“At a time when confidence in American institutions is at an all-time low, Arendt's insistence that we see Eichmann as a terrifyingly normal 'declasse son of a solid middle-class family' who was radicalized by an idealistic anti-state movement should resonate even more urgently today. That is ever more reason to free Arendt's book, once again, from the tyranny of conventional wisdom.”
--Roger Berkowitz (2013)
Some Questions
What is the portrait that Hannah Arendt draws of Adolf Eichmann? How is this related to her understanding of evil and totalitarianism?
Why do you think that Eichmann in Jeruslam was, and remains, such a contested book? What are the most important sources of controversy and how do you respond to these?
Possible Starting Places
"'The Eichmann Show': Trailer," BBC Two.
"The
Human Factor -- Hannah Arendt,"
Ideas, CBC, June 28, 2016.
"The
Eichmann Trial: Fifty Years Later,"
All Things Considered, NPR, March 27, 2011.
Adam Kirsch and Rivka Galchen, "Fifty Years Later, Why Does 'Eichmann In Jerusalem' Remain Contentious?," New York Times, November 26, 2013.
Eichmann In Jerusalem
David Moshman, "Eichmann In Jerusalem: 50 Years Later," Huffington Post, October 2, 2013.
Roger Berkowitz, "Misreading 'Eichmann In Jerusalem,'" New York Times, July 7, 2013.
Judith Butler, "Hannah Arendt's Challenge To Adolf Eichmann," Guardian, August 29, 2011.
Douglas Bell, "Rethinking The Eichmann Trial," Globe And Mail, April 29, 2011.
"Eichmann In Jerusalem -- A Report On The Banality Of Evil," Columbus Schools For Girls.
Hannah Arendt In The News
Zoe Williams, "Totalitarianism
In The Age Of Trump: Lessons From Hannah Arendt,"
Guardian, February 1, 2017.
Ken Eisner, "VIFF 2016: Vita Activa -- The Spirit Of Hannah Arendt," Georgia Straight, September 29, 2016.
Chloe Cooper Jones, "This
New Hannah Arendt Documentary Is A Warning About The Fascist Within Us All,"
Vice, April 11, 2016.
Michelle Orange, "Banality
Now!: 'Viva Activa' Points To What Hannah Arendt Might Mean In The Age Of
Trump," Village
Voice (April 7, 2016).
A. O. Scott, "Review:
In 'Vita Activa: The Spirit Of Hannah Arendt,' A Thinker More Relevant Than
Ever," New York
Times, April 5, 2016.
Leslie Macmillan, "Engaging With Arendt," Harvard Gazette, March 8, 2016.
Glenn Altschuler, "'Hannah Arendt: A Life In Dark Times' An Intriguing Look At The Acclaimed Public Intellectual," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 12, 2015.
Andrew Smyth, "'Eichmann
In Jerusalem' In Film 50 Years Later,"
Brown Daily Herald, January 28, 2014.
Peter Bradshaw, "Hannah Arendt -- Review," Guardian, September 26, 2013.
A. O. Scott, "How
It Looks To Think: Watch Her,"
New York Times, May 28, 2013.
Eichmann Trial
Eichmann Trial -- Holocaust Encyclopedia:
"April 11, 1961: Nazi War Crimes Trial Begins," On This Day, BBC.
"Introduction: The Trial Of Adolf Eichmann," Remember.org.
"Israel
Releases Nazi Eichmann's Execution Plea Papers,"
BBC News, January 27, 2016.
Charlie Smith, "Nazi
Adolf Eichmann Saw His Wife Before Being Executed In Israel,"
Georgia Straight, June 1, 2015.
Gerard O'Donovan, "'The Eichmann Show,' Review," Telegraph, January 20, 2015.
Sinclair McKay, "The Man Who Shot Adolf Eichmann," Telegraph, January 18, 2015.
Euan Ferguson, "Martin
Freeman: Exposing Adolf Eichmann,"
Observer, January 11, 2015.
Ben Cosgrove, "Adolf
Eichmann In Israel: Portraits Of A Nazi War Criminal,"
Time (December 1, 2014).
"Fifty Years Since Eichmann Trial," 7:30, ABC, April 12, 2011.
"Adolf
Eichmann Exhibit Opens In Israel,"
CBC News, April 11, 2011.
Elvis Mitchell, "Film Review: War Criminal In A Glass Box -- Eichmann Trial 40 Years Later," New York Times, April 12, 2000.
Adolf Eichmann
Jennifer Hunter, "Adolf
Eichmann Continued To Support Nazism Long After The War,"
Toronto Star, November 30, 2015.
Klaus Wiegrefe, "A
Triumph Of Justice: On The Trail Of Holocaust Organizer Adolf Eichmann,"
Spiegel Online International, March 31, 2011.
Audio And Video
"Hannah
Arendt," In Our
Time, BBC Radio 4, February 2, 2017.
"Fifty Years After 'Eichmann In Jerusalem' With Seyla Benhabib," Speakers Forum, KUOW, January 9, 2014.
"'Hannah Arendt' Revisits Fiery Debate Over German-Jewish Theorist's Coverage Of Eichmann Trial," Democracy Now, November 26, 2013.
"The Inconsistency Of Hannah Arendt," Philosopher's Zone, RN, January 29, 2012.
"Eichmann Found Guilty -- Jerusalem (1961)," British Pathe:
"Eichmann Trial -- Session No. 1":
Yaacov Lozowick, "Hannah Arendt, Adolf Eichmann, And How Evil Isn't Banal," Yad Vashem.
Articles
Patrick Mullen, "Review:
'Viva Activa: The Spirit Of Hannah Arendt,'"
Point Of View Magazine (June 9, 2016).
Andrew Nagorski, "How
The Israelis Captured Nazi Mastermind Adolf Eichmann,"
Daily Beast (May 13, 2016).
Kathleen B. Jones, "Before And After 'Eichmann In Jerusalem': Hannah Arendt And The Human Condition," Los Angeles Review Of Books (December 8, 2015).
Corey Robin, "The Trials Of Hannah Arendt," Nation (May 12, 2015).
David Frum, "The
Lies Of Adolf Eichmann,"
Atlantic (October 8, 2014).
Richard Wolin, "The Banality Of Evil: The Demise Of A Legend," Jewish Review Of Books (Fall 2014).
Richard Brody, "'Hannah Arendt' And The Glorification Of Thinking," New Yorker (May 30, 2013).
Roger Berkowitz, "Lonely Thinking: Hannah Arendt On Film," Paris Review (May 30, 2013).
Eddie Cockrell, "Review: 'The Specialist,'" Variety (March 9, 1999).
Michael Ezra, "The Eichmann Polemics: Hannah Arendt And Her Critics," Dissent Magazine.
Doron Geller, "Israel Military Intelligence: The Capture Of Nazi Criminal Adolf Eichmann," Jewish Virtual Library.
Websites
Eichmann In Jerusalem -- Wikipedia:
Eichmann In Jerusalem, Penguin Classic:
Eichmann In Jerusalem Summary And Study Guide -- Bookrags:
Eichmann In Jerusalem -- Enotes:
"The Eichmann Trial," Yad Vashem:
"50th Anniversary Of Eichmann's Trial In Jerusalem," Yad Vashem:
Hannah Arendt (1906-1975) -- Internet Encyclopedia Of Philosophy:
