"Hannah Arendt" Revisits Fiery Debate over German-American Theorist's Coverage of Eichmann Trial

http://www.democracynow.org - As head of the Gestapo office for Jewish affairs, Adolf Eichmann organized transport systems which resulted in the deportation of millions of Jews to extermination camps across Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe. Eichmann helped draft the letter ordering the Final Solution -- the Nazi's plan to exterminate the Jewish people in Nazi-occupied Europe. After the war, Eichmann fled to Argentina, where he lived under a false identity until he was kidnapped by the Israeli intelligence agency, the Mossad, on May 11, 1960. He was flown to Israel and brought to trial in Jerusalem in April 1961. After being found guilty he was executed by hanging in 1962. One writer reporting on the trial was the German-Jewish philosopher and political theorist Hannah Arendt, the author of "The Origins of Totalitarianism" and "The Human Condition." Arendt's coverage of the trial for the New Yorker proved extremely controversial. She expressed shock that Eichmann was not a monster, or evil, but "terribly and terrifyingly normal." Even more controversial was her assertion that the Jews participated in their own destruction through the collaboration of the Nazi-appointed Judenrat, or Jewish Councils, with the Third Reich. Arendt's coverage of the Eichmann trial is chronicled in the 2013 film, "Hannah Arendt." We air clips of the film and speak with the film's star, Barbara Sukowa, who was awarded the Lola Award for Best Actress, the German equivalent of the Oscars, for her role. We are also joined by the film's director, Margarethe von Trotta, one of Germany's leading directors, who has won multiple awards over her 40-year career. Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,200+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Check out our vast news archive and stream live 8-9am ET at http://www.democracynow.org. FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE: Facebook:   / democracynow   Twitter: @democracynow Subscribe on YouTube:    / democracynow   Listen on SoundCloud:   / democracynow   Daily Email News Digest: http://www.democracynow.org/subscribe Google+: https://plus.google.com/+DemocracyNow Instagram:   / democracynow   Tumblr:   / democracynow   Watch Democracy Now! live 8-9am ET Monday through Friday via livestream at http://www.democracynow.org. Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today, visit http://www.democracynow.org/donate/YT