INR Discussion 2

Week 2 Discussion
1.Through the lens of Hannah Arendt, why did she take issue with the way in which Eichmann was tried? Should Israel have pursued Nazi SS-Obersturmbannführer in the manner that they did?

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/aug/29/hannah-arendt-adolf-eichmann-banality-of-evil
150 words response.

student responses examples. 
Hannah Arendt, as a jewish German, had issues in the way that Eichmann was tried for his actions in the genocide of the jews due to the mentality of the people at that time, resulting in actions unprecedented from a precedented mindset. In the video “Arednt Final Speech”, Hannah stated that “understanding someone is different that forgiving,” and she ultimately agreed on the final verdict on Eichmann’s trial that had him condemned to death. Arednt did not believe that the history of anti-semitism in Germany could be tried. Her issue was from all of the history that had people (minorities) robbed from their own rights with no “positive law”, while at the same time being someone under the rule of a dictatorship would have easily brought a horrible event on mankind due to the lack of mankind. Just look at how many wars, genocides, robbing that was happening during that century and the one before. Humanity had led itself to that point. Also, there are studies that show that naturally when someone is in a position of power (being a police officer, president, etc), someone that is under that control will do anything you tell them whether it is against their morals or not. Eichmann, under the control of Hitler at the time, was not going to say no but even worse was that he saw nothing wrong with proceeding in the horrible actions committed. Now, about what happened to Eichmann being pursed by Israel, I believe, for the most part, Hannah Arednt is saying that it was okay how the situation was handled. The only thing that she wishes had happened, was for Israel to understand the actions of the person and what led to them, rather than the atrocity that was placed upon on the people.