Polish-Jewish Relations: 1,300 Keyword-Phrase-Indexed Book Reviews (by Jan Peczkis)

Eichmann Interrogated: Transcripts from the Archives of the Israeli Police, by Adolf Eichmann, Claus Sybyil (Editor), Jochen von Lang. 1999

Jews To Madagascar Idea Originated Not From Poles But From the Pioneering Zionist Teodor Herzl

This book contains assorted interesting information. I focus on a few matters of lasting interest

JEWS IN THE EARLY NAZI PARTY

Eichmann touches on the early days of the Nazi Party: “Yes, Herr Hauptmann, of course there was hatred of the Jews in it. But in those days there were lots of party members with Jewish relatives by blood or marriage. I myself knew an SS-Scharfuhrer who was a Jew…I said to him: Good God, man, there’s nothing I can do for you. The only advice I can give you is: Clear out, go to Switzerland or somewhere else, because it’s no good for you here, it’s no good, it’s hopeless.” (p. 41).

DO NOT BLAME THE POLES FOR THE JEWS TO MADAGASCAR IDEA

The idea of sending Europe’s Jews to Madagascar has at times been mistakenly attributed to the Poles. In actuality, this idea goes back to one of the early pioneers of Zionism. As Eichmann explains: “I remembered Theodor Herzl’s efforts to bring about a Jewish state, described by Adolf Bohm, and that at one time Herzl had considered plans for Madagascar.” (p. 65). After being asked by interrogator Avner W. Less if he got the idea from a Polish commission that had visited Madagascar in 1937, Eichmann replied: “No, never, never, never. I got the idea from Theodor Herzl.” (p. 69). Eichmann also denied knowledge of the conclusions of the Polish commission, which had found the whole idea impractical, as recounted by Less: “…this Polish commission…came to the conclusion that a maximum of fifteen thousand European families could be settled there, while certain members of the commission thought that figure far too high…” (p. 69).

THE DECISION TO CONDUCT THE HOLOCAUST

Eichmann denies knowledge of any written order to exterminate the Jews. He instead claims that Heydrich communicated this order verbally from Hitler. (p. 81).