As a German defence company, we feel a special responsibility to contribute to the culture of remembrance and commemoration in the context of the Second World War. We have thoroughly examined and documented our role and our transgressions during the Nazi era.
They make no secret out of that, where things get dicey is the role of the Porsche/Piëch clan which ate itself back into the company. That’s also where the “close German factories” drive is coming from, they want their dividends so they don’t have to sell stock to cover some credit or the other.
The link in the article to Rheinmetall’s history page is particularly interesting. They tell it straight like it was.
Link
German philosopher Hans-Georg Moeller: Guilt Pride: A German Vanity Project Conquering the World
Volkswagen is much less upfront about it. Lotta talk about the fun “people’s car” but not the slave labor making Nazi vehicles.
They make no secret out of that, where things get dicey is the role of the Porsche/Piëch clan which ate itself back into the company. That’s also where the “close German factories” drive is coming from, they want their dividends so they don’t have to sell stock to cover some credit or the other.