This conclusion drawn by the Supreme Court of Argentina has raised eyebrows. They ended up discovering 83 boxes worth of Third Reich materials stowed away in their cellar. It was a fortuitous discovery that took place while clearing the ground for the construction of a new museum for the nation’s highest court. Argentine authorities seized the boxes at some point during World War II. They think it was the German embassy in Tokyo that sent them to Argentina via Japan in June 1941 on the Japanese steamship “Nan-a-Maru.”
The contents of these boxes had previously raised concerns among authorities, who feared they could jeopardize Argentina’s neutrality in the ongoing global conflict. Argentina continued to officially remain neutral in World War II until 1944, when the government broke relations with the Axis powers. These rediscovered materials, including postcards, photographs, propaganda and more than 12,000 notebooks detailing everyday activities of the Nazi party.
Upon arriving in Argentina, customs authorities randomly selected five boxes from the shipment for inspection. At the same time, German diplomatic representatives continued to assert that the contents were simply personal effects. These boxes were discovered just this past summer, 84 years after their confiscation. Now, their groundbreaking archaeological discovery shines new light on Argentina’s historical involvement fighting alongside the U.S. during the war.
These experts are now charged with scrutinizing these Holocaust-related materials for insight pertaining to less known aspects of the Holocaust. The history of Argentina during this period is especially poignant. From 1933 to 1954, some 40,000 Jews escaping Nazi persecution in Europe found refuge in the small country.
“Upon opening one of the boxes, we identified material intended to consolidate and propagate Adolf Hitler’s ideology in Argentina during the Second World War,” – the court
The consequences of this research go beyond just academic interest. These boxes have the potential to contain invaluable information regarding the effects of Nazi ideology in Argentina. They show how this shaped Jewish life in an age of such fearmongering and persecution.
As further investigation unfolds, the Supreme Court’s rediscovery underscores the importance of preserving historical materials and understanding their impact on contemporary society. This focus marks an important moment in Argentina’s history. It serves as a powerful admonition to us all that we should never stop watching and fighting against the forces of hate and intolerance.
