Hidden Nazi Archives Unearthed in Argentina's Supreme Court

Recent discoveries in the basement of Argentina’s Supreme Court reveal boxes of Nazi-era documents, potentially shedding light on the country’s connections to the Holocaust during the war.

In a remarkable turn of events, staff members at Argentina’s Supreme Court stumbled upon a cache of Nazi-related materials while organizing the court’s archives. These boxes, which contain swastika-adorned notebooks, propaganda, and other documents from the Nazi era, had remained untouched for over eight decades. The discovery was made as the staff prepared for the establishment of a Supreme Court Museum.

Upon the opening of these boxes, officials noted that the contents were aimed at promoting Adolf Hitler's ideologies in Argentina during World War II's early years. Horacio Rosatti, the president of the court, emphasized the historical importance of the materials unearthed and has initiated a comprehensive review to ascertain their potential significance, particularly regarding events connected to the Holocaust.

A formal ceremony to unveil more items from the boxes took place last week, drawing scholars, officials, and members of the Argentine Jewish community. Jonathan Karszenbaum, the executive director of Buenos Aires' Holocaust Museum, expressed his astonishment at the quantity of documents discovered, highlighting that he had not reviewed all the contents yet.

The origins of the materials have also been traced back to June 20, 1941, when they were shipped to Argentina from the German Embassy in Tokyo aboard the Japanese vessel Nan-a-Maru. At that time, Argentina maintained a neutral stance in World War II, while Japan was aligned with Hitler’s regime. This revelation promises to carve out a deeper understanding of Nazi activities and their pervasive influence in Argentina during a critical historical period.