IBM and Nazi germany

[wgg]

I am not trying to have a go at IBM as they are a great company and they are very equal but I was wondering if anybody else knew about IBM's involvement with Nazi germany?

[RealBlackStuff]

Not really a topic for a LAPTOP forum, is it now?

[wgg]

Well that s why it is in OFF-TOPIC and it is to do with IBM

[Harryc]

I don't see any harm in discussing this topic. We'll allow it.

[wgg]

Thankyou, Harryc

[Eudoxus]

I am not trying to have a go at IBM as they are a great company and they are very equal but I was wondering if anybody else knew about IBM's involvement with Nazi germany?

And what was the nature of the involvement?

[wgg]

According to wikipedia:

IBM has acknowledged that the company’s subsidiary Dehomag sold unit record (punched card) equipment and data processing technology and services to Nazi Germany.[38]

In 2001, a book by Edwin Black was released contending that IBM played an integral administrative part in the systematic genocide of the European Jewish community from 1939 to 1944, by helping the Nazis organize and coordinate their efforts toward gathering and organizing all available information about their victims[39] by leasing their punched card equipment and support services to the Third Reich. This provided significant help in dealing with the massive administrative task of the 'Final Solution', with sizable profits for IBM.[40] IBM denies that it had control over its subsidiaries after the Nazis took control of them. However, Black, based on sources including "recently discovered Nazi documents and testimony of former Polish workers", states that in addition to the Dehomag connection, a large amount of the technology arrived via "a subsidiary in Poland, Watson Business Machines in Warsaw, which reported directly to the IBM New York headquarters."[41]

Simultaneously with the release of Black’s book, a lawsuit was filed against IBM based on these allegations. The lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed by the plaintiffs in the interest of advancing a concurrent claim in German courts.[42]

[JaneL]

Old news that's been discussed here before.

[wgg]

Okay, sorry about that feel free to close the topic or what evert action you deem nesacerry

[Eudoxus]

Old news that's been discussed here before.

Can you post a link to that discussion?

[Harryc]

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 35&start=0

[Eudoxus]

Thanks!

[rkawakami]

Forum Cardinal Rule #7 ( http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=14339 ) states that members may only maintain a single account. Since it appears that you were previously posting as "comptechexpert" and you haven't used it in several months, I've deactivated that account.

[wgg]

Thanks I appreciate that I totally forgot to do that so I am sorry to cause any trouble.