Companies often overlook the Nazi Era as a significant historical event in their respective histories.
Chatting It Up About Austria's Tardy Tackle on Nazi Business Past
Find yourself curious about the Austrian business world and its handling of the Nazi past? Here's the scoop, without mincing words!
Why the slow start in Austria?
Oliver Rathkolb, a seasoned researcher, takes us on a ride through time, explaining that countries like Austria and Germany were tardy when it came to critically reviewing their corporate histories during the Nazi era. The delayed action started in the 1980s, a decade later than Germany, with class-action lawsuits against Austrian companies being the major catalyst.
A Book by the Book
Rathkolb's career boasts publications on an array of subjects, one of them being the Postsparkasse. A unique study on this topic, it delved beyond economics as it published a list of dormant accounts and names online, helping descendants uncover more about their Holocaust-era ancestors. Followed by a comprehensive study on voestalpine and the Reichswerke Hermann Goering, Rathkolb paved the way for truth and healing.
Holocaust Remembrance Days - a Must
In today's corporate landscape, the Great Depression and the ensuing World War II remain a blind spot for several companies, who fear negative repercussions for their marketing. However, according to Rathkolb, public demand leans heavily towards complete historical truth, and a company can't cherry-pick its history, even if it's dark or difficult.
The Biggest Obstacle - Personal Connections
Rathkolb highlights that the continued presence of entrepreneurs and managers with ties to the Nazi era during the post-war period had a significant impact on the slow progress in addressing the past. This was especially true in companies where the owners were also involved as executives. Fortunately, progress was made when younger managers took the reins with a more open approach to this sensitive topic.
Energy Sector - Not So Green
Rathkolb and his team conducted a comprehensive study on forced labor in the electricity industry in Ostmark, published in 2014. Projects like the Tauern power plant in Kaprun, the Drau power plants, the Ernsthofen substation, and the Donaukraftwerk Persenbeug utilized thousands of forced laborers and prisoners of war during the Nazi era.
A prominent example of this is the Kaprun power plant, which was notoriously dangerous due to avalanche risks and extreme construction sites. Approximately a third of the power plant was completed with the blood, sweat, and tears of these workers. Post-war, this symbol of Austrian reconstruction became another casualty of the same extreme conditions, claiming the lives of both former Nazi Party members and others.
The Truth in the Cracks - the Forced and Slave Labor Role
Rathkolb is blunt in his assertion that many Austrian companies wouldn't have flourished without the contributions of forced and slave labor. During the time before Nazi annexation and the end of the war, the Austrian economy and industry underwent a massive transformation, primarily due to weapon manufacturing and investments funded by forced labor.
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
Efforts to address the Nazi past remain ongoing, and companies are slowly but surely acknowledging their role in this dark period. However, Austria still grapples with deeply ingrained narratives and cultural barriers, slowing the process of truth and reconciliation.
- Despite the delay in critical examination, it was the class-action lawsuits against Austrian companies in the 1980s that initiated a review of the corporate histories during the Nazi era in countries like Austria.
- Rathkolb's book on Postsparkasse was among his publications, providing a unique insight into the topic that even went as far as publishing a list of dormant accounts and names online, helping descendants uncover information about their Holocaust-era ancestors.
- Incorporating historical truth into corporate narratives has become increasingly important in today's business landscape, even if it entails addressing dark and difficult periods such as the Great Depression and World War II.
- Rathkolb's study on the electricity industry in Ostmark revealed that numerous projects, including the Kaprun power plant, utilized forced laborers and prisoners of war during the Nazi era, contributing significantly to their completion.
