An Unexpected Reminder
I just finished watching the film, “The Eichmann Show” on Netflix. It was gripping, mesmerizing, and brutal. I cried, felt horror and deep anger. During his trial, I was a teenager. In my family, we had followed the trial from the beginning until the end. Towards the end, when they sentenced him, I remember we were all gathered at my Uncle Albert’s house celebrating his birthday. Amongst us was a German man by the name of Mr. Schmitt. He was a representative for a German company that my father and uncle were exclusive agents of in Iran. This Mr. Schmitt had been in Tehran for quite a while. He considered himself as practically part of our family. He called himself Uncle Albert’s brother, as he slapped him affectionately on the back. He was a frequent visitor at our homes.
Well, on that night we were all making merry. Someone switched on the radio. Just then they announced Eichmann’s sentence. Until then Mr. Schmitt was laughing and joking and sipping on his glass of whisky and having a jolly good time. All of a sudden he burst out in loud heart-wrenching sobs. It was a family party. There were quite a few children there. We were all being rambunctious and happy. At the sound of his sobs we all became very quiet, adults, teenagers, and children. All of us became silent from shock. I remember thinking, “He’s loudly mourning Eichmann here? In the middle of a birthday celebration of a Jewish man? In his own home?”
That was over sixty years ago. This film made the outrage I felt that night come rushing back. I will never forget that night…