Få dage før sin henrettelse i 1962 i Israel skrev naziforbryderen Adolf Eichmann et brev, hvori han bad om at blive skånet for at blive hængt.

Hans rolle i Holocaust var blevet overdrevet, hævdede han i det håndskrevne brev, som Israel tirsdag har offentliggjort.

Offentliggørelsen falder på den internationale Holocaustdag.

Reuven Rivlin, Israels præsident, har præsenteret brevet i Jerusalem. Det er dateret den 29. maj 1962 og stilet til den daværende præsident, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi.

Eichmann blev hængt ved midnat 31. maj 1962.

»Det er nødvendigt at trække en linje mellem ledere, der er ansvarlige, og folk som mig, der mere tjente som et instrument i hænderne på ledere,« citerer præsident Rivlin fra brevet under en ceremoni i anledning af Holocaustdagen i præsidentens embedsbolig i Jerusalem.

»Jeg var ikke en ansvarlig leder, og derfor føler jeg mig ikke skyldig,« skrev Eichmann videre.

En talsmand for Rivlin siger, at brevet først for nylig er dukket op i præsidentens arkiv, da en række papirer blev gennemgået i forbindelse med et projekt om at skanne dokumenter til et digitalt arkiv.

Adolf Eichmann blev fanget af israelske agenter i Argentina i 1960. Her levede han under falsk identitet, men den israelske efterretningstjeneste Mossad fandt ham.

Han blev i skjul ført til Israel i et fly, og i Israel blev han retsforfulgt, fundet skyldig i i forbrydelser mod menneskeheden, krigsforbrydelser og forbrydelser mod det jødiske folk.

Han blev fundet skyldig i at være en af arkitekterne bag det, som nazisterne kaldte "Endlösung", altså udryddelse af jøder. Til det formål blev koncentrationslejren Auschwitz blandt andet opført.

Her var der gaskamre i tilbygningen Birkenau, hvor jøder systematisk blev henrettet.

Holocaustdagen falder 27. januar, som er den dag, hvor sovjetiske styrker befriede Auschwitz.

Nazisterne dræbte omkring seks millioner jøder. Det er det, der kaldes Holocaust.

A picture taken on January 27, 2016 shows a document from the archives of Israeli President's Office Legal Department which is part of the file of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann which is presented to the public during a ceremony marking 55 years since Eichmann's trial at the occasion of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day at the presidential compound in Jerusalem. The document is a letter by Adolf Eichmann's brothers sent to Israeli serving president Yitzhak Ben Zvi to ask for clemency for Eichmann's role in the Holocaust, just two days before he was executed. The letter reads in German: "Your Honor! After the High Court of Israel rejected the appeal of our brother Adolf Eichmann, we - Adolf Eichmann's brothers - hereby request an appeal for clemency on his behalf. Being acquainted with our brother's nature his education, and the position of our family, we can say with conviction that the impulses of our brother do not conflict with the ethical principles of social order. It is only out of an obligation to his oath as an officer that he felt obliged to follow the rule and regulations set out by the country's leadership at the time, that forced him into a situation that was impossible to face. During the concluding trial, the terrible past was once again presented before the whole world. If tolerance and understanding of brotherhood are the result of this trial, then the purpose of the trial was achieved. A conclusion of this global reproach, through an act of kindness, will highlight the magnanimity of the Jewish people and will help it through the promotion of friendship between peoples and races. To enable this magnanimity to prevail, we seek you Honor's heartfelt consideration." The text is signed by "Adolf Eichmann's brothers: Emil Rudolf Eichmann, Irmgard Molnar, Otto Eichmann, Frederick Eichmann, Dr. Robert Eichmann" / AFP / GALI TIBBON
A picture taken on January 27, 2016 shows a document from the archives of Israeli President's Office Legal Department which is part of the file of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann which is presented to the public during a ceremony marking 55 years since Eichmann's trial at the occasion of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day at the presidential compound in Jerusalem. The document is a letter by Adolf Eichmann's brothers sent to Israeli serving president Yitzhak Ben Zvi to ask for clemency for Eichmann's role in the Holocaust, just two days before he was executed. The letter reads in German: "Your Honor! After the High Court of Israel rejected the appeal of our brother Adolf Eichmann, we - Adolf Eichmann's brothers - hereby request an appeal for clemency on his behalf. Being acquainted with our brother's nature his education, and the position of our family, we can say with conviction that the impulses of our brother do not conflict with the ethical principles of social order. It is only out of an obligation to his oath as an officer that he felt obliged to follow the rule and regulations set out by the country's leadership at the time, that forced him into a situation that was impossible to face. During the concluding trial, the terrible past was once again presented before the whole world. If tolerance and understanding of brotherhood are the result of this trial, then the purpose of the trial was achieved. A conclusion of this global reproach, through an act of kindness, will highlight the magnanimity of the Jewish people and will help it through the promotion of friendship between peoples and races. To enable this magnanimity to prevail, we seek you Honor's heartfelt consideration." The text is signed by "Adolf Eichmann's brothers: Emil Rudolf Eichmann, Irmgard Molnar, Otto Eichmann, Frederick Eichmann, Dr. Robert Eichmann" / AFP / GALI TIBBON Foto: GALI TIBBON
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Der er blevet rettet i denne artikel. Auschwitz blev tidligere omtalt som liggende i Polen, men der fandtes ikke noget Polen i statsmæssig og administrativ forstand under krigen, idet den tyske besættelsesmagt havde sat de polske myndigheder fuldstændig ud af kraft og indlemmet store dele af landet direkte under Tyskland.

/ritzau/Reuters