THE US investigated whether Hitler was alive in South America as late as 1955, newly-declassified CIA documents reveal.

The official files show a former SS soldier told spies he regularly met with the Nazi leader in Colombia.

9 Newly-declassified CIA files contain a photo an informant claims is the fuhrer in 1955

It goes on to suggest that Hitler, who would have been aged 66, worked as a shipping company employee before fleeing to Argentina.

The report, filed by the CIA's bureau chief in Venezuela, included a picture the informant, Phillip Citroen, claims is him with the fuhrer in the mid-50s.

An extract reads: "CIMELODY-3's [CIA informant] friend states that during the latter part of September 1955, a Phillip Citroen, former German SS trooper, stated to him confidentially that Adolph Hitler (sic) is still alive.

"Citroen claimed to have contacted Hitler about once a month in Colombia on his trip from Maracaibo to that country as an employee of the KNSM (Royal Dutch) shipping Co."

9 The official files show a former SS soldier told spies he regularly met with the Nazi leader in Colombia

9 It goes on to suggest that Hitler, who would have been aged 66, worked as a shipping company employee before fleeing to Argentina

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Hitler shot himself and lover Eva Braun in their Berlin bunker in April 1945 - with Soviet troops just a few hundred yards away.

His body was later found by Soviet soldiers in a shell hole and is buried in an unmarked spot.

Germany surrendered to Allied forces a week later.

But rumours that Hitler survived and fled to South America continued to abound for decades.

9 The newly-released documents show that American spooks were serious enough about Hitler's survival that they filed evidence back to the US

9 This is believed to be one of the last photographs taken of Hitler before he committed suicide with Red Army troops approaching his Berlin bunker Credit: Hulton Archive - Getty

9 But rumours that Hitler survived and fled to South America continued to abound for decades

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They were fuelled by the discovery of Holocaust planner Adolf Eichmann and Josef Mengele - the doctor who carried out sick experiments on Auschwitz inmates - in Argentina and Brazil.

The former was captured by Israeli intelligence services and hanged for his crimes in 1961, but evil Mengele evaded capture and drowned while swimming off the Brazilian coast in 1979.

Now, the newly-released documents show that American spooks were serious enough about Hitler's survival that they filed evidence back to the US.

The file, written by Caracas bureau chief David Brixnor, was wired to Washington in 1955 alongside a picture allegedly showing Hitler with the CIA source Citroen.

9 Hitler shot himself and lover Eva Braun in their Berlin bunker, entrance pictured, in April 1945 - with Soviet troops just a few hundred yards away Credit: This content is subject to copyright.

9 Holocaust planner Adolf Eichmann escaped to South America after the war, but was brought to justice by Israel and hanged in 1961 Credit: Getty - Contributor

9 But evil Josef Mengele, who carried out sick experiments on Auschwitz inmates, was never caught and drowned off the coast of Brazil in 1979 Credit: Collect

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Handwritten notes on the document claim a second confidential informant - given the codename CIMELODY-3 - was "fairly reliable".

The document adds that the picture included "was taken with Hitler not too long ago".

It added Citroen's belief that the Allies would be unable to prosecute Hitler for war crimes because ten years had passed since the end of the war.

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