Argentina’s Supreme Court digs deeper into discovered Nazi archive

Argentina’s Supreme Court is cleaning, digitising and cataloguing more than 4,600 documents linked to the Nazi regime, which were discovered in its basement last month.

Twelve boxes containing material regarded as of high historical value, including swastika-bearing notebooks, passports, propaganda and documentation from the Third Reich, are being closely inspected by experts.

The contents were found in the central archive of the Supreme Court and remain under strict security measures, say court sources. Access to the material is limited to a specialist technical team led by Jessica Susco, director of the Supreme Court’s library and museum, who is working in collaboration with heritage conservation expert María de la Paz Podestá.

Many documents have been damaged by time and humidity. According to court sources, they require specialised treatment before any in-depth investigation can begin.

News of the Nazi discovery was first made public on May 9, at an event led by Supreme Court Chief Justice Horacio Rosatti, the AMIA Jewish community centre’s chief rabbi Eliahu Hamra and Jonathan Karszenbaum, the executive director of the Buenos Aires Holocaust Museum. Their presence underscored the significance of the discovery.

Images released by the Supreme Court show experts – equipped with gloves, gowns, head coverings and N95 masks – carrying out a preliminary inspection of each box.

The restoration process includes meticulous dry cleaning of each notebook using low-suction vacuums and soft-bristle brushes, carried out page by page. Ultraviolet light is also used to detect hidden inscriptions or watermarks, with every item photographed under controlled conditions prior to scanning. Temperature and humidity levels in the storage area are constantly monitored to prevent further deterioration.

Once restored, the documents will be digitised and catalogued. Among those already inventoried are more than 4,600 red 32-page notebooks from the Deutsche Arbeitsfront (German Labour Front) and over 400 black 18-page notebooks from the German Union of Guilds, each listing personal details such as name, date of birth, profession and local delegation in Argentina.

Established following the dissolution of independent trade unions in Germany in 1933, the Deutsche Arbeitsfront was the Nazi Party’s national labour force and played a key role in controlling workers and disseminating Nazi ideology. The German Union of Guilds similarly served as a vehicle for Nazi corporatism abroad, making these documents particularly invaluable.

Also found were loose records bearing stamps and Nazi propaganda materials, including images of Adolf Hitler and materials documenting his activities.

In a second phase, the documents team will complete full preservation and digitisation of the archive to minimise handling. Only then will a deeper stage of investigation and analysis begin.

The Supreme Court is keeping all hypotheses open regarding the material’s origins. Experts hope the files could reveal fresh details about the pre- and post-World War II era and uncover unknown elements – such as a potential Nazi financial network, operations in the region and their broader influence.

Argentina’s highest tribunal is coordinating with both national and international institutions, including the Buenos Aires Holocaust Museum, the DAIA Jewish community organisation, and research centres in Europe and Israel, to share findings and cross-reference archives.

In the aftermath of World War II, Argentina became a haven for former Nazi soldiers, many of whom received protection from Juan Perón and his government. A series of so-called ‘ratlines’ were established in the 1940s and 1950s to funnel Nazi war criminals from Europe to the relative safety and obscurity of South America.

While the current focus is historical and archival, the Supreme Court’s justices have not ruled out potential legal implications should the documents provide evidence relevant to existing or future investigations into crimes against humanity, Nazi collaborators or post-war support networks in Latin America.

Once the digitisation process is complete, the Supreme Court is considering making parts of the archive available to the public and academic community through a dedicated digital platform.

This is not the first time Nazi-linked material has surfaced in Argentina. In 2017, federal authorities uncovered a trove of Nazi artefacts hidden in a private home in Buenos Aires. The recent discovery, however, stands out due to its scale, custodianship and potential to provide fresh data on the presence and activity of Nazi organisations in South America.

– TIMES/NA/PERFIL