Eichmann was in every respect a painstaking bureaucrat. He at once recorded in the files every discussion he ever had with any of his superiors. He always told me that the most important thing was to be covered at all times by one's superiors. He shunned all personal responsibility and took care to shelter behind his superiors - in this case Mueller and Kaltenbrunner - and inveigle them into accepting liability for his actions.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Eichmann was a meticulous bureaucrat who recorded everything and avoided personal responsibility by hiding behind his superiors.
- In plain terms
- He used paperwork to shield himself from blame.
- What can you take from it?
- Bureaucracy can be a tool for evading accountability.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does bureaucracy enable atrocities?
- What safeguards prevent such abuse?
Another view
The description focuses on method, not moral judgment.
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