How did well-known Nazis, actually in charge of some of the most horrible acts, manage to escape death?

Question

This totally blows my mind.

I just don't get how some front-line, worst of the Nazi men, like Dr. Josef Mengele (who subjected children to his "scientific tests" that were nothing more than just whims of evil curiosity), or Dr. Fritz Hippler (who created the propaganda that had a large part in popularising the "answer to the Jewish question") manage to live 30-50 or more years post-war?

Answer 1

They had help from various sources. Megele's family had money and probably supported him. Others were assisted by networks of Nazi sympathizers and other Nazis who helped them move from place to place and to other countries, particularly in South America, where they were made welcome.

Sadly and disgracefully many, many were helped by the Catholic church, which supplied displaced person's passports to them and helped them start fresh with a new identity. This is how Eichmann got away, although the Israelis found him.

And, the worst disgrace of all, the American government and military helped some cover up and escape. Some because their "expertise" about communists was deemed to outweigh the horror of the crimes they had perpetrated and others, like Werner Von Braun, because we needed them for our weapons and rocket programs.

No ones hands are clean when it comes to helping Nazis evade justice.

Answer 2

There were three main groups that escaped justice. The first group found like minded people in south America (mostly Brazil and Paraguay) who were prepared to ignore their history in return for a portion of the money they stole. The second group escaped because they had skills that others needed. Most of them ended up in Southern Africa, the former USSR and the US (yes the US). The third group were more junior members who lied about their activities and managed to pretend to be refugees. They went everywhere.
Over the years some were found and brought to justice. Most by people like Shimon Wiesenthal who made it their life's work to get as many as possible.
Recently I met a man who was the son of one of these varmints. He was very pleasant and somewhat ashamed by his father's past. Guilt is not inherited and the time has come to put this stain on humanity behind us.

Answer 3

Some managed to escape in the post war chaos often with the help of people in the Vatican who arranged false passports for them.
Others had knowledge or talents that were valuable to the victors.
So Wernher von Braun who had been in charge of Hitler's V weapons program which killed thousands of British civilians was taken to America and put in charge of developing American missile technology and eventually the space program.

Answer 4

It is not so odd when you consider hiow many people on Yahoo answers rush to defend Hitler and describe him as a military genius & terrific humanitarian. A lot of people hate Jews. And throughout history human life has often very undervaluated. Dictator Idi Amin of Uganda and the last Shah of Iran and Admiral Pinochet were all accused of horrific crimes in their respective countries and all settled into retirement elsewhere.


What is truly obnoxious was the attitude of 'average' Germans after the war. A good example concerns the Massacre on Mount Sol in Italy. See Jack Olsens excellent book 'Silence on Mount Sol.' Under the guise of 'hunting terrorists SS units committed gruesome atrocities. AT the same time the regular German army was fighting a stupid but heroic withdrawl in the same area. After the war former SS soldiers were given jobs and treated as War Heroes while members of the regular army were treated like scum for losing the war.

There is no 'pat' easy answer for your question. Evl is subject to fads & fashions.

Joy ---------------

Answer 5

Many of them were helped to escape to Argentina by the Catholic Church. Dr Mengle's scientific tests were more than just the whims of curiosity. They were outright child molestation. Daniel Silva has written several fabulous novels that contain a lot of factual information concerning the connection of the Catholic Church and the escape of several war criminals to Argentina. I highly recommend his novels. They are amazing. Pax - C

Answer 6

They moved around a lot or relocated to South and Central America, and also assumed new identities.

Most, however, have been caught and brought to justice. It was only a minority of the war criminals (crimes against humanity, etc) that escaped; many of them have since died from old age. Israeli special forces have brought some to justice.
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Answer 7

A lot of them didn't. The top brass were tried, condemned and hanged; others were found and punished later. There are a few that managed to escape.

Answer 8

The thing I wonder is how Americans escaped prosecution.

Like the founder of IBM who sold machines to Adolf hitler that counted the Jews and numbered them for execution or slave labor.

And how about Prescott Bush our presidents Grandfather who was Hitlers Banker!!!!

Answer 9

Nobody cared for the Jews. God decides punishment not man so let him decide evil

Answer 10

Many of them killed them selves like Himmler, but some were said to have gone to Argentina or other fascist countries