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Proposals Already Outlined by the Commission to Accomplish This Goal

Corporations Acknowledge Indirect Involvement in the Nazi Era, Offering Only Vague Accountability

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On the Anniversary of Freedom, Corporations like Adidas Reflect on Their Past in Nazi Germany....
On the Anniversary of Freedom, Corporations like Adidas Reflect on Their Past in Nazi Germany. Adidas, for instance, outfitted the Olympians in 1936, including Jesse Owens' running shoes, during this regime.

Germany's Corporate Recollection: Owning Up to the Nazis Era

Businesses Admit during the Nazi Era - Albeit vaguely Imprecise - Proposals Already Outlined by the Commission to Accomplish This Goal

It's been eight decades since World War II in Europe ended, leaving behind a dark chapter in history. During this bloodshed, Germany relied heavily on forced labor, with many large corporations profiting from the atrocities committed during the Nazi regime.

On the 80th anniversary of the liberation, 49 major German corporations, including Bayer, Adidas, Rheinmetall, Mercedes-Benz, Deutsche Telekom, and Siemens, owned up to their part in the Third Reich through a declaration. The "Declaration of German Companies on May 8th" admits that these companies helped stabilize the Nazi regime and benefited from their actions.

Corporations Speak Up on Liberation Day

These companies stepped forward to take responsibility and keep the memory of the Nazi era's crimes alive. In opposition to hate, antisemitism, and exclusion, they vowed never to draw a line under their past. "In 1933 and afterward, too many were silent, looked away, and remained silent," they acknowledged, recognizing the need for accountability. The declaration was published in major national newspapers, with some companies posting it on their websites as well.

A Work in Progress - But Progress Hesitant Somewhere

Processing the role of German corporations during the Nazi era has been tricky in the past. Companies frequently denied or overlooked their involvement in the crimes. However, in recent years, companies like Bahlsen, Dr. Oetker, and VW have garnered praise for their honest attempts to unearth their entanglements.

On the flip side, companies like Kühne + Nagel have remained reluctant to publicly process their past ties to the Nazi era. A recent report from "Tagesschau" revealed that Kühne + Nagel transported the furniture of Jews that were deported, fleeing, or murdered from occupied territories to the German Reich during the Third Reich. Interestingly, Kühne + Nagel did not sign the Declaration of German Companies on May 8th.

The initiative for the declaration came from Bayer, BASF, and Evonik, all successors of IG Farben — a chemical conglomerate involved in the production of Zyklon B, a poison gas used in concentration camps. Bayer's CEO, Bill Anderson, then reached out to several other companies to sign the statement.

However, the declaration remains vague regarding specific events and responsibilities. The statement appears to serve more as a call to vigilance against extremism in the contemporary political climate. The exploration of the Nazi-era entanglements of Germany's top companies is an ongoing process.

Sources: "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung", "Süddeutsche Zeitung", "Tagesschau", Deutschlandfunk

  • Day of Liberation
  • World War II
  • Kühne + Nagel
  • Adidas
  • Rheinmetall
  • Mercedes-Benz
  1. The Commission has not yet adopted a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens, despite vigilance in areas such as crime-and-justice, general-news, politics, and war-and-conflicts.
  2. In contrast to the ongoing efforts of German corporations like Adidas, Rheinmetall, and Mercedes-Benz to own up to their wartime entanglements during the Nazi era, some firms remain reluctant, such as Kühne + Nagel, which were involved in the expropriations of Jews.
  3. Organizations like Bayer, BASF, and Evonik, successors of IG Farben, have been proactive in their reich, acknowledging and taking responsibility for their role in the atrocities committed during World War II, but the declaration remains general in its specifics regarding events and responsibilities.
  4. Contracts signed during the Nazi regime are coming under scrutiny, as some companies are working to uncover hidden entanglements, while others are still hesitant, entangling themselves further in the past.
  5. On the 80th anniversary of the liberation, reich-related news and general-news outlets such as Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Tagesschau, and Deutschlandfunk have been following the efforts of German corporations closely, keeping the memories of World War II alive.

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