazis.
The book begins with Mr. Malkin's childhood in Poland and his family's emigration to Israel. Unfortunately, not all of his family was able to emigrate. His oldest sister, her husband and children were unable to emigrate. I found that part of the book quite interesting. In between that beginning and the discovery of Eichmann's location in Argentina I found less interesting. Not surprisingly, the part of the book that details the planning and preparations for Eichmann's capture, the actual capture and what came after had my full attention. Near the very end, on their way back to Israel, Malkin and another member of the team encounter a Polish/Jewish cabdriver from the village that Malkin emigrated from. That encounter with a man who witnessed what happened to his sister and her children, moved me to tears and will stick in my mind for some time.
The book begins with Mr. Malkin's childhood in Poland and his family's emigration to Israel. Unfortunately, not all of his family was able to emigrate. His oldest sister, her husband and children were unable to emigrate. I found that part of the book quite interesting. In between that beginning and the discovery of Eichmann's location in Argentina I found less interesting. Not surprisingly, the part of the book that details the planning and preparations for Eichmann's capture, the actual capture and what came after had my full attention. Near the very end, on their way back to Israel, Malkin and another member of the team encounter a Polish/Jewish cabdriver from the village that Malkin emigrated from. That encounter with a man who witnessed what happened to his sister and her children, moved me to tears and will stick in my mind for some time.
January 19, 2020
I love to read nonfiction spy tales & this one did not disappoint. Getting a background account of the author’s boyhood & how it led him into a career of spying in Israel & the capture of Adolph Eichmann, one of World War II’s most notorious criminals was almost unbelievable. One chapter recalls tales of his boyhood escapades, gang-type activities, and before I realized it, he was being recruited & is carrying out clandestine spy activities as a Jewish boy. I had to reread to catch the reality that he was a boy of about 10 years & had been recruited by the time he was of high school age! He recounted his duties so smoothly that I wondered where was the fine line between boyhood & adult spying? His spying began at a time of life when most boys were thinking only about girls, dates, & normal high school activities & interests. His dedication to the task of Eichmann’s capture & justice on behalf Jewish people makes his story captivating!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2015
Gave me a different perspective of what it was like for a Jew to live through the war period, wondering for years whether you'd ever see your family again, and then finding out the tragedy of the Holocaust has touched you directly. The agony of an entire fledgling nation, trying to survive international aggression while at the same time trying to work through such immense personal tragedy. Like the author said, almost every family in the entire nation was dealing with the murder of at least one or often many direct family members. This was just the prelude to the story of hunting down and capturing one of the architects of this unfathomable human tragedy. Great book, riveting suspense, and intensely thought-provoking.
March 28, 2020
Could not put it down - loved this book! So interesting to read the intricate details of a Mossad operation, and this one especially. The care that the agents took to ensure an appropriate and fair treatment of Eichmann the villain, was extraordinary. I think this was the point - first that this travesty can happen again with willing participants following without thinking, but also recognition of one’s own potential slips into grey areas and the need to stay constantly vigilant, keeping one’s principles and not judging even when the opportunity presents itself. Uzi was an inspirational character, competent, fair, kind, consistent, admirably in every way. This was a book I was sad to finish because I wanted to stay involved with these characters!
May 24, 2019
Capture of Eichmann
Detailed account on the capture of Eichmann. By the main man who captured him. So rare to find a Mossad account from his real experiences. Should be required reading by 15-17 year old American youth. I love the history of WWII because of my father and his two brothers being in the services. Excellent read. Too good to put down. Learned some new things about those countries opposing the state of Israel’s formation. Written like fiction, the book puts you inside the team of Mossad agents who planned and executed it with precision. I’d love to be able to read the same type of book written bi MI6 and CIA agents of actions after WWII.
Detailed account on the capture of Eichmann. By the main man who captured him. So rare to find a Mossad account from his real experiences. Should be required reading by 15-17 year old American youth. I love the history of WWII because of my father and his two brothers being in the services. Excellent read. Too good to put down. Learned some new things about those countries opposing the state of Israel’s formation. Written like fiction, the book puts you inside the team of Mossad agents who planned and executed it with precision. I’d love to be able to read the same type of book written bi MI6 and CIA agents of actions after WWII.
October 3, 2019
Good First Hand Account
I read this book straight through while sitting in airports. It is a first hand account of the capture of Adolf Eichmann written by the Israeli agent who captured Eichmann and secured his agreement to go to Israel to be tried. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for more information on this subject. The book manages to capture the feelings of the individual agents who captured Eichmann. It also offers the thoughts of the author towards the notorious Nazi. All in all an interesting read that will keep your attention.
I read this book straight through while sitting in airports. It is a first hand account of the capture of Adolf Eichmann written by the Israeli agent who captured Eichmann and secured his agreement to go to Israel to be tried. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for more information on this subject. The book manages to capture the feelings of the individual agents who captured Eichmann. It also offers the thoughts of the author towards the notorious Nazi. All in all an interesting read that will keep your attention.
October 16, 2019
Eichmann in My Hands is a wonderfully written book and I tried and succeeded in finishing it in one go! I have a keen interest in WW II and am aware of the historical facts, but this book really moves you and provides a great sense of nation and patriotism. It resonates so well, especially with young nations. The beginning is great and the end is simply superb. Frankly, I did not anticipate it and it was such a pleasant shock.
April 1, 2015
Gripping from beginning to end. To fully appreciate the tale which begins with the author's own personal story which is woven throughout the story, I recommend brushing up on what the Jews as a people endured during the holocaust. The story does not go into Eichmann's trial but does tell briefly about his hanging. This was an excellent short read.
November 8, 2018
Amazing memoir, centered on the capture and abduction of Eichmann from Argentina.
More than just a story of a daring raid on foreign soil, it's also an examination of the personality the enabled Eichmann to lead the Holocaust effort, and the mental self justification that he used to explain his actions decades later...
More than just a story of a daring raid on foreign soil, it's also an examination of the personality the enabled Eichmann to lead the Holocaust effort, and the mental self justification that he used to explain his actions decades later...
November 8, 2018
Great book
This should be required reading in schools in the USA. It is instructive, insightful, and exciting. No one should ever forget or dismiss just how cruel the Nazi's were. We still have Nationalism and Nazi's in our midst. This was a great story of how they can always be brought to justice. It is very relevant even today!
This should be required reading in schools in the USA. It is instructive, insightful, and exciting. No one should ever forget or dismiss just how cruel the Nazi's were. We still have Nationalism and Nazi's in our midst. This was a great story of how they can always be brought to justice. It is very relevant even today!
January 4, 2019
Banality of Evil
Hannah Arhendt said it best in her book. Evil is banal. Dutchman was banal. Just doing my job. I remember his capture and execution. I watched the news and was excited for Israel and all the Jews. Evil should always be hunted down to the last man and then disposed of.
Hannah Arhendt said it best in her book. Evil is banal. Dutchman was banal. Just doing my job. I remember his capture and execution. I watched the news and was excited for Israel and all the Jews. Evil should always be hunted down to the last man and then disposed of.
June 2, 2019
What a powerful account of the capture of the Nazi Eichmann who instigated the “Final Solution.” I’ve read many accounts about the Holocaust and this book was excellent. This was extremely well written. My only complaint is that I wished there had been more details about his trial. Well worth the read.
May 8, 2015
It's been a while since I've been so moved by a book. An exciting albeit sobering and somewhat depressing read. Incredible book that reads like a movie--one of those books you can't put down and you end up reading in one sitting.
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