The capture of Adolf Eichmann is one of the more daring spy operations in the post WWII era. The story spans 17 years, beginning with Eichmann’s clandestine escape from the Allied forces and the Nuremberg trial, and ending with his hanging in Israel.

After WWII, Eichmann was able to escape the Nuremberg trials and the subsequent efforts of Nazi hunters in Europe. He worked as a farmer for 5 years, before he was able to gain passage to Argentina with the help of an organization that helped ex-Nazis defect to South America.

However, Nazi hunters like Simon Wiesenthal never forgot about Eichmann and the crimes he had committed. After years of chasing false leads, the Mossad finally found Eichmann and assembled a team to capture him. This team included Rafi Eitan and Peter Malkin. The team followed Eichmann and planned his capture, which ended with the Israelis smuggling a drugged Eichmann aboard an El-Al plane and making two transcontinental flights that pushed the plane’s limits.

The operation caused embarrassment for some of the world’s superpowers. But, the trial went on nonetheless.

Subsequent generations have studied this capture and the impact it had on the world as a whole.

You can find repositories of Eichmann related documents here, here, here and here.

Written on November 4, 2009