Incredible: Hundreds of nazi war criminals may have started new lives in Australia

After the Second World War, numerous Nazi war criminals fled justice, many of whom found refuge in Australia. In the 1980s, a special investigative unit undertook the task of bringing them to trial; however, despite determined efforts, it achieved relatively few tangible successes.

In recent years, Australia has unfortunately witnessed multiple incidents of masked neo-Nazis dressed in black marching through the streets. These occurrences became so frequent that, in 2023, the country introduced strict legislation banning Nazi symbols.

The traces of fascism, which rose to power a century ago, still linger in the cities of the Southern Hemisphere—while, for many people, the true meaning of this ideology may be fading from memory. Yet the many chilling stories from that era can easily evoke the horrors of the past, The Conversation writes.

How did the war criminals escape?

At the end of the Second World War, Europe lay in ruins, and the Nazi regime’s rampage had claimed millions of lives. Although many were eventually held accountable for their atrocious deeds, a significant number of former officers managed to exploit the global chaos to escape—many finding sanctuary in distant Australia.

During the Cold War, fear of communism dominated Western politics and everyday thinking to such an extent that former Nazis were often regarded as the “lesser evil”. As a result, former SS officers and collaborators could quietly begin new lives under assumed identities. Some became teachers, traders, or civil servants—while others even joined Australia’s intelligence service, ASIO.

The investigation only began in the 1980s

It was not until the 1980s that any significant progress was made, when journalist Mark Aarons began to investigate more deeply the Nazi war criminals who had found refuge in Australia. His findings led to a radio programme, which eventually drew the attention of the government. In 1987, with the support of Prime Minister Bob Hawke, a special investigative unit was established. Its members embarked on a difficult and complex inquiry, building upon the information uncovered so far.