BMW: one among the most important automobile companies in Germany. For over a century, BMW has produced engines and cars that have excelled in their respective industries. But, like any German company that old, there's a specific segment of BMW’s history that isn’t very ethical. Today, however, we won’t be watching the history of BMW itself. Instead, we’ll learn the much darker and lesser known story of BMW’s largest shareholders: the Quandt family. Although the Quandt family is that the richest one in Germany today, even a century ago they were still among the foremost prominent industrialists. The source of their wealth dates back to war 1 and it’s because of this man: Günther Quandt.
He was born to a family of textile manufacturers in Brandenburg and had made a fortune selling uniforms to the German Empire during the primary war. After the war, he used his wealth to accumulate many businesses that were struggling during the infamous hyperinflation. within the span of just ten years Günther expanded his textile company into a nationwide conglomerate. He branched out into numerous industries: electronics, crude oil, weapons and battery manufacturing. In 1918, however, Günther’s wife died of the Spanish flu, leaving him with one son, Herbert Quandt. Three years later, Günther would marry again, this point to a young blonde twenty years younger than he was: Magda Ritschel. Unfortunately for Günther, Magda eventually got bored of him and asked for a divorce in 1929. Now this is often where things get interesting, cause you’d assume a divorce wouldn’t be the part of someone’s life, but Günther found incredible opportunity in it. You see, Magda had left Günther to marry none aside from Goebbels, the person who would later head the Ministry of Propaganda of Third Reich. Günther was surprisingly welcoming of hisex-wife’s new relationship, such a lot in order that he offered up his own mansion for his or her wedding. Magda and Joseph would marry on December 19th, 1931 and therefore the wedding’s groomsman was none aside from Hitler. Günther saw great potential in these newfound connections of his, but he decided to play it safe. He wouldn’t publicly support the National Socialist German Workers' Party until after that they had won the elections in March 1933. But now Hitler was in power and remilitarization was at the highest of his agenda. Günther Quandt became one among his most vital allies: his factories became a cornerstone of the Nazi military.
His greatest asset far and away was his battery factory, AFA. The batteries produced in it might eventually power the submarines and tanks of Germany, also as Hitler’s “miracle weapon”, the V-2 rocket. In 1937 Hitler appointed Günther as “Wehrwirtschaftsführer”or Leader of the War Economy. within the wake of Hitler’s conquests, Günther was the primary in line to appropriate the seized factories throughout Europe. Starting in 1941, forced labourers began to fill the ranks of Günther’s factories, as all the able-bodied Germans were dragged to the Eastern front. While forced labour became prevalent in many German businesses at the time, Günther’s factories became infamous among Jewish circles as being particularly harsh. The working conditions in AFA’s battery plants were exceptionally brutal; workers were offered no protection and therefore the overwhelming majority would die of plumbism in but six months. Overseeing personnel at AFA was Günther’s son, Herbert Quandt. He had been involved in his father’s businesses from a young age and like him was a member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party. In 1943, Herbert would collaborate with this within the construction of a degree camp directly alongside their battery factory in Hanover. Similar arrangements would later be made for AFA factories in Berlin and Vienna. Of course, eventually the German military would crumble and along side it the vast business empire of the Quandts would come under threat by the occupying Allies. Now, you’d assume the autumn of Third Reich would be the top for Günther, but despite being one among the leading industrialists of the time, he was never indicted. When the Americans got hold of Günther, they interned him in Camp Moosburg. This was formerly Nazi Germany’s largest prisoner-of-war camp, but the Americans had turned it around and were now using to holdall of the Germans suspected of collaborating with the Nazi regime. However, after a year and a half therein camp, Günther was released and walked away scot free. consistent with documents at the time, there was insufficient evidence linking Günther with the Nazis. Now, unlike his father, Herbert ended up within the British occupation zone when the Nazi’s surrendered. Because he carried relatively little “political baggage”, because the British called it, Herbert was granted an operating permit in only a couple of weeks. within the eyes of British, Germany’s biggest priority was to rebuild its economy, and other people like Herbert and Günther were seen as necessary thereto end. And just just in case you’re thinking that it’s just the Quandts who made it out intact, even the industrialists who were indicted at the Nuremberg trials would eventually be let loose under an equivalent pretext. Now, Günther died in 1954, leaving Herbert responsible of the family’s wealth. very similar to his father, Herbert found it incredibly lucrative to shop for up struggling companies, and that’s exactly what he did with BMW. Unlike the Quandt family’s business empire,BMW wasn’t having an honest time after war 2. Their factories had been heavily bombed and people in Eastern Germany were even seized by the Soviet Government. In fact, BMW wasn’t allowed to supply cars until 1952, and to form ends meet before that they resorted to manufacturing kitchen equipment from salvaged material. Suffice to mention, BMW’s post-war reboot wasn’t doing well. By 1959 the corporate was on the verge of bankruptcy and searching desperately for anyone willing to shop for them out. Herbert did exactly that, and it had been because of his capital injection that BMW were ready to produce their grace, the BMW 1500.
The small, but feisty sedan would become the idea for the fashionable BMW. it had been the primary of BMW’s “New Class “designs, which might re-establish the BMW brand and would push the corporate to record profitability. But, the very fact remains that the cash wont to rebuild BMW came from blatant war profiteering. What’s more concerning is that the incontrovertible fact that the Quandts evaded owning up to their history until very recently. Other big German companies came forward with apologies and donations within the late 1990s, but the Quandts remained silent until October2007, when a really explicit documentary shared this story with the overall public. Since then, the Quandts have issued public apologies and every one that, but no matter that they still remain the richest Germansby a good margin. Herbert’s daughter, Susanne Klatten, is that the wealthiest woman in Germany, while his son Stefan is that the single largest shareholder of BMW, controlling just over 25% of the corporate. Today, the Quandts are a dynasty to be reckoned with: for instance, they're one among the most important political donors to the Christian Democrats, Germany’s largest party. And sure, while the grandchildren of Günthercan hardly be held liable for his crimes, it’s still pretty interesting to ascertain the direct link between Nazi Germany’s military and therefore the German elite of today.
He was born to a family of textile manufacturers in Brandenburg and had made a fortune selling uniforms to the German Empire during the primary war. After the war, he used his wealth to accumulate many businesses that were struggling during the infamous hyperinflation. within the span of just ten years Günther expanded his textile company into a nationwide conglomerate. He branched out into numerous industries: electronics, crude oil, weapons and battery manufacturing. In 1918, however, Günther’s wife died of the Spanish flu, leaving him with one son, Herbert Quandt. Three years later, Günther would marry again, this point to a young blonde twenty years younger than he was: Magda Ritschel. Unfortunately for Günther, Magda eventually got bored of him and asked for a divorce in 1929. Now this is often where things get interesting, cause you’d assume a divorce wouldn’t be the part of someone’s life, but Günther found incredible opportunity in it. You see, Magda had left Günther to marry none aside from Goebbels, the person who would later head the Ministry of Propaganda of Third Reich. Günther was surprisingly welcoming of hisex-wife’s new relationship, such a lot in order that he offered up his own mansion for his or her wedding. Magda and Joseph would marry on December 19th, 1931 and therefore the wedding’s groomsman was none aside from Hitler. Günther saw great potential in these newfound connections of his, but he decided to play it safe. He wouldn’t publicly support the National Socialist German Workers' Party until after that they had won the elections in March 1933. But now Hitler was in power and remilitarization was at the highest of his agenda. Günther Quandt became one among his most vital allies: his factories became a cornerstone of the Nazi military.
His greatest asset far and away was his battery factory, AFA. The batteries produced in it might eventually power the submarines and tanks of Germany, also as Hitler’s “miracle weapon”, the V-2 rocket. In 1937 Hitler appointed Günther as “Wehrwirtschaftsführer”or Leader of the War Economy. within the wake of Hitler’s conquests, Günther was the primary in line to appropriate the seized factories throughout Europe. Starting in 1941, forced labourers began to fill the ranks of Günther’s factories, as all the able-bodied Germans were dragged to the Eastern front. While forced labour became prevalent in many German businesses at the time, Günther’s factories became infamous among Jewish circles as being particularly harsh. The working conditions in AFA’s battery plants were exceptionally brutal; workers were offered no protection and therefore the overwhelming majority would die of plumbism in but six months. Overseeing personnel at AFA was Günther’s son, Herbert Quandt. He had been involved in his father’s businesses from a young age and like him was a member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party. In 1943, Herbert would collaborate with this within the construction of a degree camp directly alongside their battery factory in Hanover. Similar arrangements would later be made for AFA factories in Berlin and Vienna. Of course, eventually the German military would crumble and along side it the vast business empire of the Quandts would come under threat by the occupying Allies. Now, you’d assume the autumn of Third Reich would be the top for Günther, but despite being one among the leading industrialists of the time, he was never indicted. When the Americans got hold of Günther, they interned him in Camp Moosburg. This was formerly Nazi Germany’s largest prisoner-of-war camp, but the Americans had turned it around and were now using to holdall of the Germans suspected of collaborating with the Nazi regime. However, after a year and a half therein camp, Günther was released and walked away scot free. consistent with documents at the time, there was insufficient evidence linking Günther with the Nazis. Now, unlike his father, Herbert ended up within the British occupation zone when the Nazi’s surrendered. Because he carried relatively little “political baggage”, because the British called it, Herbert was granted an operating permit in only a couple of weeks. within the eyes of British, Germany’s biggest priority was to rebuild its economy, and other people like Herbert and Günther were seen as necessary thereto end. And just just in case you’re thinking that it’s just the Quandts who made it out intact, even the industrialists who were indicted at the Nuremberg trials would eventually be let loose under an equivalent pretext. Now, Günther died in 1954, leaving Herbert responsible of the family’s wealth. very similar to his father, Herbert found it incredibly lucrative to shop for up struggling companies, and that’s exactly what he did with BMW. Unlike the Quandt family’s business empire,BMW wasn’t having an honest time after war 2. Their factories had been heavily bombed and people in Eastern Germany were even seized by the Soviet Government. In fact, BMW wasn’t allowed to supply cars until 1952, and to form ends meet before that they resorted to manufacturing kitchen equipment from salvaged material. Suffice to mention, BMW’s post-war reboot wasn’t doing well. By 1959 the corporate was on the verge of bankruptcy and searching desperately for anyone willing to shop for them out. Herbert did exactly that, and it had been because of his capital injection that BMW were ready to produce their grace, the BMW 1500.
The small, but feisty sedan would become the idea for the fashionable BMW. it had been the primary of BMW’s “New Class “designs, which might re-establish the BMW brand and would push the corporate to record profitability. But, the very fact remains that the cash wont to rebuild BMW came from blatant war profiteering. What’s more concerning is that the incontrovertible fact that the Quandts evaded owning up to their history until very recently. Other big German companies came forward with apologies and donations within the late 1990s, but the Quandts remained silent until October2007, when a really explicit documentary shared this story with the overall public. Since then, the Quandts have issued public apologies and every one that, but no matter that they still remain the richest Germansby a good margin. Herbert’s daughter, Susanne Klatten, is that the wealthiest woman in Germany, while his son Stefan is that the single largest shareholder of BMW, controlling just over 25% of the corporate. Today, the Quandts are a dynasty to be reckoned with: for instance, they're one among the most important political donors to the Christian Democrats, Germany’s largest party. And sure, while the grandchildren of Günthercan hardly be held liable for his crimes, it’s still pretty interesting to ascertain the direct link between Nazi Germany’s military and therefore the German elite of today.
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