Recently released CIA files and secret documents from Argentina have brought attention back to an old theory: Adolf Hitler, leader of Nazi Germany during World War II, escaped to Argentina after the war.
But researchers say there is no solid proof to support that idea. For many years, studies and physical evidence have shown Hitler died in 1945 in Berlin. Still, the story continues to spread.
In 2020, the CIA shared files that showed U.S. officials kept looking into reports of Hitler sightings even after his death was reported. These reports mostly focused on South America, especially Argentina and Colombia.
One early lead involved a hotel in a quiet town in Argentina called La Falda. The owners of this hotel were known to support the Nazi party. They had close ties with Hitler’s inner circle and had even vacationed with him in Germany. This made the hotel a place of interest to U.S. agents.
Information was passed to the FBI, as officials wondered if the property had been a hiding place. But no proof was ever found.
Photo and CIA memo spark speculation
The most talked-about report came from Colombia. In 1954, someone gave the CIA a photo of a man who looked like Hitler sitting with a former Nazi soldier named Philip Citroen. Citroen said he met with Hitler regularly, who was then using the name “Adolf Schrittelmayor.”
Citroen said he took a photo with the man and later shared it with a friend. This photo was copied and sent to the CIA. A CIA source, listed as “CIMELODY-3,” passed the story along in a 1955 report. But even then, the CIA had serious doubts about the claims.
The agency allowed a short investigation but never found proof to support the story. There is still no strong evidence that Hitler lived after the war or traveled to South America.
Argentina opens Nazi-Era files
Now, interest in the theory is back. In March 2025, Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, made a bold decision. He ordered the release of all secret government documents about Nazis who came to Argentina after World War II.
Reports say the files could include old immigration records, bank documents, and details about secret escape paths that Nazis used. Many of those who escaped went to countries like Argentina, Chile, and Brazil.
Interior Minister Guillermo Francos confirmed the news. The decision also follows a request from a U.S. senator who is investigating banks that may have handled money for Nazi officials.
Some well-known Nazis did reach South America. Adolf Eichmann was found in Argentina and taken to Israel in 1960, where he was tried and executed. Josef Mengele, known for crimes during the war, lived in South America until he died in Brazil in 1979.
Experts say that Hitler in Argentina theory doesn’t hold up
Even though new files might give more information about Nazis in South America, experts agree on one fact: Hitler did not escape Germany.
In 1956, a German court declared Hitler legally dead. Soviet soldiers had found human remains in Berlin, and dental records proved they belonged to Hitler.
In 2018, French scientists confirmed this using more tests. Russian officials gave them access to the remains for the study. Researchers also confirmed that Hitler’s wife, Eva Braun, died with him.
Top historians, including Richard J. Evans, have said for years that there is no truth to the escape story. They say the physical evidence is strong and leaves little doubt.
Related: Did Adolf Hitler Flee to Colombia? A Controversial History Theory