Andinia Plan
Encyclopedia
Andinia Plan is an alleged plan to establish a Jewish state in parts of Argentina
. The name and contents of the plan have wide currency in Argentine extreme right-wing circles, but no evidence of its actual existence has ever been brought up, making it an example of a conspiracy theory
.
This alleged plan has been used as a rhetorical device
by far right
circles to attack Jews and institutions.
tendencies of the Roca
administration were instrumental in making European Jews feel welcome.
In the 1880s and 1890s, France
's Baron Maurice de Hirsch
organized a campaign to relocate two-thirds of Jews in the Russia
n Empire. Argentina was publicized as a destination for Jews: Alberto Gerchunoff
, a Russian Jew who migrated to Argentina, recalled seeing print articles about the Jewish migration to Argentina in Tulchin, Russia, in 1889. In 1891, Hirsch established the Jewish Colonization Association
to coordinate the purchase of land to accommodate Jewish migrants (see Jewish gauchos
).
The Jewish population in Argentina grew and prospered in the ensuing years (see History of the Jews in Argentina
).
(Der Judenstaat
), evaluated Argentina as a potential destination for the oppressed Jews of Eastern Europe.
Some sources maintain that Herzl proposed that the Argentina project be given priority over settlement in Palestine
.
The Zionist records attest to the fact that Herzl did consider Argentina, as well as present-day Kenya
, as alternatives to Palestine. Also, Israel Zangwill
and his Jewish Territorialist Organization
(ITO) split off from the main Zionist movement; the territorialists
' aim was to establish a Jewish homeland wherever possible. The ITO never gained wide support and was dissolved in 1925, leaving Palestine as the sole focus of Zionist aspirations.
. In these circles, the Andinia Plan was sometimes assumed to be a fact, even though the Zionist movement had abandoned all plans related to Argentina decades ago, and Argentine Jewish institutions (headed by DAIA
) were recognized by (and conversant with) all Argentine governments, including military juntas.
Later versions of the "Plan", as published in Argentine Neo-Nazi media since the 1970s, involved an alleged Israel
i intention to conquer parts of Patagonia
and declare a Jewish state. This theory did not take hold in mainstream political discourse. Many Israelis tour South America
, many of them immediately after their military service, with Patagonia being a favored destinationhttp://www.congresojudio.org/nota.php?np=1242.
During the 1976-1983 dictatorship
, some Jewish prisoners of the armed forces, notably Jacobo Timerman
, were interrogated
about their knowledge of the Andinia plan, and were asked to provide details regarding the preparations of the Israeli Defense Forces for the invasion of Patagonia http://www.desaparecidos.org/nuncamas/web/testimon/timerman.htm.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. The name and contents of the plan have wide currency in Argentine extreme right-wing circles, but no evidence of its actual existence has ever been brought up, making it an example of a conspiracy theory
Conspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.-Usage:The term "conspiracy...
.
This alleged plan has been used as a rhetorical device
Rhetorical device
In rhetoric, a rhetorical device or resource of language is a technique that an author or speaker uses to convey to the listener or reader a meaning with the goal of persuading him or her towards considering a topic from a different perspective. While rhetorical devices may be used to evoke an...
by far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
circles to attack Jews and institutions.
Jewish migration to Argentina
Starting in 1880, Argentine governments had a policy of massive immigration, and the liberalLiberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
tendencies of the Roca
Julio Argentino Roca
Alejo Julio Argentino Roca Paz was an army general who served as President of Argentina from 12 October 1880 to 12 October 1886 and again from 12 October 1898 to 12 October 1904.-Upbringing and early career:...
administration were instrumental in making European Jews feel welcome.
In the 1880s and 1890s, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
's Baron Maurice de Hirsch
Maurice de Hirsch
Maurice de Hirsch was a German-Jewish philanthropist who set up charitable foundations to promote Jewish education and improve the lot of oppressed European Jewry. He was the founder of the Jewish Colonization Association which sponsored large-scale Jewish immigration to Argentina...
organized a campaign to relocate two-thirds of Jews in the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Empire. Argentina was publicized as a destination for Jews: Alberto Gerchunoff
Alberto Gerchunoff
Alberto Gerchunoff , was an Argentine writer born in the Russian Empire, in the city of Proskuriv, now Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine. His family emigrated in 1889 to the agricultural colony of Moises Ville. His father, Rab Gershon ben Abraham Gerchunoff was murdered by a gaucho on February 12, 1891...
, a Russian Jew who migrated to Argentina, recalled seeing print articles about the Jewish migration to Argentina in Tulchin, Russia, in 1889. In 1891, Hirsch established the Jewish Colonization Association
Jewish Colonization Association
The Jewish Colonization Association was created on September 11, 1891 by the Baron Maurice de Hirsch. Its aim was to facilitate the mass emigration of Jews from Russia and other Eastern European countries, by settling them in agricultural colonies on lands purchased by the committee, particularly...
to coordinate the purchase of land to accommodate Jewish migrants (see Jewish gauchos
Jewish gauchos
Jewish gauchos were Jewish immigrants who settled in fertile regions of Argentina in agricultural colonies established by the Jewish Colonization Association....
).
The Jewish population in Argentina grew and prospered in the ensuing years (see History of the Jews in Argentina
History of the Jews in Argentina
The history of the Jews of Argentina goes back to the days of the Spanish Inquisition and Portuguese Inquisition, when Jews fleeing persecution settled in what is now Argentina. Many of the Portuguese traders in the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata were Jewish, but an organized Jewish community...
).
Zionist plans in Argentina
Leon Pinsker, in his book Autoemancipation (1882) and Theodore Herzl, in his book The Jewish StateDer Judenstaat
Der Judenstaat is a book written by Theodor Herzl and published in 1896 in Leipzig and Vienna by M. Breitenstein's Verlags-Buchhandlung...
(Der Judenstaat
Der Judenstaat
Der Judenstaat is a book written by Theodor Herzl and published in 1896 in Leipzig and Vienna by M. Breitenstein's Verlags-Buchhandlung...
), evaluated Argentina as a potential destination for the oppressed Jews of Eastern Europe.
Some sources maintain that Herzl proposed that the Argentina project be given priority over settlement in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
.
The Zionist records attest to the fact that Herzl did consider Argentina, as well as present-day Kenya
British Uganda Program
The British Uganda Programme was a plan to give a portion of British East Africa to the Jewish people as a homeland.-History:The offer was first made by British Colonial Secretary Joseph Chamberlain to Theodore Herzl's Zionist group in 1903. He offered of the Mau Plateau in what is today Kenya...
, as alternatives to Palestine. Also, Israel Zangwill
Israel Zangwill
Israel Zangwill was a British humorist and writer.-Biography:Zangwill was born in London on January 21, 1864 in a family of Jewish immigrants from Czarist Russia, to Moses Zangwill from what is now Latvia and Ellen Hannah Marks Zangwill from what is now Poland. He dedicated his life to championing...
and his Jewish Territorialist Organization
Jewish Territorialist Organization
The Jewish Territorial Organization, known as the ITO, was a Jewish political movement which first arose in 1903 in response to the British Uganda Offer, but which was institutionalized in 1905....
(ITO) split off from the main Zionist movement; the territorialists
Territorialism
Territorialism, also known as Statism , was a Jewish political movement calling for creation of a sufficiently large and compact Jewish territory , not necessarily in the Land of Israel and not necessarily fully autonomous.-Development of territorialism:Before 1905 some Zionist leaders took...
' aim was to establish a Jewish homeland wherever possible. The ITO never gained wide support and was dissolved in 1925, leaving Palestine as the sole focus of Zionist aspirations.
Use in Argentine public discourse
Extreme right-wing had a strong foothold in the military, mostly through the teachings of Jordán Bruno GentaJordán Bruno Genta
Jordán Bruno Genta, was an Argentine writer and educator, widely considered the ideologue of the Argentine extreme right-wing.In his youth, Genta actively campaigned against several attempts at education reform, fearing that the changes would dilute the influence of Catholic teachings...
. In these circles, the Andinia Plan was sometimes assumed to be a fact, even though the Zionist movement had abandoned all plans related to Argentina decades ago, and Argentine Jewish institutions (headed by DAIA
DAIA
DAIA is the umbrella organization of Argentina's Jewish community. As such, it represents the community in official events and conducts its contacts with authorities....
) were recognized by (and conversant with) all Argentine governments, including military juntas.
Later versions of the "Plan", as published in Argentine Neo-Nazi media since the 1970s, involved an alleged Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i intention to conquer parts of Patagonia
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
and declare a Jewish state. This theory did not take hold in mainstream political discourse. Many Israelis tour South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, many of them immediately after their military service, with Patagonia being a favored destinationhttp://www.congresojudio.org/nota.php?np=1242.
During the 1976-1983 dictatorship
National Reorganization Process
The National Reorganization Process was the name used by its leaders for the military government that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983. In Argentina it is often known simply as la última junta militar or la última dictadura , because several of them existed throughout its history.The Argentine...
, some Jewish prisoners of the armed forces, notably Jacobo Timerman
Jacobo Timerman
Jacobo Timerman was an Argentine publisher, journalist, and author who was persecuted and honored for confronting the atrocities of the Argentine military regime's Dirty War...
, were interrogated
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
about their knowledge of the Andinia plan, and were asked to provide details regarding the preparations of the Israeli Defense Forces for the invasion of Patagonia http://www.desaparecidos.org/nuncamas/web/testimon/timerman.htm.