Somewhat NP Argentinians bound for Germany

[JBFRAME at aol.com]

In a message dated 08/04/2000 5:26:29 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
millison at online-journalist.com writes:

<< the very real ratline that rescued Nazis after WWII. >>

The ratline was usually a system of false passports that got certain persons 
on to merchant vessels.  I think very few people actually left on U-boats, 
whereas many just got out with new identities, like Eichmann & Mengele.  It's 
part of Pynchon's style to tape into the myths of the late 20th century to 
bring out certain aspects of the absurdity of historical legend.  Another 
example would be the alligators in the New York sewer system.  The idea of 
Argentine anarchists sneaking into war-torn Europe to make a movie about the 
archetypal Gaucho heroic epic _Martin Fierro_ is a rich gag, not unlike 
running into Mickey Rooney at the Potsdam Conference.