The Nazi's and South America.....what was the draw?

[ABNAK]

South Americans (specifically from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Chile, Peru, etc.) are of Hispanic descent and largely mixed with natives, i.e. the "Mestizo" contingent of their populations. Why would the ethnical uber-race want to seek refuge in "lesser" areas?

Sure, the "power brokers" in those countries are/were more direct Castilians, and maybe that is what the Nazi's were dealing with in the aftermath of WWII. Maybe goes back to the Nazi support of Franco during the Spanish Civil War? I dunno, but it sure seems like South America would not have been high on the list of places for the former Nazi powerful and their racial purity doctrine to hide.

[T2C]

I would think the corrupt governments in those countries found the massive wealth the Nazis accumulated attractive. Many of the political elite in European countries were related. Some of the ruling class in South America may have had old family roots traceable to European countries.

[ViniVidivici]

Thousands of square miles of remote jungle and mountains are a great place to disappear as well.

[titsonritz]

Would you rather hide in Africa or South America?

[signal4l]

Watch Hunting Hitler. Documentary about this very topic. What happened after WW2 is jaw dropping.

[pinzgauer]

Brazil had a fairly large German population before world War II. It reflects in their pastries and similar.

Argentina as well.

Early on Venezuela or portion of it was a German colony.

But as Hitler came into power and people started fleeing brought the big first waves of German Diaspora to South America.

Then the Nazis fled, and later post WW2 most of the rest of Europe chased out remaining ethnic Germans, primarily Eastern Europe. Who also fled to Argentina and Brazil.

I worked with Brazilians from families who immigrated from Germany in the 1800s. It's fairly common, though Argentina has the most.

[Averageman]

Oddly enough,...
While I was in the Philippines my Wifes Family Farm but's up against some property that was owned by a German man came to the Philippines in the late 40's early 50's.
He went to a very remote place, built what was I am sure a Mansion then and then planted what appears to be 60 acres of Mahogany Trees. He passed, his Wife passed. No one has stepped up to claim the land and the City now owns all of these Mahogony trees.
I would guess he was running from something, because that might have been the near most remote place on Earth at the time.

[hotbiggun42]

Thats where the US .gov put them is my guess.

[SomeOtherGuy]

The cities of those countries are relatively European ethnically, and were more so back in 1945. As mentioned, there were lots of German immigrants and colonies in several parts of South America. Also Italian communities, which may have been important for some others fleeing. South America was largely absent from WW2 so it wasn't conquered or controlled by the Allies, it wasn't destroyed, and it wasn't totally primitive - back then Argentina was much closer to the USA in technology and wealth than it is now, for example. Basically it would have been the obvious place to run and hide for any Nazi, or other German, who had the opportunity and felt the need.

[SteyrAUG]

Sympathetic governments like the Peron's.