- Examining the Nazi history linked to Leifheit: Cities debating on appropriate actions
The urban areas of Nassau in Rhineland-Palatinate and Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria are seeking a more in-depth examination of entrepreneur Günter Leifheit's (1920-2009) alleged Nazi past. Both locations received a substantial report from a historian a few weeks ago, containing over 50 pages of research on Leifheit's activities during the Nazi era.
The recently published report, authored by historian Stefan Holler, an employee of a Munich publishing firm, delved deeper into Leifheit's past. Holler disclosed that Leifheit willingly joined the Hitler Youth, the NSDAP, the Waffen-SS, and the Allgemeine SS, thereby repeatedly demonstrating his political allegiance to National Socialism. However, he also noted the absence of any evidence supporting Leifheit's personal involvement in war crimes or acts against humanity.
Leifheit established the Nassau-based home goods company bearing his name, which produces items such as washing stands. Upon request, the company acknowledged receiving the findings of the research. "We support the comprehensive clarification initiated by independent historians and experts to investigate Mr. Leifheit's historical role and personal accusations," a spokesperson said.
Leifheit and his wife founded the company in 1959 and stepped down from management in 1974 following the sale to a US corporation. "Since then, the Leifheit pair has not been involved in the company's management," it was stated. The company continues to carry the founder's name, but the spokesperson declined to comment on the planned consequences of the allegations.
Significant ties to Nassau and Garmisch-Partenkirchen
The Leifheit family is also connected to Nassau in other ways. Nassau houses a Günter Leifheit Cultural Center, consisting of an archive, city library, youth center, and a Leifheit Campus school. Garmisch-Partenkirchen, temporarily home to the couple, received 57 million euros from Leifheit's estate following his demise to finance senior projects.
Mayor Liguori: "Now it's about clarity"
Leifheit passed away in 2009. It was known that he had served in the Wehrmacht; however, his involvement in the Nazi regime had not been comprehensively documented until now, according to Manuel Liguori, the mayor of Nassau and an SPD politician in the Rhineland-Palatinate state parliament.
Liguori considers the report seriously. Nassau and Garmisch-Partenkirchen plan to collaborate on addressing this issue. "We aim to address this jointly, engage experts, and then scrutinize their findings," Liguori said. "The present focus is on clarification. We are not historians, nor lawyers." Only when conclusions emerge can a proper evaluation ensue.
The matter will be discussed at the Nassau town council meeting on Wednesday, and a conversation with the Leifheit Foundation is slated for the following week. However, it is still premature to discuss potential consequences, such as renaming the cultural center or revoking Leifheit's honorary citizenship. "We remain open and transparent, and no option is off the table in our contemplations," Liguori said.
There is significant wealth in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Even in Bavaria, the report arrived in early July. LongLeif GaPa, a non-profit GmbH responsible for managing 57 million euros from the Günter and Ingeborg Leifheit foundation, aimed to transparently and openly examine Leifheit's biography with experts. The foundation itself declined to respond to a request for comment.
In a market council meeting, it was decided to transparently process Leifheit's biography, according to LongLeif. "LongLeif will now plan the next steps and initiate and manage the processing with appropriate communication."
Recipient of the Order of Merit
In Rhineland-Palatinate, Günter Leifheit was honored with the Order of Merit of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate in 2006. "Had one been aware of his now-known Nazi past at the time, the award would never have been granted," the State Chancellery informed the German Press Agency. "However, the possibility of revoking an award during the recipient's lifetime is limited." A posthumous revocation of the honor is not provided for in the law.
The mayor of Nassau, Manuel Liguori, expressed the need for clarity regarding Leifheit's Nazi past, stating, "We aim to address this jointly, engage experts, and then scrutinize their findings." The municipality of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, where Leifheit donated significant funds, also plans to collaborate in this examination.
