Discovery of Nazi Documents in Argentina's Supreme Court Archives

A recent find at Argentina’s Supreme Court reveals decades-old Nazi documents, opening a potential window into the country’s involvement during WWII.

In a remarkable turn of events, workers at Argentina’s Supreme Court stumbled upon a trove of Nazi-era materials while cleaning out the court's archives in Buenos Aires. This significant discovery includes notebooks branded with swastikas, propaganda documents, and various other items related to Adolf Hitler's regime. The boxes had been kept in storage for over eighty years and were unearthed inadvertently as part of preparations to establish a Supreme Court Museum.

The court's officials reported that the contents have the potential to expand understanding of Nazi activities in Argentina during World War II. “The material is aimed at promoting and solidifying Hitler's ideology in Argentina,” the court stated, underlining the importance of the find.

In a formal ceremony last week, local officials, researchers, and representatives from the Argentine Jewish community gathered to inspect the contents further. With the court's president, Horacio Rosatti, prioritizing the importance of these documents, a detailed examination has been initiated, seeking to unveil details connected to the Holocaust. “I was shocked by the volume,” commented Jonathan Karszenbaum, the executive director of the Holocaust Museum in Buenos Aires, who was present during the formal opening of the boxes.

Investigations into the origins of these materials revealed that they were transported to Argentina from the German Embassy in Tokyo on June 20, 1941, via the Japanese ship Nan-a-Maru—at a time when Argentina maintained a stance of neutrality in the war, while Japan was an ally of Nazi Germany. This discovery may prove to be a vital link in understanding how Nazi ideology seeped into various regions, including South America, during a tumultuous period of history.