The Nazi Hunters

May 11th begins with nervousness and impatience. The team does their best to prepare themselves. Peter Malkin thinks of his sister, Fruma, promising himself he will capture Eichmann on her behalf. Calling the team together, Etian offers no rousing speech and goes over the particulars of the plan one last time. For Eichmann, the day begins and proceeds without incident: he gets up, shaves, eatsbreakfast, and goes to his job at the Mercedes-Benz plant. Absolutely no part of his routine is disturbed in the slightest, until his trip home.

The team has taken its positions on Route 203 and Garibaldi street, awaiting Eichmann's bus. The bus comes late, adding to the collective worry. It isn't until after 8 PM that Eichmann steps off his bus and begins walking down Garibaldi Street. Malkin steps into his path, delivering the prepared phrase "Un momentito, señor." Astonishingly, Eichmann seems to immediately guess what is happening, but Malkin grabs him, assisted by Tabor. After a few moments of frenzied kicking and screaming, he goes silent, and the agents force him into the waiting car. They drive to the new safehouse, "Tira,"threatening Eichmann that if he resists, he will be shot. This however, is a bluff; none of the agents have firearms of any kind. Furthermore, they are not even entirely sure it is Eichmann, such is the confusion and darkness. Only when Eichmann is questioned will the doubts disappear.

As soon as Eichmann is secured, Dr. Elian provides him with a full medical examination, to ensure his health. Once this is complete, Zvi Aharoni begins his interrogation. Aharoni is famed in the Shin Bet for his skills as an interrogator, skills which never rely upon physical abuse. He asks Eichmann an exhausting litany of questions. Some of these questions are important, others not; however, they are organized in such a way that the details collectively provide a full picture, make it difficult for Eichmann to lie. This difficulty is increased by Eichmann's disoriented state.

Aharoni begins by asking Eichmann a number of easy questions: his date of birth, his shoe size, his age, his former name—questions to wear him down. Aharonithen mixes in more substantive questions: such as his SS identification number and his last post during the war. Aharoni has memorized Eichmann's entire file, and Eichmann is notable to guess which information is critical and whichis not. In the end, matching the identification numbers is what proves "Ricardo Klement" is actually Adolf Eichmann; it is information no one else could conceivably know.

It proves difficult for Aharoni to conduct the interrogationprofessionally: at one point, Eichmann mentions he knows Hebrew, reciting the Sh'ma, a Hebrew prayer. This is too much for Aharoni and the others, who know that this was likely said by the millions Eichmann sent to their death. They pause to collect themselves, then press on. Towards the end of the interview, Aharoni requests of Eichmann that he stand trial in Israel for his crimes. Eichmann refuses, responding that he has committed no crimes, and was instead "following orders". This will become characteristic of Eichmann's later defense. On top of this however, Eichmann insists that it is wrong for him to be tried in Israel, since, as a German citizen, he has had "nothing to do" with Israel. Aharoni is taken aback by this defense and insists that Israel alone will give him a fair trial.