New BASF Website Illuminates Dark Chapter of History - BASF confronts its Nazi-era legacy on I.G. Farben’s 100th anniversary
BASF is marking the 100th anniversary of I.G. Farben’s founding with a series of commemorative projects. The chemical giant, once part of the controversial conglomerate, has launched a digital platform and co-sponsored an academic conference in Frankfurt. These efforts aim to examine the company’s historical ties to the Nazi era.
I.G. Farben was formed in 1925 through the merger of several chemical firms, including BASF. During the Nazi regime, its subsidiary Degesch held shares in the company producing Zyklon B—the poison gas used in concentration camps. After the war, I.G. Farben was dissolved, and BASF was re-established as an independent company.
The digital platform and conference form part of BASF’s broader push to foster a culture of remembrance at its Ludwigshafen site. The company continues to engage with its history, though it recognises that some areas remain under-researched. These projects mark a century since I.G. Farben’s creation and its complex ties to the Nazi period.
