As the Jewish Light first reported on Feb. 28 in an exclusive interview with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Argentina had pledged to open its sealed Nazi-era financial archives. Now, that pledge has become reality.
In a historic decision, Argentina granted the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) full access to previously sealed Nazi-era financial archives. The move, ordered by President Javier Milei, was an unprecedented step toward uncovering how South American banking networks helped Nazi war criminals escape justice after World War II.
That access has now gone public. On April 30, Argentina’s government announced via X that nearly 1,850 of the documents have been released to the public through the country’s National Archive. The trove includes banking records, immigration files and defense ministry materials — the kind of evidence Nazi hunters and historians have long sought.
El Archivo General de la Nación hizo públicos documentos desclasificados sobre actividades nazis en Argentina y decretos presidenciales secretos.
Gracias a un extenso trabajo de restauración y digitalización, ahora podés acceder a más de 1850 informes y casi 1300 decretos… pic.twitter.com/4Ijs7fGqk0
— Vicejefatura de Gabinete del Interior (@vicejefaturaint) April 28, 2025
“This is a potential watershed moment,” said SWC CEO Jim Berk. “Weʼve long suspected that key financial institutions helped facilitate these escapes, but this access could finally provide concrete evidence.”
For decades, historians have known that Argentina played a key role in the post-war ratlines — secret escape routes that allowed high-ranking Nazis to flee Europe. But the full extent of financial complicity has remained elusive. With these records now open to the public, investigators may finally be able to trace how banks and financial institutions enabled Nazi fugitives to rebuild their lives in South America.
Argentina has a complicated history when it comes to Nazi fugitives. Under the rule of Juan Perón, the country became a safe haven for war criminals like Adolf Eichmann and Josef Mengele, who slipped through the cracks of post-war justice. While past governments released partial records, this is the first time such broad and unrestricted access has been granted — and now published online.
The SWC’s ongoing investigation aims to expose which institutions were directly involved in laundering money, facilitating transfers or otherwise aiding Nazi war criminals. The newly released documents could contain bank statements, wire transfers and correspondence that confirm the long-suspected role of South American financial networks.
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, led by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has also been pushing for greater transparency in Nazi-related investigations.
“The pursuit of truth doesnʼt have an expiration date,” Grassley said in a statement. “This is about justice and ensuring history is fully documented.”
Uncovering Nazi financial networks could have implications beyond Argentina. If new evidence ties major banks or multinational corporations to war criminal support, it could spark legal actions, diplomatic pressure and even financial reparations. Additionally, historians believe these records could shed light on how Nazi-linked money flowed into modern institutions, potentially influencing post-war global finance in ways previously unknown.
While it remains to be seen what exactly investigators will uncover, one thing is clear: the last chapter of Nazi accountability is still being written — and now, everyone can read along.
