The Trial of Adolf Eichmann - Eichmann Timeline





































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Eichmann Timeline
March 19, 1906 - Adolf Eichmann is born in
Solingen, Germany. His family moves to Linz, Austria during W.W.I.
Young Eichmann with his classmates.
(Click on thumbnail image for full-size photo and description.)
April 1, 1932 - Eichmann joins the Austrian Nazi
Party.
November 1932 - Eichmann joins Heinrich Himmler's
elite unit of Nazi terror, the SS.
On January 30, 1933 - Hitler is
sworn in as Chancellor of the German Reich. Throughout 1933 violence
against the Jews escalates. A boycott of Jewish enterprises begins on
April 1st. Three days later the first law regarding Jews is enacted,
baring them from civil service and public employment on all government
levels. Events in Eichmann's life during this period follow.
Eichmann works as a salesman for
an American oil company Circa 1932. (Click on thumbnail image for
full-size photo and description.)
Early 1933 - Eichmann is fired from Vacuum Oil Company
A.G. Although his employers cite a need to cut staff, Eichmann tells his
Father he was fired by a new Jewish foreman for his involvement with the
Nazi party.
February 1933 - Eichmann is sought after by the
Austrian Police for his involvement in the Nazi party. He flees Linz,
escaping to Berlin where he joins the Austrian division of the SS in
exile.
August 1, 1933 - Eichmann begins
military training in the terrorist school of the "Austrian Legion" at
Lechfeld-bei-Passau on the German/Austrian border.
Eichmann during training in the
Austrian Legion. (Click on thumbnail image for full-size photo and
description.)
September 29, 1933 - Eichmann is assigned to SS
liaison staff at Passau.
December 24, 1933 - Eichmann is promoted to
SS-Scharfuhrer (Corporal)
January 29, 1934 - After Passau's liquidation,
Eichmann is assigned to Dachau.
On February 28, 1934 - the "Schutznaf" or "Protective
Custody Law" is passed, enabling the arbitrary imprisonment of victims in
concentration camps. During 1935, administrative regulations are created
that legally define the codes by which non-Aryan descent is determined. On
September 15 the Nuremberg Laws are passed, and the German citizenship of
the Jew is revoked. During this period, Eichmann secures his role in the
Nazi Party and gains his reputation for being an expert on Jewish
affairs.
1934 - Eichmann is sent from Dachau to the Party
School in East Prussia, to internalize party propaganda.
October 1934 - Eichmann volunteers for service at the
Head Office of the SD in Berlin. He finds work in the Department of
Research into the Freemasons, under surveillance because of their liberal
democratic ideas.
1935 - Eichmann moves to Department II 112- The Jewish
Department.
1936 - Eichmann marries Vera Liebel.
June 18, 1937 - Eichmann requests through
Sturmbannfuhrer Six to head Himmler's Scientific Museum for Jewish
Affairs. Eichmann's request is turned down.
July 1, 1937 - Eichmann is ordered to Palestine to
explore the possibility of deporting Europe's Jews to the area. He does
not make the trip until late 1937.
September 11, 1937 - Eichmann visits Nuremberg
Rally.
October 23, 1937 - Eichmann promoted to
SS-Hauptfuhrer
November 1937 - Eichmann travels to Palestine.
March 12, 1938 - the Germans occupy Austria. The
Einsatzgruppen is created as a striking force to track down opponents of
the Nazis. During the following months legislation is passed prohibiting
Jews from holding directorial and managerial positions, and ordering Jews
to register all property in excess of 5,000 reichsmarks. On June 9, 1938,
The Great Synagogue of Munich is destroyed on personal order of
Hitler.
March 1938 - Eichmann is appointed "Referent" (Special
Officer) for Zionist Affairs.
March 16, 1938 - Eichmann sent to Austria to rid the
country of it's Jews. The SD begins an assault of terror on the Jews
preceding their ultimate deportation.
August 26, 1938 - Eichmann is promoted to
Untersturmfuhrer (Second Lieutenant).
Summer of 1938 - 15,000 Jews have been arrested
throughout Germany as "asocials." On October 27, 1938 the first mass
expulsion against Jews takes place. 15,000 Jews of Polish nationality
living in Germany are rounded up and sent by train into the Polish
frontier.
Kristallnacht - Sparked by the murder of Ernst vom Rath massive riots
are carried out in Germany and Austria on November 9th and 10th.
Kristallnacht results in the arrests of 20,000 Jews who are placed in
concentration camps, 815 shops, 171 homes, and 76 synagogues destroyed,
191 synagogues set on fire, 36 Jews injured and 36 Jews killed. During
this time Eichmann is kept up to date by constant information received
through his service channels.
January 24, 1939 - Goring instructs Heydrich to take
charge of Jewish emigration. Eichmann is entrusted with the day to day
work of the Central Emigration Office, with Mueller acting as
Director.
February 2, 1939 - Eichmann is promoted to
Obersturmfuhrer (Lieutenant).
March 1939 - Eichmann meets with Jewish leaders in
Berlin revealing that a Central Office for Emigration will be set up along
the lines of the Central Office in Vienna.
July 26, 1939 - Eichmann opens the Central Office for
Jewish Immigration in Prague.
Eichmann is transferred to Berlin to head the Gestapo's Jewish
office.
Sept. 21, 1939 - Heydrich sends a directive to chiefs
of the Einsatzgruppen outlining their goals. The Einsatzgruppen will
assist in the implementation of the Final Solution of the Jews, which at
this time is not extermination but internment in ghettos and deportation.
At this time the Einsatzgruppen is charged with establishing Jewish
ghettos for the "concentration of Jews from the country to the larger
cities."
Sept. 1939 - Germany invades
Poland. Although the order for total extermination of the Jews will not be
given by Hitler until 1941, mass shootings by Einsatzgruppen units of
Polish Jews begins.
Britain and France declare war on Germany.
Eichmann stands in uniform at
beginning of W.W.II. (Click on thumbnail image for full-size photo and
description.)
October 1939 - Eichmann is appointed head of Berlin
office for Emigration. Nisko plan takes effect.
December 21, 1939 - Heydrich establishes Department IV
of the RSHA for the central handling of evacuation of Jews from the
Eastern territories. Eichmann chosen to head this department as "Special
Referent."
February 13, 1940 - Eichmann's department organizes
forced emigration of Jews of Settin, the first instance of Jews of German
nationality being deported from the Old Reich instead of recently annexed
territory in the East. 230 people die as a result of this march.
April 1940 - Germany occupies Denmark.
May 10, 1940 - Germany's attack on the West begins.
The German army conquers The Netherlands and Belgium and enters France. By
June 22, Paris has fallen to the Nazis.
June 30, 1940 - Hitler approves Madagascar plan.
Eichmann charged with the details of it's implementation.
August 1, 1940 - Eichmann promoted to Hauptsturmfuhrer
(Captain).
October 1940 - Eichmann's department organizes
transport for expulsion of Jews from Baden and the Saar Palatinate to
unoccupied France. Eichmann succeeds in convincing the French Station
Master at the border that these were German military transports, thus
allowing the completion of the expulsion.
Late 1940 - Slovakia, Romania, and Hungary join Axis
forces.
1941 - Although "The Final Solution to the Jewish
Question" had not yet become an official aim of the Nazis, mass
exterminations of Jews at the Auschwitz Concentration Camp commenced in
this year. During it's operation in the years following, Eichmann
recommended to the camp commanders the use of Zyklon-B for the gassing of
Jews, and took steps to insure the supply of that gas to the camp.
The Majdanek and Chelmno extermination camps begin operation.
March 1941 - Bulgaria joins Axis forces.
Eichmann put in charge of section IVB4 which was to deal with "Jewish
affairs / evacuation affairs."
April 1941 - Germany attacks Yugoslavia and Greece,
and occupies Serbia.
Summer 1941 - Eichmann put in charge of entire Jewish
population of Germany.
June 1941 - Germany attacks
Russia. Four units of Einsatzgruppen consisting of 400 to 500 men each are
deployed as mobile killing units in the Soviet Union.
Eichmann witnesses a mass shooting near Minsk.
The Einsatzgruppen at work. (Click
on thumbnail image for full-size photo and description.)
June 1941 - Mass exterminations begin in Rumania.
Those Jews not exterminated are transported to Transnistria.
July 1941 - Goring appoints Heydrich to organize the
Final Solution to the Jewish Question in addition to heading the Central
Office for Jewish Emigration.
Sept. 1, 1941 - Jewish Badge regulation. Heydrich
signs "Police Regulation in Regard to the Marking of Jews."
Sept. 13, 1941 - Eichmann contacts Foreign Ministry
advisor Rademacher regarding 8,000 Jewish men from Serbia. Unable to find
a location where the Jews can be settled, Eichmann proposes "to kill them
by shooting."
Sept. 15, 1941 - Two letters regarding the Jewish
badge are released from Eichmann's office. Letters detail Jewish Badge
regulation as well as severe punishments for it's violation.
October 1, 1941 - All emigration from the Reich
forbidden.
October 10, 1941 - Heydrich and Eichmann attend
meeting in Prague where a program for future action for the Final Solution
was described. October 15th set as the first date for expulsions specific
to the aims of the Final Solution.
October 22, 1941 - Eichmann's office represented by
Wisliceny begins relocation of Jews in Slovakia.
November 9, 1941 - Eichmann promoted to
Obersturmbannfuhrer (Major/Lieutenant Colonel).
December 7, 1941 - Japanese attack on US Naval Base at
Pearl Harbor launches The United States into the war.
1942 - Gas Vans are used for mass killings.
Eichmann witnesses the entire process of gas van killing in Chelmno,
from the moment the Jews were loaded on to the removal of gold teeth from
the corpses.
January 20, 1942 - Eichmann attends the Wannsee
Conference, a meeting of Nazi high officials convened to form a general
agreement to the logistics necessary for the implementation of "The Final
Solution to the Jewish Question." Eichmann was to become the chief
executioner of this solution.
March 1942 - The Belzec and Sobibor extermination
camps begin operation.
March 13, 1942 - Eichmann begins preparation for the
evacuation of Slovakian Jews.
June 11, 1942 - Eichmann's office decides to make the
first deportation from Holland of 15,000 Jews.
July 1942 - Treblinka extermination camp begins to
function.
Eichmann visits Treblinka and witnesses the death process (date of
visit unknown).
July 10, 1942 - Dannecker cables Eichmann asking what
should be done with 4,000 children held at the Drancy camp. Eichmann
replies that as soon as transportation could be dispatched to the
Generalgouvernment area, "transports of children would be able to roll." A
later cable from Eichmann's office determined the children would be
transported to Auschwitz.
July 15, 1942 - First deportation
train bound to leave from France is postponed. A letter sent to the Paris
Office, signed by Rothke, uses Eichmann's name to instill fear and to
insure that following trains "leave according to plan."
Jews board trains bound for death
camps Circa 1942. (Click on thumbnail image for full-size photo and
description.)
August 1, 1942 - Eichmann instructs representatives of
the SD in Brussels that all stateless Jews from Belgium are to be
deported. The final destination of these Jews is Auschwitz.
November 17, 1942 - Letter signed by Eichmann to the
Foreign Ministry requests that the Government of Bulgaria be approached so
that deportation of Bulgarian Jewry can begin, "as part of the process of
the general solution of the European Jewish problem."
November 25, 1942 - Eichmann's office cables the
commander of the SD in Oslo that all Norwegian Jews are to be evacuated to
Auschwitz via Stettin.
January 1943 - Wisliceny from Eichmann's office begins
deportation process in Greece. Eichmann takes a personal interest in the
deportation of Jews living in the Italian occupied territories.
Eichmann becomes active in an attempt to halt Rumania's Marshal
Antonescu's allowing immigration of Jews to Palestine.
April 19, 1943 - Warsaw Ghetto
uprising.
German troops level the Warsaw
Ghetto. (Click on thumbnail image for full-size photo and description.)
June 30, 1943 - Kaltenbrunner's cable of this date
gives notice of Eichmann's upcoming visit to the Lodz Ghetto in connection
with the deportation of Jews. Later cables from Kaltenbrunner, like one
concerning the liquidation of the ghetto itself, implicate Eichmann as
having a strong hand in the fate of Lodz Jews.
August 1943 - Treblinka uprising.
October 1, 1943 - Eichmann takes control over all
matters concerning "confiscation of property of persons hostile to the
people and the state, and the cancellation of German nationality." Control
was shifted to Eichmann's department because by this time most of the
people considered "hostile to the people and the state" were Jews.
October 1943 - Action against Jews of Denmark
begins
Dannecker from Eichmann's office travels to Italy to organize the
deportation of Italian Jews.
January 13, 1944 - Eichmann is accepted into the
reserves of the Waffen SS (air force).
March 19, 1944 - Germany seizes it's former ally
Hungary.
Eichmann arrives in Hungary to begin deportation of Jews.
April 25, 1944 - Eichmann offers the Blood for Goods
proposal to Joel Brand. Joel Brand plans to travel to Turkey to secure
10,000 trucks in return for the lives of 1 million Jews. Brand is detained
by the British in Cairo, and is unable to complete his mission.
Mrs. Brand meets with Eichmann upon her husbands failure to return to
Hungary. Eichmann tells her to cable her husband and tell him that, "if he
doesn't come back at once I'll put the mills of Auschwitz in motion."
May-July 9, 1944 - Deportations of Hungarian Jews to
Auschwitz.
May 25, 1944 - Veesenmayer reports that rate of
deportation quickens due to the increased ratio of individual Jews per
train car.
June 6, 1944 - D-Day. Allied invasion of Western
Europe begins.
The King of Sweden along with the Pope and others intervene to stop the
deportations in Hungary. Under the pressure, Horthy orders all
deportations stopped.
June-July, 1944 - Eichmann uses the deportation of
Jews to Vienna for labor (not extermination) to extort money from the
Hungarian Jewish community by convincing them that by allowing the Jews to
be "put on ice" (and not exterminated) he was making a concession instead
of following orders. Eichmann also demands money for food and medical care
for the deported Jews.
July 14, 1944 - Eichmann attempts to deport 1,500
Hungarian Jews. Hearing of this, Jewish leaders inform Horthy, who orders
the train turned back before it can make it past the Hungarian border.
July 19, 1944 - Novak, commander of the SS of
Eichmann's unit, informs the Hungarian commander of the camp where the
1,500 Jews were returned that "Eichmann will not tolerate his orders to be
countermanded, not even by the Regent of the state himself." This time,
Eichmann keeps the Jewish leaders held up in his office while the 1,500
Jews are re-loaded onto trains again and rushed past the Hungarian
border.
August 14, 1944 - Eichmann is informed that the date
of August 25th is set for the evacuation of Jews from Budapest. Eichmann,
dissatisfied, advances the date to August 20th. Once again Eichmann is met
with resistance by Horthy, who insists that the Jews be kept in camps
within Hungary, and not deported to Germany. Eichmann requests and is
granted permission to be withdrawn from Hungary.
October 1944 - Germans force Horthy to appoint Szalasi
of the "Arrow Cross" as prime minister of Hungary. Horthy submits.
Eichmann returns to Hungary to resume deportations. Eichmann starts
negotiations with the Hungarian authorities for the deportation of 50,000
Jews to be marched into Germany on foot due to destruction of railways by
allied bombing.
October 2, 1944 - Eichmann's office rejects Swedish
attempts to save 60 Jewish spouses of mixed marriages.
Nov. 10, 1944 - March of Budapest
Jews begins.
Eichmann's assistant Krumey approaches him, uneasy about the atrocities
of the march of Budapest Jews. Eichmann replies, "You saw nothing!"
Himmler orders the march stopped.
Himmler stands with troops Circa
1944. (Click on thumbnail image for full-size photo and description.)
Mar.-Apr. 1945 - Allied forces occupy the German
homeland.
Eichmann pays a farewell visit to his family in Austria. He gives
poison to his wife for herself and the children if they are captured by
the Russians.
April 30, 1945 - Hitler commits suicide.
May 7, 1945 - Germany surrenders.
Eichmann is captured by the Americans near Ulm. He adopts the name
Adolf Karl Barth, and wears the uniform of a second class Luftwaffe
airman. Eichmann flees this camp on the knowledge that the Americans are
checking prisoners of war for SS tattoos.


August 1945 - Eichmann is captured for a second time,
again by the Americans, and held at the Oberdachstetten camp. Eichmann
gives his name and rank as SS Lieutenant Otto Eckmann of the 22 Cavalry
Division. The search for Nazi war criminals intensifies.
Nov. 20, 1945 - Nuremberg tribunal convenes. Final
Solution of the Jewish question is revealed. By the end of the trial,
Eichmann will be labeled as "the man in charge of the extermination
program against the Jews."
January 3, 1946 - Wisliceny indicts Eichmann in his
testimony at Nuremberg.
January 5, 1946 - Eichmann escapes the POW camp and
heads north, away from the American Zone and towards the Celle District,
with forged papers he received at the camp. The papers identify him as a
forest ranger named Otto Heninger. He hides out in Germany for four
years.
1950 - Through the efforts of
ODESSA (Organisation der SS Angehoerigen-Association of SS Members)
Eichmann along with three others, heads first for Austria and finally to
Italy. In a monastery in Genoa, a Franciscan monk provides Eichmann with a
refugee passport bearing the name Ricardo Klement.
July 14, 1950 - Eichmann, now Ricardo Klement, obtains
an Argentine visa. A month later he lands in Buenos Aires.
False identification papers used by
Eichmann in Argentina. (Click on thumbnail image for full-size photo and
description.)
April, 1952 - Eichmann obtains his identity documents.
He is now Ricardo Klement, a German national born in Bolzano Italy. He is
a mechanic by profession, and currently employed as a labor organizer by
the Capri construction, measurements and waterworks company, which
sheltered many ex-Nazis after the war. By the end of the year, he is
reunited with his family in Argentina.
April 11, 1961 - The trial of Adolf Eichmann
begins.
May 31, 1962 - Eichmann is hanged.

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