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Argentina's Supreme Court has uncovered a large collection of Nazi-era documents hidden in its basement archives for over 80 years.
The discovery, made during preparations for a new judicial museum, includes 83 boxes containing Nazi propaganda materials, photographs, postcards, membership booklets and other documents, many emblazoned with swastikas and other Nazi symbols.
According to court officials, the documents were originally part of a 1941 shipment from the German embassy in Tokyo, transported aboard the Japanese steamship Nan-a-Maru.
Although the shipment was declared as personal belongings, it was intercepted by Argentine customs officials at the time, who expressed concerns over its contents.
The materials were subsequently stored in the court's basement, where they remained undisturbed for decades.
Supreme Court President Horacio Rosatti has ordered the preservation and detailed examination of the documents, with support from the Buenos Aires Holocaust Museum.
Experts believe the materials were intended to spread Adolf Hitler’s ideology in Argentina during World War II.
Argentina's connection to Nazi Germany has long been a subject of historical scrutiny, as the country served as a refuge for several high-profile Nazi fugitives after the war, including Adolf Eichmann and Josef Mengele.
Historians and human rights groups have welcomed the discovery, viewing it as an opportunity to further understand the extent of Nazi influence in Latin America during and after the war.
The discovery is expected to shed new light on the networks that facilitated these escapes, often referred to as the "ratlines."
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