The Secrets of the Angel of Death: The Intelligence File on Josef Mengele Revealed

Switzerland's Federal Intelligence Service has released the secret file on Josef Mengele, the Nazi doctor known as the 'Angel of Death of Auschwitz'. The file was supposed to remain classified until 2071, but a legal battle by a historian led to its disclosure. Parts of the documents were blacked out to protect sources and privacy.

Switzerland's Federal Intelligence Service released today (Thursday) the secret file concerning Josef Mengele, the notorious Nazi doctor known as the 'Angel of Death of Auschwitz'. Mengele conducted cruel medical experiments on prisoners at the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp, fled to South America after the war, and died in 1979 after drowning in Brazil. The file was classified until the end of 2071, but historian Gérard Wettstein appealed the rejection of his request to the Federal Administrative Court. During the proceedings, it emerged that the file was subject to a lenient 2001 decision regarding the 'Bergier Commission' documents, but was not properly marked in the archive. In May 2026, the service announced it would reconsider its position, and the documents have now been published online. Parts were blacked out to protect the privacy of government employees and sources. The service clarified that the redactions do not impair the ability to trace the historical sequence. The affair led the intelligence service to review its strict policy on disclosing historical documents.