What: The Florida Holocaust Museum is pleased to present the first exhibition in the United States to fully document the pursuit, capture, extradition, and trial of a Nazi war criminal. The blockbuster exhibition Operation Finale: The Capture & Trial of Adolf Eichmann, co-produced by The Mossad – Israel Secret Intelligence Service; Beit Hatfutsot – The Museum of the Jewish people, Tel Aviv, Israel; and the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, Cleveland, Ohio, opens on Saturday, February 10th at The Florida Holocaust Museum.
Who: Fifty-six years ago, Adolf Eichmann, who had been in charge of transporting millions of European Jews to death camps, sat in a courtroom for a trial that would be among the first in history to be completely televised. The trial captivated millions of people across the globe and it was the first time that many of them learned the details of the Holocaust. During World War II, Eichmann was the key functionary in the Nazis’ attempt to annihilate all of Europe’s 11 million Jews. After the war he disappeared, but his crimes made him a wanted man. Operation Finale – the code name of Israel’s effort to find him – reveals exactly how Mossad agents located Eichmann in his hiding place in South America, and how they abducted and smuggled him safely to Israel to stand trial.
Why: The dramatic story behind one of the world’s most notorious escaped Nazi war criminals being brought to justice is told using recently declassified artifacts from the Mossad, Israel’s Secret Intelligence Service. The exhibition includes objects and images made available outside the country for the first time – original 1960s-era artifacts, photographs, Telly Award winning films and audio, as well as contemporary design elements and interactive features, to tell a story of espionage, intrigue and, ultimately, justice served. Also included in the exhibition is one of the most iconic objects of the century – the bulletproof glass booth in which the accused sat as the courtroom drama was broadcast around the globe.
Who Should Attend: All members of the community are invited to attend. Admittance to the exhibition is included with regular admission cost; $16 Adults, $14 Seniors (65+), College Students $10, and Students under Eighteen $8. Special docent led group tours of Operation Finale: The Capture & Trial of Adolf Eichmann are available for an additional $3.00 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. beginning on February 25, 2018. Group tours must be booked two weeks in advance. To book, please email tours@thefhm.org and include “Operation Finale Group Tour” in the subject line. For questions and/or additional information, please call the Museum at 727.820.0100 ext. 230.
When: The exhibition opens to the public on Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. and is on display through July 15, 2018.
Where: The Florida Holocaust Museum, 55 5th Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.