Historic find after 8 decades: Nazi propaganda hidden in Argentina’s Supreme Court

During preparations for the opening of a museum at the Supreme Court in Argentina, boxes containing Nazi propaganda materials from 1941 were accidentally discovered, having been forgotten for nearly eight decades.

The discovery occurred during the transfer of the court's archive when boxes containing documents, brochures, photographs, postcards, and propaganda materials aimed at promoting Hitler's ideas in Argentina during World War II were revealed.

In June 1941, 83 boxes arrived in Argentina from the German embassy in Japan, declared as personal belongings of diplomats. Customs authorities suspected that these were anti-democratic propaganda materials, and the matter was referred to a special committee that investigated anti-Argentinian activities.

Out of 83 boxes, five were opened and found to contain Nazi propaganda material, notebooks of the Nazi party, and additional German organizations. After discussions between government offices, it was decided to leave the boxes under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, where they have remained forgotten until now.

After the discovery, the Supreme Court ordered the preservation of the materials and a thorough registration and inspection. The goal: to examine whether the materials contain information that could shed light on events related to the Holocaust, the Nazi money trails around the world, and Nazi activities in South America.

The Holocaust Museum in Buenos Aires, along with other bodies, was invited to participate in the investigation of the materials.