- During the Nazi era, a larger number of forced laborers were employed at Bahlsen than was originally believed.
Following the contentious remarks made five years ago by the Bahlsen company's heiress, a study is shedding light on the corporation's background. Verena Bahlsen stirred up controversy in 2019 when she asserted that laborers forced to work at Bahlsen during the Nazi era were well-treated. She later issued an apology, admitting her error. As a result, the name Bahlsen was no longer solely associated with Leibniz biscuits and Pick-up bars.
Public scrutiny led to a thorough examination of the company's past, as revealed in a statement issued by the family. "We were unaware of many aspects of our company's history, and we admit that we never asked," they stated. A historical study conducted by commissioned historians Manfred Grieger and Hartmut Berghoff aimed to provide clarity. The result was a 600-page book titled "The History of the Bahlsen Family," covering the years from 1911 to 1974.
More than 800 forced laborers
The investigation revealed that Bahlsen had actively supported the Nazi regime and profited from its policies, particularly through the use of forced labor. The corporation employed a larger number of forced laborers than previously known during the Nazi era.
As per company records, more than 800 foreign workers were forced to labor for Bahlsen between 1940 and 1945. These workers were primarily women from Poland and Ukraine, according to Bahlsen. Forced laborers in Germany were subject to severe racist discrimination, as highlighted by the authors. Polish and Ukrainian women were required to wear a violet-yellow P-Raute on their clothing, signifying their racial discrimination.
Bahlsen acknowledges its past
At Bahlsen, Polish forced laborers were also required to wear the stigma-inducing P-sign, according to the study. They received lower wages, smaller food rations, and inadequate medical care. The study reported that the laborers lived in barracks and were segregated from the German public. Social interaction with Germans was prohibited. Polish men who were discovered to have had sexual relationships with German women faced the threat of execution.
The family expressed their deep regret for the injustice suffered by these individuals and for not acknowledging this difficult truth earlier. The company archive was made available to scientific research for the first time, and Bahlsen generously funded the project without imposing any content-related requirements, the authors noted. The family had a close relationship with Werner M. Bahlsen and his daughter Verena during the project.
For decades, Bahlsen had minimized its internal memory of forced labor to the narrative of a harmonious coexistence during challenging times. Today, the company acknowledges its past. "It is our responsibility to preserve this memory and ensure that the history of Nazism never repeats itself," as stated on a memorial plaque in the main building's foyer.
The investigation into Bahlsen's past revealed that Lower Saxony, where the company is based, had a significant number of corporations supporting the Nazi regime and profiting from its policies, including the use of forced labor. The study on Bahlsen revealed that the company employed more forced laborers than initially believed during the Nazi era in Lower Saxony.
