By SHIMON SAMUELS
The 50th anniversary of Eichmann’s capture, on May 11, 1960, passed almost imperceptibly in Argentina, while in Israel it apparently remained a non-story.
The 50th anniversary of Adolf Eichmann’s capture, on May 11, 1960, passed almost imperceptibly in Argentina, while in Israel it apparently remained a non-story.
Few in Buenos Aires wished to retread the diplomatic eggshells of the Argentine claim against Israel for a kidnapping in violation of its sovereignty, and embarassingly close to the 150th anniversary of its independence on May 25.
Now celebrating its bicentenary and – despite the 1970s and early 1980s military regime’s Nazi-style excesses – the affair is still a sore point even in today’s proud Argentinian democracy.
By the 1950s, war crime investigations jibed with US Cold War policy. Former Nazis were now rehabilitated as anti-Soviet allies. Simon Wiesenthal’s office was closed down and, in disgust, he sent his archives to Yad VaShem, withholding only the Eichmann file. Thus the center that bears his name felt compelled to mark the Eichmann capture with a public seminar “May 1960-May 2010 Eichmann in Buenos Aires: The Lessons.” earlier this month in the Argentinian capital.
The question was raised: “Why did Israel not cooperate directly with Argentina in the arrest?”
It was argued that, in 1960, diplomatic formalities would have ensured Eichmann’s flight, facilitated by Nazi networks in Latin America and their sympathizers in Argentine political circles. Only a year earlier, a West German extradition request for Josef Mengele ensured his escape to Paraguay and onward to Brazil. Link
