Germany’s 2'd wealthiest family admits Nazi past, donates to charity

JAB Holding, created by the Reimann family, owns a multitude of house brands.

By HAGAY HACOHEN
The Nazi regime organized the mass displays of Nazi propaganda and nationalist symbols across Germany during the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics events (photo credit: FOTO:FORTEPAN / LŐRINCZE JUDIT VIA CC BY-SA 3.0)
The Nazi regime organized the mass displays of Nazi propaganda and nationalist symbols across Germany during the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics events
(photo credit: FOTO:FORTEPAN / LŐRINCZE JUDIT VIA CC BY-SA 3.0)
The German Reimann family, which is estimated to be the second richest in Germany with a wealth of 33 billion Euros, will donate 10 million Euros to charity after confronted with proof of its dark Nazi legacy, the Local reported on Sunday.
The family hired historian Paul Erker to look into their family history and discovered that Albert Reimann and his son were involved with exploiting Russian and French prisoners of war during the Second World War, the two men are no longer alive. The company they created, JAB Holdings, is behind many house brands sold globally.
“They belonged actually in prison,” the family spokesperson Peter Harf said.
The family donated to the SS starting with 1931 and was vital for the Nazi war effort as their company produced military items.
The number of the POWs exploited by JAB Holding is estimated to be 175 and they were dealt with in a harsh and often sadistic manner.
It is not yet clear to what purposes the millions will be used, the research conducted by Erker will be published soon.