Documents on Nazis who fled to Argentina after Holocaust being declassified
Argentina is preparing to declassify all government-held files related to Nazi fugitives who fled and settled in the country after World War II. This move is expected to shed light on the presence of up to 10,000 Nazis and other fascist war criminals who escaped justice for their Holocaust atrocities by seeking refuge in Argentina and other Latin American countries.
The declassified documents are likely to include information on Nazi-linked bank accounts and archival records detailing the use of Nazi “ratlines,” which were covert pathways used by Nazis to escape justice and flee to Argentina following the war. Notorious high-level Nazis such as Adolf Eichmann and Josef Mengele found shelter in Argentina, while rumors have circulated for years about Adolf Hitler potentially seeking refuge there as well.
The announcement was made by Guillermo Alberto Francos, Argentina’s interior minister, and comes after Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley requested the release of these documents in a letter to Argentinian President Javier Milei. Grassley is investigating Credit Suisse and its historical involvement in servicing Nazi-linked accounts and ratlines.
The pending release of these files is expected to provide valuable insights into the Nazi planning of the covert escape routes and shine a light on the extent of Nazi presence in Argentina during the post-war period. President Milei has promised full cooperation in granting access to these documents to officials from the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a renowned organization dedicated to tracking down Nazis and named after the famed Nazi hunter.
In 2017, the CIA declassified a document that raised the possibility of Adolf Hitler being alive in South America as late as 1955, nearly a decade after World War II ended. While mainstream historians maintain that Hitler committed suicide in Berlin in 1945, the declassified document suggests the existence of a former SS soldier who claimed to have regularly met with Hitler in Colombia.
The release of these declassified files by Argentina is expected to provide further clarity on the fate of Nazi fugitives who sought refuge in the country and the extent of their presence in South America following World War II. It is a significant step towards uncovering the truth about the post-war activities of high-level Nazis and shedding light on a dark chapter in history.
