Eichmann in Jerusalem

by

Hannah Arendt

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Eichmann in Jerusalem makes teaching easy.
In 1939, Heinrich Himmler created the S.S.’s Head Reich Office for Reich Security, one of its 12 primary branches, by combining the S.D. with the state Security Police (which itself included the Gestapo and the Criminal Police). Eichmann spent the rest of his time in the Nazi Party working for the R.S.H.A.’s Gestapo bureau (headed by Heinrich Müller), Section IV-B (the desk covering Jewish affairs). Reinhardt Heydrich ran the R.S.H.A. until his assassination in 1942, at which point Ernst Kaltenbrunner took over.
Get the entire Eichmann in Jerusalem LitChart as a printable PDF.
Eichmann in Jerusalem PDF

R.S.H.A. Term Timeline in Eichmann in Jerusalem

The timeline below shows where the term R.S.H.A. appears in Eichmann in Jerusalem. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 5: The Second Solution: Concentration
The Banality of Evil Theme Icon
Conscience, Authority, and Totalitarianism Theme Icon
Justice and Legal Responsibility Theme Icon
...(S.D.) with the state police (including the Gestapo) into the Head Office for Reich Security (R.S.H.A.), headed by Reinhardt Heydrich (and later Ernst Kaltenbrunner), which became one of the S.S.’s twelve... (full context)
The Banality of Evil Theme Icon
Conscience, Authority, and Totalitarianism Theme Icon
Heinrich Müller headed the R.S.H.A. Gestapo bureau, Section IV. Eichmann worked directly for him in Subsection IV-B, dealing with Jewish... (full context)
Chapter 12: Deportations from Central Europe—Hungary and Slovakia
Conscience, Authority, and Totalitarianism Theme Icon
Storytelling and Resistance Theme Icon
...The Slovak government refused further deportations until the closing days of the war, when the R.S.H.A. sent 12-14,000 more Slovak Jews to concentration camps, leaving about 20,000 survivors. (full context)
Chapter 15: Judgment, Appeal, and Execution
The Banality of Evil Theme Icon
Conscience, Authority, and Totalitarianism Theme Icon
Justice and Legal Responsibility Theme Icon
...end of the War, Eichmann had “nothing to do” and was even excluded from the R.S.H.A. officials’ daily lunch. His only remaining duty was overseeing Theresienstadt, and when the Red Cross... (full context)