Kathrine Frich
The boxes arrived in Argentina in 1941 aboard the Japanese ship Nan-a-Maru.
The boxes arrived in Argentina in 1941 aboard the Japanese ship Nan-a-Maru.
83 boxes of Nazi materials were recently unearthed in the basement of Argentina’s Supreme Court.
Forgotten for decades, they hold chilling remnants of Hitler’s propaganda machine during World War II.
The Nan-a-Maru Shipment Mystery
The boxes arrived in Argentina in 1941 aboard the Japanese ship Nan-a-Maru.
Allegedly sent by the German embassy in Tokyo, the shipment was disguised as containing personal belongings—but authorities suspected otherwise.
A Snapshot of Nazi Ideology
Inside, investigators found thousands of postcards, propaganda photos, Nazi party diaries, and documents crafted to spread Hitler’s ideology, materials now considered key to understanding the Third Reich’s global ambitions.
Argentina’s Wartime Tightrope
At the time, Argentina was walking a political tightrope.
Remaining neutral until 1944, the country’s authorities feared this shipment could be seen as a declaration of allegiance to the Axis powers.
A Judge Steps In—Then Silence
After an initial inspection of five boxes, a federal judge seized the materials and handed them to the Supreme Court.
What happened next is still a mystery. The boxes remained untouched for 84 years.
Unearthed by a Museum Project
The rediscovery came during preparations for a future Supreme Court museum.
While sorting through archived items, staff stumbled upon the sealed boxes, one of which revealed Nazi memorabilia upon opening.
Hitler’s Propaganda in Argentina
Experts believe the materials were intended to spread Nazi ideology within Argentina.
At the time, the country had a sizable German population, and pro-Nazi sentiments lingered among some elites.
A Secure New Home
The rediscovered boxes have been moved to a specially secured location.
Preservation efforts are underway, with the Buenos Aires Holocaust Museum invited to help catalogue and conserve the materials.
Hints of Hidden Holocaust Truths
Scholars hope these documents will shed new light on Nazi funding networks and international operations during the war.
Some believe they could help uncover uncharted elements of Holocaust history.
Argentina’s Complex Legacy
Argentina accepted around 40,000 Jewish refugees between 1933 and 1954, but it was also a haven for fleeing Nazi officials after the war.
This discovery adds yet another chapter to its fraught WWII legacy.