Reinhard Kopps

Reinhard Kopps (29 September 1914 in Hamburg – 11 September 2001 in Bariloche, Argentina) was an SS officer for the Nazi Party during World War II. Following the defeat of Germany in World War II, he helped Nazis escape to Argentina, finally fleeing there himself. Under the assumed name of Juan Maler, Kopps hid and lived by an assumed name in the small town of Bariloche in the Andes Mountains. Bariloche was also the home of Erich Priebke after World War II.

Recently opened Nazi archives in 1994 e enabled journalists and historians to research former officers and staff. ABC News investigators followed up on known Nazi war criminals, convicted in absentia. After research revealed a certain number of Nazis living in Argentina, Sam Donaldson tracked down and confronted Maler on camera.[1] The German admitted he was Reinhard Kopps, a former Nazi, and that he assisted Nazis to leave Germany and settle in Argentina. In order to deflect attention he told Donaldson that an even worse war criminal, Erich Priebke, was also living there, confirming ABC News' research. Priebke was soon arrested, and Kopps temporarily fled to Tierra del Fuego. The account was produced as an episode for ABC's Primetime Live, as well as for Nazi Hunters.

References

  1. ^ "At Long Last, Nazi Faces Trial". Los Angeles Times. 1996-05-08. Archived from the original on 2016-01-29. Retrieved 2016-01-23.


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