BMW is a world famous car company, known for its line of luxury cars and motorcycles. It is not only the normal use vehicles that this German based company is known for, they also manufacture formula cars and participate in various events of formula races. BMW is also known for its corporate social responsibility oriented activities in many countries, one of these is South Africa, where it constructed schools for local children, and also constructed hospitals. BMW is also known for taking good care for its employees. There are many opportunities for BMW employees to grow and progress their career, and also drastically improve their skill set.
Small introduction
BMW (Bavarian Motor Works) is a German auto manufacturing multinational corporation. It was started in the year in 1916 as a manufacturer of aircraft engines, which it produced from 1917 until 1918 and again from 1933 to 1945. Today, BMW manufactures, operates In 15 countries.
Otto Flugmaschinenfabrik was founded in 1910 by Gustav Otto in Bavaria. The firm was reorganized on 7 March 1916 into Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG. This company was then renamed to Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) in 1922. However the name BMW dates back to 1913, when the original company to use the name was founded by Karl Rapp (initially as Rapp Motorenwerke GmbH). The name and Rapp Motorenwerke's engine-production assets were transferred to Bayerische Flugzeugwerke in 1922, who adopted the name the same year. BMW's first product was a straight-six aircraft engine called the BMW IIIa, designed in the spring of 1917 by engineer Max Friz. Following the end of World War I, BMW remained in business by producing motorcycle engines, farm equipment, household items and railway brakes. The company produced its first motorcycle, the BMW R 32 in 1923.
WAR CRIMES!!
BMW, when you hear this name, you will only think about those line of luxury cars and motorcycles(which probably one of your neighbours or friends own and you too aspire to own one) and some of you maybe are aware about their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibilities) activities, but how many of you are aware of the gruesome crimes it committed during the two world wars? Yes, you heard that right, BMW is guilty of horrible war crimes!
Adolf Hitler tours a BMW plant in Munich with CEO Franz-Josef Popp in 1935.
During the world war 2, the BMW has assisted the Nazis by supplying them with fighter aircrafts and motorcycles, fuelling the Nazi killing machine. BMW owner Günther Quandt and son Herbert were reportedly friendly with Hitler and profited from the Holocaust, being handed businesses seized from Jews sent to concentration camps.
“As demand for BMW aero engines increased, forced laborers, convicts and prisoners from concentration camps were recruited to assist with manufacturing them. To this day, the enormous suffering this caused and the fate of many forced laborers remains a matter of the most profound regret,” said the carmaker, whose company acronym stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke, or Bavarian Motor Works.
Taking advantage of the influx of prisoners of war from Eastern Europe and forced laborers in Western Europe, BMW factories took advantage of what was essentially slave labour. Foreign workers, POW’s, and forced laborers alike were made to build the German military airplanes, automobiles, and motorcycles while suffering inhumane conditions. This dark time in BMW’s past was publicly recognized, and the company continues to express sincere regret over what occurred in their factories during this time.
Slave Labourers working at a BMW Factory.
Officials said they are following up from efforts to face the company’s dark past that began in 1983.
“BMW AG became the first industrial corporation to initiate a public debate about this chapter of its history with the publication of a book entitled `BMW – Eine Deutsche Geschichte (BMW – A German History).’ ” according to the company statement.
“Since the 1990s, the BMW Group has been actively engaging in efforts to promote openness, respect and understanding between cultures.”
The company has also been accused to use slaves from Africa.
After WWII, the Allied forces took control of the BMW plants to dismantle them as punishment for providing armaments to the German military. To keep from going under until they were allowed to begin building motorcycles and cars again, for a short time, BMW started to produce pots, pans, and kitchen utensils. As a part of their post-war reparations, many of the machines in the BMW plants were taken apart and shipped overseas.
Mere years after the end of WWII, in 1951, BMW was again allowed to begin production of their automobiles. Though their new designs did not succeed in the luxury market, those early forays back into the automobile market helped stabilize the company.
The company has come out and apologised for their war crimes and has promised compensations to the family members who suffered due to their company. In order to survive the modern world, BMW has to compensate the people and their decendants who suffered due to their activities during the war times, and has to up scale their corporate social responsibilities and serve the societies and should make effort for the well being of the society.
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