Stage Adaptation of Josef Mengele's Postwar Escape Premieres at La Pépinière

A theatrical production based on the true story of Nazi war criminal Josef Mengele's postwar escape has premiered at La Pépinière. The performance adapts Olivier Guez's 2017 Prix Renaudot-winning book 'La disparition de Josef Mengele,' published by Éditions Grasset. The narrative follows Mengele's arrival in Buenos Aires in 1949 under a false identity, his subsequent evasion of justice across South America for three decades, and his mysterious death on a Brazilian beach in 1979. The production explores how the former Auschwitz physician managed to avoid capture during what is described as one of the most significant manhunts of the late 20th century, benefiting from Argentina's Perón-era policies and global reluctance to pursue Nazi crimes. Critical reception from French media outlets has been positive, with Le Parisien calling it 'a powerful and necessary spectacle,' Télérama describing it as 'chilling, terrible and essential,' and Le Monde noting 'a chilling narrative, a history lesson, and an actor's performance.' The event is presented in partnership with the Club Artistik Rezo.