Found via Autoblog:

"The Quandts, the documentary asserted, had close ties to high **** party officials. Adolf Hitler himself acted as witness to the second marriage ceremony of family patriach Gunther Quandt's first wife Magda to **** propoganda mastermind Joseph Goebbels, and the infamous couple raised Gunther's son Harald. The Quandts, according to the research, used the wealth amassed from the suffering of victims of the **** regime fifteen years after the war to buy BMW, and continues to hold 47% stake in the automaking conglomorate."

http://www.businessweek.com/globalbi...tm?chan=search

The fact that the Quandts continue to refute any wrongdoing during the wartime period and have evaded justice and refused to contribute to restitution programs is grotesque.

Doesn't make me feel so hot about the company or buying the cars, this is uglier then any Bangle design :(

 

The article mentioned the Quants are having an independent investigation performed and aloowing that person or group access to their archives-I wouldn't say they are refuting anything, maybe not overtly adminting either. I don't think there is any German (or adjoining countries) business from that era that does not have ties to the third reich. But this is the Grandfather and his battery company that was mentioned not BMW. BMW also supported the war effort, as did VW(KDF) and Mercedes, etc, etc. It's a source of much embarrasment in Germany and there really is no "making it OK" Any kind of business that wanted to stay in business in that era had to support the leadership or else so many bad choices were made and we know the outcome. I don't think any country that has ever supported a war effort has clean hands in these kind of subjects not to say that what the ****'s did is any less atrocious.

I also wonder why this has come to light at this time? Is BMW or the Quant's getting ready to start something new?

 

But it does sound like they have refuted their involvement so far and refused to participate in reparations (I mean really, starting an 'investigation' now so long after the fact seems rather disingenuous, no?). I haven't had the time for a better search, but it seems that VW, Daimler-Benz and others have already been involved in contributing and coming clean - http://www.infoplease.com/spot/holocaust1.html

 

I was a sub contractor for a large home developer who was a general on our side .He had a practice of building out tracks of homes selling them before he paid the contractors then bankrupting that entity allowing him to pay the contractors 50 cents on the dollar .Theres alot of bad all over .

 

And I think it has just come to light because others had to come in and expose the denial and hiding from the ugly facts and greed involved in avoiding being accountable.

 

it is rather sad to hear....but im sure at one point in time,
other companies have done something related to the war.
not saying that makes it right... just saying why just
concentrate on one car maker or parts supplier?

 

Perhaps the guilt of the Grandfather in this case is one of the reasons why the Quants support one of-if not the best auto companies in terms of pay and benefits? The deal those in SC that work at the plant get is pretty nice. Very good pay, free health care, generous time off, cheap and good food at the canteens, and after a year a 3 series to drive for the pre tax deduction of about $200 month that includes insurance and maintanence, after 6-10K turn it and get another. If you want say a 5 series or?-it just a little more.

I'm sure there is something to the story and they (either BMW or the Quants) will probably come up with some sort of plan like the other companies did. BTW did Porsche offer something or has that story not been played out yet?

 

kenchan - I bring it up because the documentary brought it up in the news, and again it seems like they have really tried to avoid the issue and the depth of involvement. I don't think the other companies are being focussed on simply because they have dealt or are dealing, via reparations, with their history.

MDK, I haven't done any more searches and do not know about Porsche and WWII at all, but how many car companies are tied to a family that had Hitler at a family wedding and a member marrying Goebbels.. Personally I don't think benefits to employees really is relevant, nice as it may be plenty of companies have good work environments who's main shareholders haven't been involved in appalling slave labor, profited and then can't even 'fess up.

Anways, I was surprised and revolted because of the way they seemed to have handled things in light of the facts - "Quandt, who joined the **** party in 1933, wielded close family ties to the **** elite to grow his battery business.." among other things, etc.

 

You know, ALL major German industrialists and manufacturers had **** ties at that time. It's how business was done in that place, in that time.

 

Exactly. Let’s not forget Henry Ford either.

I'm Jewish and I don't hold anything against today’s Germans.

 

I understand the "everybody was doin it" aspect of the era, but I think some of you are missing the point and not every scenario was the same. Again, it is how this family who bought BMW and grew the business with the profits have chose to deal with the history of courting **** elite and slave labor where they abused and killed people, not just the overall notion of it that has myself, and others, surprised and offended. I have nothing against 'today's Germans' either, it is not what the article or documentary was about though.

As things go they will most likely do something now that the history is out there and join in with the others making reparations, apologizing to the survivors and families and facing up to their facts.

 

Just to be clear, since it is confusing if you don't read the article, its about the Quandt family who bought BMW and currently own a 47% stake - not about BMW directly (which is why the thread title states 'connections'). Of course as controlling shareholders they profit when BMW does thus my gut reaction about buying BMWs.. The irony I get from the article is that if at the time these facts were known, the elder Quandt would have served time in jail for war crimes, and who knows, may not have gotten his company back or been able to use his fortune to buy BMW.

I think it was interesting info and apparently pretty big news elsewhere. And fwiw many of those sent from the concentration camps and used as slave labor were not Jewish.

 

German companies made stuff for the ***** in WWII? I'm shocked! I wonder if Italian companies worked for the Fascists or Japanese companies built things for the Imperial Navy and Army?

 

The Coliseum in Rome was built with gold and silver stolen from Second Temple in Jerusalem during the Jewish Revolt. Heck, most of Rome was rebuilt after a fire with the booty seized during the fighting.

 

The war is long over, 50+ years. What happened back then happened. It's time to let go, learn from history and move on.

 

Well said, gnatster!!

 

The **** war machine was heavily armed with machinery manufactured by BMW, just as Imperial Japan flew Zeros made by Mitsubishi... this is old news!

 

I get what your saying eVal and your right, there was a lot of non-jewish people murdered by the ****'s. My own family (Great Grandfather) had the fore sight to see what that Eastern Europe was headed for a fall around the turn of the 20th century and got the heck out of Poland. Unfortunatly for us all if you look below the surface of far too many people who are considered "great" you see ugliness. It sitll exsists today, it's just that people are better at covering it up. The current political climate in Germany will demand the Quants do something to make this go quiet but will that make it better? Heck no, nothing will. I mentioned the business practices of BMW to make a point that perhaps you can never absolve the sins of that era but saving the jobs of a lot of workers in the midlands of England and treating them much better than they used to be treated (in terms of benefits) puts this company in the lead over other auto companies. Now if BMW is made to pay millions in reperations will that make their past clear? No, it won't, but what if it makes it difficult to do what they do now? That would be a shame. I'm not saying they do one thing or another-I do not have the knowlege to make that call but I think to whole picture needs to be considered and in the end all we can really do is live our lives the best way we can and hope that our efforts will in some way reduce the evil that lives in man's soul.

 

Daimler Benz , Siemens , Deusche Bank , Krupps , Volkswagon ......

 

I assume this was in reference to my comment. I am just one person and don't belong to any of the other groups focused on by the ***** so I can't speak for anyone else and won't.


Exactly.

 

Again, it looks like some people have posted remarks without reading the article or just are in the mood to be smarmy, but nevermind...

Someone PM'd me about it and I'll post a bit of my response just to be clear about why I posted it and why I think they made the documentary. If you don't care or don't 'get' my reaction, that is your choice of course as is reading any thread:

"... one bad thing doesn't replace another though, and of course to forget and let the people that do/have encouraged horrific things slide is to basically endorse it all around IMHO. Sure it is old history for most, but that doesn't take away from the lack of humanity and there are actually large numbers of real survivors who were, to say lightly, physically messed up by this, and families around who are effected.

There are many victims from wars/genocides, etc, seeking aid/reparation/action or at least recognition and apologies (the Korean 'comfort' girls come to mind as I have recently heard about them still dealing with Japan) and I am touched by their stories - I guess to me the fact it is older news doesn't change that or let the bad guys off the hook from at least having their descendants, who live off the vast wealth resulting from the bad acts like the Quandts, act like human beings."

Cheers.

 

eVal, it's obvious you feel the Quandts need to pay for the past indiscretions of a long deceased family patriarch. I on the other hand look at the matter and find that he was tried with the evidence on hand at that time and justice was served. New evidence may have come to light but the transgressor is dead. While history may be rewritten in light of new evidence the person responsible can not answer to the charges.

What good is it to punish the son for the sins of the father?

 

Who said punish? While they probably would not have owned BMW or had the wealth they have that is not the issue, I don't think there is mention of taking it or the fortune away or imprisoning them as the elder would have probably been, merely acknowledgment and a suitable response given the facts - I think that is the point of the article about the documentary and the general reaction from those that saw it.

 

Sounds like the family is trying to cooperate...and I don't blame them for downplaying their ties to the Reich, it was a disturbing time in human history on so many levels.

I do also detect a bit of sensationalism at work w/ the filmakers/press/hype. Best to let investigators do their work.

 

To be honest, I don't love my car any less.