Business · Companies · 1 day ago
Volkswagen turns its Nazi-era history into a lesson in corporate responsibility
Volkswagen was created as a project promoted by Adolf Hitler to build an affordable car for German families.
But during the Nazi era, its Wolfsburg factory made weapons and military vehicles instead of cars for private buyers.
Prisoners of war, concentration camp inmates and forced workers from across Europe staffed the factory.
Since 1999, a memorial in former air-raid shelters beneath the factory has explained this history.
Volkswagen opened its archives to historians in the mid-1980s, compensated some victims and made historical education part of its company culture.
The company says remembering its past is a responsibility for the present and future, including upholding humanity, equality, equal opportunity and diversity at work.
Volkswagen has made teaching its history under Nazi rule part of its corporate culture.
The company’s factory in Wolfsburg produced weapons and military vehicles rather than cars for private buyers during the Nazi period.
Since 1999, a lower level of the factory has served as a memorial site.
Volkswagen opened its archives to historians in the mid-1980s, compensated some victims and incorporated remembrance into its corporate culture.
A company historian says the aim is to promote responsibility for the present and future, not guilt.
- Who
- Volkswagen and its corporate heritage department.
- What
- The company teaches its history under Nazi rule as part of its corporate culture and maintains a memorial site at its factory.
- When
- The factory was built in 1938; the memorial site opened in 1999. The article was published on November 7, 2026.
- Where
- Volkswagen’s factory in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany.
- Why
- The company says remembering its past is a responsibility for the present and future, including promoting human dignity, equality and diversity.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Volkswagen’s factory was built, with air-raid shelters required by German law.
Volkswagen opened its archives to historians and compensated some victims.
The lower level of the Wolfsburg factory became a memorial site.
franceinfo published its report on Volkswagen’s approach to remembering its Nazi-era history.
- Factory location
- Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany
- Factory built
- 1938
- Memorial site opened
- 1999
- Archives opened to historians
- Mid-1980s
- Nazi-era production
- Mines, military vehicles and anti-tank rocket launchers
What people are saying
All of this was just propaganda. It was an immense social utopia, because no Volkswagen was produced here for a private end customer.
Of course, we cannot change society, but at least in the factory, we can do everything possible so that values such as humanity, equality, equal opportunities and diversity are also part of our corporate culture.