Ratlines (World War II)

Ratlines were systems of escape routes for Nazis and other fascists fleeing Europe at the end of World War II fleeing the pursuit of Nazi collaborators. These escape routes are believed to have led mainly toward save havens in South America, particularly Argentina. Other destinations may have included Canada and the Middle East.

One alleged ratline, made famous by the Frederick Forsyth thriller "The Odessa File", was the ODESSA network (see ODESSA). ODESSA in this context stands for (Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen; "The Organization of Former SS-Members"), and has no connection to the Black Sea city of that name.

Allegations of World Powers' Involvement in Ratlines

There have been allegations of collusion or active support by various governments for the ratlines. Accusations have been levelled against the United States government of acting through its CIA intelligence agency to help smuggle Nazi scientists and officers to safety. The Catholic Church has been accused of operating an important ratline from the Vatican primarily for the benefit of Croatian Ustasha war-criminals. These allegations have been denied by the Holy See.

The case against the Vatican

A detailed case against the Catholic Church is made by Mark Aarons and John Loftens in their book Unholy Trinity: The Vatican, The Nazis, and the Swiss Bankers (St Martins Press 1991, revised 1998).