Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Winter 12-7-2025
Research Program
Library Research Award
First Advisor
Dr. Brandon Marsh
Abstract
In April 1961, Adolf Eichmann was put on trial in Jerusalem, after being taken from Argentina, to face justice for the crimes he committed against Jews across Europe during World War II and the Holocaust. Yet, this trial was nearly two decades after these events. Questions arose in the United States about morality, justice, legality, and human nature in a trial prosecuting one man ultimately as a scapegoat for the crimes of numerous Nazi officials. While the United States was not involved in the prosecution of Eichmann, Americans advanced their opinions about these tenets that challenged traditional notions. These opinions were found in letters to the editor in major United States newspapers such as the New York Times and Washington Evening Post. In addition, writers such as Hannah Arendt and Martha Gellhorn wrote controversial opinion pieces regarding human nature and character, further complicating American public opinion about the trial. Ultimately, Americans were forced to answer hard philosophical questions about their individual lives and humanity, adding extra layers to an already controversial trial and execution of Eichmann that followed.
Recommended Citation
Payne, Josh, "The Eichmann Trial: The Challenge to Traditional Notions of Humanity and Justice in Public Opinion That Shaped American Holocaust Memory" (2025). Research Awards. https://digitalcommons.bridgewater.edu/research_awards/
Comments
Library Research Award 2025, First Place