When Eichmann Knocked on Our Door

What was it like to grow up in the house where history was being made?

As Attorney General of Israel, Gideon Hausner led the prosecution of Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi architect and executor of the "Final Solution," the systematic plan that resulted in the murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust.

To build the case, Hausner had to persuade Holocaust survivors-many of whom had remained silent for years-to share their painful and deeply personal stories. One by one, they came to the Hausner family home in Jerusalem, where they found warmth, compassion, and the courage to speak about the unimaginable horrors they had endured.

Behind closed doors, two young listeners absorbed every word.

Tamar, age fourteen, and Amos, age eleven, listened as survivors recounted their experiences of persecution, deportation, loss, and survival. The stories they heard would remain with them for the rest of their lives.

In this unique and deeply moving book, Tamar shares her memories, emotions, and personal reflections on those extraordinary days, while Amos-drawing on his own legal career-offers fascinating insights into the immense legal and historical challenges of one of the most significant trials of the twentieth century.

Together, their voices provide an intimate perspective on the Eichmann Trial, revealing not only the courtroom drama that captured the world's attention, but also the human stories behind the testimony.

The Epilogue, written after the book's original publication, reflects on the atrocities committed by Hamas during the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. The authors examine the painful parallels drawn by many Holocaust survivors, some of whom described October 7 as a "one-day Holocaust" because of the scale of brutality directed against innocent civilians.

Part memoir, part legal history, and part testimony, this remarkable book offers a rare glimpse into a defining moment in Jewish, Israeli, and world history