The other day, I came across a Hugo Boss jacket. A fine piece of clothing, well-made, stylish—but it got me thinking. Back in World War II, Hugo Boss wasn’t just making suits; they were designing the uniforms of the SS. That crisp, sinister black ensemble that became a symbol of terror? That was their handiwork. And as I pondered this, I glanced at my Walther PPK, a sidearm with its own infamous history—it was, after all, the same type of pistol Hitler used to end his life in that Berlin bunker.
That got me wondering: What happened to all those companies that fueled the war machine? The ones that made the uniforms, the tanks, the planes, the chemicals? Did they vanish into history, or did they, like the Walther and the Hugo Boss brand, repackage themselves and move on?
What follows is an exploration of how some of the biggest corporations of the Axis powers—Germany and Japan—profited from the war, used forced labor, and, in many cases, never fully atoned for their past.
It’s a strange thing, how time washes away the past, 80 years to be precise, —or at least tries to. Volkswagen, BMW, Mitsubishi, Toyota—these companies built the engines of war, and yet today they build the engines of our daily lives. Hugo Boss no longer stitches SS uniforms, but they still design sharp suits. And that Walther PPK? It’s no longer in the hands of despots, but it’s still being made, still being sold, and still being used by James Bond.
For some, history is a ledger with debts that must be settled. For others, it’s just a branding problem that needs a new logo.
Germany, to its credit, has taken strides to acknowledge its past, pay reparations, and educate future generations about the horrors of the Holocaust. Japan, on the other hand, has largely avoided full accountability, especially regarding the use of forced labor and war crimes against Korea and China. Even today, survivors and their families continue to seek justice, while corporations continue to profit from histories they would rather forget.
Perhaps the real lesson is this: when the war ends, the war machines don’t just disappear—they change shape, they change function, but they keep moving forward. And sometimes, we’re wearing them or driving them without even knowing.
So next time you call a some car company a Nazi, look at the list below and see how those people really worked.
German Corporations and Their Nazi Ties
1. Volkswagen (VW)
- WWII Role:
- Founded by the Nazis in 1937 under the German Labor Front.
- Created the Volkswagen Beetle as part of Hitler’s vision of a “people’s car.”
- Used forced labor, including concentration camp prisoners.
- Post-War Reparations:
- Apologized in 1998 for forced labor use.
- Created a compensation fund for surviving forced laborers in 1999.
- Paid into the German Industry Foundation Initiative, which provided reparations.
2. BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke)
- WWII Role:
- Supplied aircraft engines for the Luftwaffe.
- Used forced labor from concentration camps.
- The Quandt family, major BMW shareholders, were close to the Nazi leadership.
- Post-War Reparations:
- Acknowledged the use of forced labor and contributed to the German Industry Foundation in 1999.
- Commissioned a historical study on its Nazi ties but did not issue direct reparations to individuals.
3. Mercedes-Benz (Daimler AG)
- WWII Role:
- Built military vehicles for the Nazi regime.
- Used forced labor from occupied countries.
- Post-War Reparations:
- Officially apologized in 1988.
- Contributed millions of euros to the German Industry Foundation.
4. Porsche
- WWII Role:
- Ferdinand Porsche, the founder, was a Nazi Party member and collaborated with Hitler.
- Designed the Volkswagen Beetle and the Tiger tank.
- Used forced labor.
- Post-War Reparations:
- Did not directly compensate victims but contributed to Germany’s national reparation efforts.
5. Siemens
- WWII Role:
- Built gas chamber components for Nazi concentration camps.
- Used slave labor from concentration camp prisoners.
- Post-War Reparations:
- Paid into the German Industry Foundation in 1999.
- Attempted to set up a Holocaust compensation fund in 1972 but was criticized for being inadequate.
6. Bayer (IG Farben)
- WWII Role:
- Part of IG Farben, which manufactured Zyklon B, used in Auschwitz gas chambers.
- Conducted medical experiments on concentration camp prisoners.
- Post-War Reparations:
- IG Farben was dissolved after WWII.
- Bayer apologized in 1995 for its role in forced labor.
- Paid into the German Industry Foundation.
7. Krupp (Now ThyssenKrupp)
- Reparations:
- Alfried Krupp, the head of the company, was convicted at Nuremberg for war crimes and sentenced to 12 years (but was released after 3 years).
- The Krupp company agreed to pay 30 million Deutschmarks in 1960 to former slave laborers.
- Paid into the German Industry Foundation in 1999.
8. Hugo Boss
- Reparations:
- Boss used forced laborers from concentration camps to produce Nazi uniforms.
- The company issued a formal apology in 1997.
- Contributed to the German Industry Foundation in 1999.
- Also paid an undisclosed amount to former forced laborers in settlements.
9. Bosch
- Reparations:
- Bosch was involved in producing military equipment for the Nazis.
- However, founder Robert Bosch secretly helped Jews escape Germany, making its history more complicated.
- Paid into the German Industry Foundation in 1999.
10. Allianz
- Reparations:
- Allianz was involved in insuring Nazi buildings and denying payouts to Jewish families.
- In 1997, it joined the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims, which paid reparations to Holocaust survivors.
- Donated to Jewish organizations and sponsored research into its Nazi-era history.
What is the German Industry Foundation?
- Created in 1999 with 5 billion Deutsche Marks.
- Funded by Volkswagen, BMW, Daimler, Siemens, Bayer, Krupp, Bosch, Allianz, and other major companies.
- Compensated Holocaust survivors and former forced laborers.
- Over 1.6 million victims received reparations.
Did These Companies Ever Face Criminal Charges?
- Some individuals, like Alfried Krupp, were convicted but later released early.
- Most companies escaped significant consequences due to Cold War politics, as West Germany needed their industries.
While some companies actively contributed to Nazi crimes, most paid into reparation funds decades later. However, critics argue that many escaped true justice, and some families (like the Quandts of BMW) remain wealthy from Nazi-era profits.
Japanese Corporations and Their War Ties
Here’s a breakdown of Japan’s war-time companies and their post-war reparations (or lack thereof).
1. Mitsubishi Group
- WWII Role:
- Built fighter planes (including the famous Zero fighter jet) and warships for the Imperial Japanese Navy.
- Used forced labor, including Chinese, Korean, and Allied POWs.
- Post-War Reparations:
- In 2015, Mitsubishi formally apologized to American POWs forced to work in its mines and factories.
- Offered compensation to some U.S. POWs but not to Korean or Chinese forced laborers.
- The Mitsubishi zaibatsu (conglomerate) was broken up by U.S. occupation forces but later re-formed.
2. Nissan
- WWII Role:
- Built military trucks and tanks for the Japanese army.
- Used Korean and Chinese forced labor.
- Post-War Reparations:
- Never formally apologized.
- Nissan’s wartime president, Yoshisuke Aikawa, was investigated but not convicted.
3. Toyota
- WWII Role:
- Produced military trucks for the Japanese army.
- Relied on forced labor from China and Korea.
- Post-War Reparations:
- Toyota has never formally apologized or compensated victims.
- Escaped U.S. dissolution because it was crucial for post-war economic recovery.
4. Hitachi
- WWII Role:
- Produced military equipment and electronics for Japan’s war machine.
- Post-War Reparations:
- No direct apology or compensation.
- Later became one of Japan’s biggest tech companies.
5. Kawasaki Heavy Industries
- WWII Role:
- Manufactured airplanes, warships, and submarines for Japan.
- Used forced labor from occupied territories.
- Post-War Reparations:
- Never formally apologized or compensated victims.
6. Sumitomo Group
- WWII Role:
- Supplied steel, mining, and chemicals for Japan’s war effort.
- Used Korean and Chinese slave labor.
- Post-War Reparations:
- No formal apology.
- Sumitomo was broken up post-war but later reorganized.
7. Fujitsu
- WWII Role:
- Supplied radios and military communication equipment.
- Post-War Reparations:
- Never formally apologized or compensated forced laborers.
8. Japan Steel Works
- WWII Role:
- Produced artillery, naval guns, and tank parts.
- Post-War Reparations:
- No formal acknowledgment or compensation.
9. Nippon Steel (Now Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal)
- WWII Role:
- Used forced labor from China, Korea, and Allied POWs.
- Post-War Reparations:
- In 2018, South Korea’s Supreme Court ordered Nippon Steel to compensate former Korean forced laborers.
- Japan refused and escalated a trade dispute with South Korea.
10. Yasukuni Shrine and Japan’s War Responsibility
- Post-War Controversy:
- Many convicted war criminals, including General Tojo, are enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine.
- Japanese politicians regularly visit the shrine, angering China and South Korea.
- Japan never issued full reparations to many victims.
How Did Japan Avoid Full Accountability?
-
Cold War Priorities:
- The U.S. needed Japan as an ally against communism, so many Japanese war criminals were never prosecuted.
- Many business leaders who supported the war kept their positions.
-
Zaibatsu Breakup & Comeback:
- The U.S. dissolved Japan’s largest business conglomerates (zaibatsu) after the war.
- But by the 1950s, many re-emerged as keiretsu (corporate groups).
-
Minimal Reparations:
- Japan signed treaties (like the 1965 Japan-Korea treaty) that settled wartime claims without individual compensation.
- Survivors and victims still seek justice today.
Who Received Reparations?
✅ Allied POWs: Some U.S. and British POWs got apologies and payments (mostly from Mitsubishi). ❌ Korean and Chinese Forced Laborers: Almost no compensation. ❌ Comfort Women (Sex Slaves): Japan denied responsibility for decades. A 2015 agreement between Japan and South Korea offered partial compensation, but victims rejected it. ❌ Nanjing Massacre Victims: No official reparations.
Final Thoughts
- Unlike Germany, Japan never fully acknowledged its war crimes.
- Many Japanese companies that used forced labor are now global giants.
- South Korea and China still demand reparations, but Japan insists past treaties settled these claims.
- U.S. Cold War politics helped Japan’s war-time companies survive.
EXTRA CREDIT
A Ukrainian and Russian in 2050
War Happens, and War is Trauma – The Looming Shadow of WW3
The Art of Business: Why Supply Lines Win Wars
Why the World still Studies Sun Tzu
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