Letter to the editor

Mrs. E. Assael,
7, Hillview Gardens,
London, N.W.4.

London, June 11^th, 1962.

To the Editor of
“Observer”,
22, Tudor Street,
London, E.C.4.

Sir,

For a second, it had stirred up a feeling of pity in me, when I have read about Vera Eichmann’s plea begging for mercy as a mother of four children.

I quite forgot for a second that in 1944, when Eichmann so “carefully and efficiently” worked out the plan of extermination of the Hungarian Jewry, my mother’s only sin was that she had had two children under the age of 15. According to Eichmann’s well-organised plans she herself was to lead the children to the gas-chambers. Had she not had any children she might have worked in the camp – since she was not old for that – and perhaps survived.

I myself was 15 years old at that time and had the honour to see Eichmann himself when I worked near the Crematorium. My job was to sort out the belongings of those exterminated. I am also the mother of four lovely children and often fear that the terrible disappointment in civilized humanity I experienced might be passed on to them unwillingly by me. I try to carry on my Father’s message (he was also killed in Auschwitz) to trust God and humanity. However, I do not think anybody will condemn me for having now doubts in the latter.

But this seems to be all irrelevant to many. Some persons, who are apt to inquire naïvely whether my tattoo mark on my arm is a “souvenir from the Navy”…find themselves experts enough to cast a better verdict in Eichmann’s case than the judges of Israel.

Since my job at a time linked with social-service it left the influence on me of seeing the social and the psychological background of a crime. But this attitude applies to crime committed under impulse and not carefully and efficiently set up time-table of murder. To be humane, is doubtlessly, not uncharacteristic of Jews and every Jew will be most considerate and soft, especially where family sentiments are involved, however, let us not confuse justice with sentiments. Humane consideration was present all through the trial towards him. Nevertheless, Eichmann, after not having denied the organization of the slaughter of six millions and after having seen those that he sentenced to life, (few people realize how many of the survivors fill the mental and general hospitals in Israel and elsewhere in the world) has had no remorse feelings up to the end…

Mr. Richard Crossman, M.P. while agreeing to the fair and just procedure of the trial throughout, points out well-meaningly and scrupulously that Eichmann’s hanging was not a prudent act on behalf of World Jewry. Some people do not realize that unless one is given a chance to live an honourable life, mere dragging along in fear and surrounded by hatred from birth to death, is hardly a treasure to be prudent about.

Would it not be advisable, for a change, to call upon some other quarters to be somewhat prudent in the future?

I shall be most grateful to you, Sir, for publishing this letter. Thanking you in advance,

Yours faithfully,

(Mrs.) E. Assael

[This letter was written by my father's aunt. I hope that one day I will meet her, now that I am an adult and can have a conversation with her. Last time I spoke to her, I really enjoyed it, she is clearly a very intelligent person. I tried to track down the article this was in response to or whether or not it was at all published, but had no luck.]