Hitler in Bariloche, Argentina
There is a rumour oft-repeated that Adolf Hitler did not die in that bunker in Berlin. As the story goes, he and Eva Braun fled to an idyllic Argentinian town after the Second World War and died there of old age.
They spent their final years on a farmstead, watching the cows graze, perhaps taking occasional strolls through the forests, and remembering the good times back in Germany when Adolf was Fuhrer.
The rumour has been written about in books as fact – published with a legitimacy most people feel is undeserved. In fact, it is actually quite ludicrous and there are many historians who have proven it to be complete nonsense.
When you’re in that town yourself, though, you can start to understand why the rumour may have started.
Bariloche (officially called San Carlos de Bariloche) is a gateway to Patagonia. It’s in the heart of Argentina but, standing there on the main streets, you could be mistaken for thinking you were somewhere in the Alps.
The city on a lake, white-capped mountains on the horizon, chocolate shops, beer taverns and a crisp fresh taste in the air. The only thing missing are the yodellers.
It’s no surprise Bariloche has been dubbed ‘Little Switzerland’.
Bariloche: Gateway to Patagonia
The mood of the town is no accident. In the 1930s, the Argentinian authorities wanted to lure more European tourists to the country. So, they established Bariloche as a hub for skiing and other mountain activities.
To make it feel more comfortable for the Europeans, they changed the architecture styles to feel more like home. The wood and stone of the towns in the Alps were replicated in the town of the Andes.
The plan worked and the area blossomed as a tourism destination. It helped that many of the residents were already from Austria and Germany.
The region began to feel like a little slice of Europe, tucked away in the middle of South America. It’s for this reason that many Nazis did find refuge here after the war and the rumours of Adolf and Eva began.
Even today, with tourists from all over the world, the European façade remains.
Signs for the local beer have cresting snow drawn over the tips of the logo; souvenir shops sell dolls of lederhosen-clad hikers; and chocolate shops name their wares with French or German names.
Scratch below the surface, though, and Bariloche is actually just as Argentinian as anywhere else in the country.
The real highlights of the town are the nearby mountains and national parks. Some of the best views of the region are from the nearby peaks.
The lakes and the islands they create fan out for 360 degrees and the scenery looks like it’s straight out of a painting. Hence my stylising of the following photos. Enjoy.
Sophie |
Bariloche is one of the great names, I think – sounds so romantic and remote. With your stylised photos (and they are gorgeous), it actually looks a bit like home (Norway) 🙂
Turtle |
I’m definitely going to have to get to Norway soon then. I’ve heard it’s a beautiful country!
Andrea |
I’m sure speculation of Hitler escaping to South America is also fuelled by the fact that many top-ranking members of the Nazis did escape to the Americas with false-documents and sometimes the help of governments like the United States to stay ahead of the Soviets. I believe Dr. Mengele was one of those escaping to South America – frightening!
Bariloche is definitely a nice place to visit when you’re in Patagonia. I think it would have been a bit more fun to be there during ski season (we were late for that) – maybe a bit more exciting. But we had some great meals there and the surrounding areas are great for hiking if the weather is right.
Turtle |
It’s definitely geared towards skiing. It would be great to go there in winter and hit the slopes – and then grab one of the delicious hot chocolates afterwards!
Sherry |
Ah, an added intrigue to this beatiful place. I can’t wait to get here and see it for myself. But I’d hope Hitler did not die here. Its too nice of a place to enjoy for a person with such a tainted history.
Turtle |
You’ve got to love a bit of intrigue… 🙂
Mary @ Green Global Travel |
It’s crazy to see images of the Alpine countryside in the Andes, then again we have Helen in Georgia. Helen is an Alpine village in on the foothills of the Blueridge Mountains. I guess people will do anything for tourism!
Dude |
Bariloche is sweet. I spent a week there in early January 2013. It is one hell of a place to hide. It has to be one of the most beautiful places on the face of the earth. I can hardly wait to go back to that area. Next time I will head southwest into Pampa Linda.
Michael Turtle |
Yeah, beautiful place. I know what you mean – if I had to flee anywhere on earth, this part of the planet would be high up on the list!
marcos sousa |
is a wonderful city with lot of social problems.
very beautiful landscape,
has a very old volcano CALLED CERRO LEONES that looks like a dog sleeping in the end of the lake,
people talk about nazis ,but i saw a big picture of rabbi menachen szneerson in 2012.
BARILOCHE IS VERY NICE .
ONE DAY I WILL LIVE THERE.
Michael Turtle |
It is a beautiful city indeed. I didn’t know about the volcano. I wonder if you can climb it? That would be kind of fun to do!
James B. |
There’s more legitimacy to the claim that Hitler lived out his life in Argentina than most want to believe. Argentinian journalist Abel Basti has written a book documenting his research on the subject. He came across at least a dozen credible eye-witnesses. His book is available in a few languages, but not yet in English. Author Harry Cooper has also published the book “Hitler in Argentina” documenting the findings of his research. Truth is stranger than fiction.
Marilyn Current |
I spent several days exploring the Bariloche area, about 11 years ago, when my daughter lived in Buenos Aires. The entire area is absolutely gorgeous.
Alan O'Brien |
read “Grey Wolf” by Simon Dunstar and Gerrard Williams and you will get undeniable info about Hitler’s escape to Argentina
carl |
My dad told me Hitler lived here. He mentioned it many times. He said he wanted to visit family here before he died. we went to Buenos aires but never went to Bariloche. I never really believe him but he made a convincing case. He said that he died in 1962 and that the FGBI knew he was there. He said that in exchange for the atom bomb, they let him escape. I don’t know what to think but it was the war and anything was possible. Many other high ranking animals of the Hitler group seems to have survived, so why not Der Fuhrer? Whatever happed, the monster is dead!
Arthur Howard |
Hitler never ever stepped foot in Argentina nor anywhere else out of European territories!
Harry Cooper |
Dream on Howard. I am the one who proved that he did escape there and my book Hitler in Argentina lays out all the proof including FBI files and communications. I have been there 11 times so far and have interviewed dozens of people who had a piece of the puzzle.
Grey |
Might I inquire the title of such a novel?
Alejandro Nishiwaki |
Argentina is so much unlike other countries when it comes to migrating because back in the forties and fifties, there weren’t visas necessary to enter the country. This may be one of the reasons Nazi Germans had such an easy way entering the country. A number of them did so w/a Vatican City passport.
Doug the great |
Why is it crazy that SOB made it to Argentina? The soviets always kept any facts of that “suicide” a mystery. In fact some say those bodies were NOT of that SOB. IF other top nazis made it, why then not the SOB himself ????
rashid |
The British newspaper “Daily Mail” said that supporters of the “conspiracy theory,” which is of course the Jews” about the escape of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler to Argentina, should reconsider their belief and review their information. Supporters of this theory believe that on April 30, 1945, Hitler escaped from his hiding place in Berlin and arrived in Argentina, where he remained hidden on a farm. And the British newspaper stated that millions of people from different countries of the world believe this “lie,” which is derived from the famous history book “The Escape of Adolf Hitler,” which was based on the promotion of this idea by the Jews, of course.
There have been many TV shows and books that have treated this hypothesis as historical fact, including the documentary “Hitler: The Great Escape” and the movie “The Truth about Hitler’s Escape from Berlin.” This theory prompted a team to investigate the matter, including a former CIA officer, a war crimes investigator, and a historian of World War II events.
A recent book by its author (Luke Daly Groves) revealed the truth of this theory, after examining hundreds of American and British intelligence files. The author came to the expected conclusion: Hitler committed suicide on April 30, 1945, and did not visit any of the countries he promoted.
The book says that the Russians took the lead in investigating Hitler’s suicide after discovering the remains of two charred bodies.
Autopsies revealed that one of the bodies belonged to a male between the ages of 50 and 60, while the second body belonged to a female (his wife), whose age ranged from 30 to 40 years. The doctors who supervised the operation later confirmed that the two bodies belonged to Hitler and his wife, denying the hypothesis that they had escaped to another country. But the Jews are still fabricating lies, rumors, and imaginary pretexts because of their entry into Argentina, and their goal is revenge, killing, and the liquidation of innocent, peaceful Germans.