FAQ About Hannah Arendt
What was the controversy surrounding her book 'Eichmann in Jerusalem'?
Hannah Arendt's book 'Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil,' published in 1963, generated significant controversy. Arendt reported on the trial of Adolf Eichmann, a major organizer of the Holocaust, and introduced the concept of 'the banality of evil.' She argued that Eichmann was not a fanatic or sociopathic bureaucrat but an ordinary person who simply followed orders without much thought to their moral implication. Her portrayal led to debates on the nature of evil and personal responsibility in genocidal acts, stirring both support and criticism.
