Does anyone know what happened with this case? Was Henry Ford really a Nazi? JP. -------- Ford Motor Co. charged in Nazi secret profits on slave labor By Howard Hobbs March 18, 1998 http://www.dailyrepublican.com/ford_slave_labor.html A Belgium woman, forced to work as a slave laborer at a manufacturing plant in Cologne, Germany during World War II, sued the Ford Motor Company and its German affiliate. The suit, filed as a class action, seeks reasonable payment for the work performed and the disgorgement of unfair profits. The federal case was filed on March 4, 1998 and is known as Elsa Iwanowa vs FORD MOTOR COMPANY, and FORD WERKE A.G. She is represented by Allyn Z. Lite, Joseph J. DePalma, and Bruce D. Greenberg in Newark. Ford's legal counsel, issued a statement saying that it was not responsible for the operation of the plant during wartime, when the percentage of unpaid labor allegedly reached 50%. However, the records shows otherwise. This civil action was filed this week on behalf of thousands of persons who were compelled to perform forced labor under inhuman conditions for the Ford plant in Nazi Germany. It was the Ford Werke A.G., the German subsidiary of defendant, Ford Motor Company. The workers at Ford Werke A.G. never received compensation for their forced labor, or their suffering. Prior to November 1997, German laws barred workers from filing a court action to obtain economic damages from Ford. Ford Werke A.G., may be liable to its German Ford plant workers if it can be shown that its enormous profits were actually gained by management practices that used forced slave labor under inhuman conditions to produce their vehicles for the Nazis. Ford Motor Company (USA) was the owner of a substantial majority of the shares of Ford Werke A.G. during the period of time in which Hitler's Third Reich was in power in Germany 1933-1945. The plaintiff, Elsa Iwanowa, is a citizen of Belgium, and a resident of Antwerp. Iwanowa, was compelled to perform forced labor under inhuman conditions for Ford Werke A.G. at its Cologne plant. She has never received compensation for her forced labor, or for the inhuman conditions she was forced to endure at Ford Werke A.G. Historical records show that, unlike most American-owned property in Nazi Germany, the Ford Werke A.G. plant was never confiscated by the German government. It continued to be owned by Ford Motor Company throughout the war. Edsel Ford and Robert Sorenson, high-ranking officials of Ford Motor Company, served as directors of Ford Werke A.G. throughout the Nazi Third Reich. During that period, Ford Werke A.G. generated enormous profits, and other economic advantages, from the use of unpaid, forced labor. The detailed allegations of the complaint set forth facts that the Nazis had achieved domination over territories with an aggregate population of 350,000,000 people. It became impossible to obtain sufficient voluntary labor from the German people to sustain the Nazi war machine, the Nazi regime increasingly turned to unpaid, forced labor, impressed from its captive populations, the inmates of concentration camps, and prisoners of war. The Nazi forced labor program was prosecuted with unrelenting cruelty and persistence. The International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg found that '...[m]anhunts took place in streets, at motion picture houses, even at churches and at night in private houses'. Over 7,500,000 human beings were forcibly deported from occupied territory to Germany to support its war effort. From the moment of their abduction, the victims were subjected to all the tortures, indignities, and suffering that the human mind can encompass. Ford Werke A.G. began utilizing French prisoners of war as forced laborers, and continued utilizing thousands of forced laborers throughout the war in violation of Article 52 of the Hague Convention, and the provisions of the Geneva Convention Governing Prisoners of War. Ford Werke A.G. quickly became an eager, aggressive and successful bidder for forced laborers. More than 50% of the work-force utilized by Ford Werke A.G were unpaid, forced laborers as well as concentration camp inmates from Buchenwald. Until 1938, Ford Werke A.G. produced passenger vehicles. In 1938, Ford began manufacturing tracked vehicles for the transport of German troops, and other military equipment. Soon, it had ceased producing passenger vehicles, and was devoting its entire production capacity to the manufacture of military trucks. Military historians estimate that approximately 60% of the 3 ton tracked vehicles produced for the German army were manufactured by the Ford Werke A.G. company. Apparently, the use of unpaid, forced laborers by Ford Werke A.G. was immensely profitable. Relieved of the necessity of paying wages, and operating at peak capacity to meet the inexhaustible need of the German army for tracked vehicles and other trucks, Ford Werke A.G. realized enormous wartime profits. Throughout the war years, Edsel Ford and Robert Sorenson, high-ranking officials of Ford Motor Company, continued to serve as directors of Ford Werke A.G. The favorable treatment accorded by Nazi Germany to Ford Motor Company as the American owners of Ford Werke A.G. was attributable to a personal friendship between Henry Ford and Adolph Hitler. Henry Ford made annual birthday gifts of 50,000 deutsch marks to Adolph Hitler. On Henry Ford's 75th birthday in 1938, Hitler awarded Ford the Great Cross of the German Order of the Eagle for Henry Ford's publication of the notorious anti-Semitic pamphlet, The International Jew, a Worldwide Problem [Berlin, 1921]. --------

this is NOT the place to post this kind of dialog... "John Poindexter" <john.poindexter@wowmail.com> wrote in message news:e7c38a7a.0310141420.78b9c42d@posting.google.com... Does anyone know what happened with this case? Was Henry Ford really a Nazi? JP. -------- Ford Motor Co. charged in Nazi secret profits on slave labor By Howard Hobbs March 18, 1998 http://www.dailyrepublican.com/ford_slave_labor.html A Belgium woman, forced to work as a slave laborer at a manufacturing plant in Cologne, Germany during World War II, sued the Ford Motor Company and its German affiliate. The suit, filed as a class action, seeks reasonable payment for the work performed and the disgorgement of unfair profits. The federal case was filed on March 4, 1998 and is known as Elsa Iwanowa vs FORD MOTOR COMPANY, and FORD WERKE A.G. She is represented by Allyn Z. Lite, Joseph J. DePalma, and Bruce D. Greenberg in Newark. Ford's legal counsel, issued a statement saying that it was not responsible for the operation of the plant during wartime, when the percentage of unpaid labor allegedly reached 50%. However, the records shows otherwise. This civil action was filed this week on behalf of thousands of persons who were compelled to perform forced labor under inhuman conditions for the Ford plant in Nazi Germany. It was the Ford Werke A.G., the German subsidiary of defendant, Ford Motor Company. The workers at Ford Werke A.G. never received compensation for their forced labor, or their suffering. Prior to November 1997, German laws barred workers from filing a court action to obtain economic damages from Ford. Ford Werke A.G., may be liable to its German Ford plant workers if it can be shown that its enormous profits were actually gained by management practices that used forced slave labor under inhuman conditions to produce their vehicles for the Nazis. Ford Motor Company (USA) was the owner of a substantial majority of the shares of Ford Werke A.G. during the period of time in which Hitler's Third Reich was in power in Germany 1933-1945. The plaintiff, Elsa Iwanowa, is a citizen of Belgium, and a resident of Antwerp. Iwanowa, was compelled to perform forced labor under inhuman conditions for Ford Werke A.G. at its Cologne plant. She has never received compensation for her forced labor, or for the inhuman conditions she was forced to endure at Ford Werke A.G. Historical records show that, unlike most American-owned property in Nazi Germany, the Ford Werke A.G. plant was never confiscated by the German government. It continued to be owned by Ford Motor Company throughout the war. Edsel Ford and Robert Sorenson, high-ranking officials of Ford Motor Company, served as directors of Ford Werke A.G. throughout the Nazi Third Reich. During that period, Ford Werke A.G. generated enormous profits, and other economic advantages, from the use of unpaid, forced labor. The detailed allegations of the complaint set forth facts that the Nazis had achieved domination over territories with an aggregate population of 350,000,000 people. It became impossible to obtain sufficient voluntary labor from the German people to sustain the Nazi war machine, the Nazi regime increasingly turned to unpaid, forced labor, impressed from its captive populations, the inmates of concentration camps, and prisoners of war. The Nazi forced labor program was prosecuted with unrelenting cruelty and persistence. The International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg found that '...[m]anhunts took place in streets, at motion picture houses, even at churches and at night in private houses'. Over 7,500,000 human beings were forcibly deported from occupied territory to Germany to support its war effort. From the moment of their abduction, the victims were subjected to all the tortures, indignities, and suffering that the human mind can encompass. Ford Werke A.G. began utilizing French prisoners of war as forced laborers, and continued utilizing thousands of forced laborers throughout the war in violation of Article 52 of the Hague Convention, and the provisions of the Geneva Convention Governing Prisoners of War. Ford Werke A.G. quickly became an eager, aggressive and successful bidder for forced laborers. More than 50% of the work-force utilized by Ford Werke A.G were unpaid, forced laborers as well as concentration camp inmates from Buchenwald. Until 1938, Ford Werke A.G. produced passenger vehicles. In 1938, Ford began manufacturing tracked vehicles for the transport of German troops, and other military equipment. Soon, it had ceased producing passenger vehicles, and was devoting its entire production capacity to the manufacture of military trucks. Military historians estimate that approximately 60% of the 3 ton tracked vehicles produced for the German army were manufactured by the Ford Werke A.G. company. Apparently, the use of unpaid, forced laborers by Ford Werke A.G. was immensely profitable. Relieved of the necessity of paying wages, and operating at peak capacity to meet the inexhaustible need of the German army for tracked vehicles and other trucks, Ford Werke A.G. realized enormous wartime profits. Throughout the war years, Edsel Ford and Robert Sorenson, high-ranking officials of Ford Motor Company, continued to serve as directors of Ford Werke A.G. The favorable treatment accorded by Nazi Germany to Ford Motor Company as the American owners of Ford Werke A.G. was attributable to a personal friendship between Henry Ford and Adolph Hitler. Henry Ford made annual birthday gifts of 50,000 deutsch marks to Adolph Hitler. On Henry Ford's 75th birthday in 1938, Hitler awarded Ford the Great Cross of the German Order of the Eagle for Henry Ford's publication of the notorious anti-Semitic pamphlet, The International Jew, a Worldwide Problem [Berlin, 1921]. --------

He as I know was not a Nazi, but he was a racist, mostly against those of the Hebrew blood line. He bought a month rag and published his thoughts in it. "John Poindexter" <john.poindexter@wowmail.com> wrote in message news:e7c38a7a.0310141420.78b9c42d@posting.google.com... > Does anyone know what happened with this case? Was Henry Ford really a > Nazi? > JP. > > -------- > Ford Motor Co. charged in Nazi secret profits on slave labor > > By Howard Hobbs > > March 18, 1998 > > http://www.dailyrepublican.com/ford_slave_labor.html > > A Belgium woman, forced to work as a slave laborer at a manufacturing > plant in Cologne, Germany during World War II, sued the Ford Motor > Company and its German affiliate. The suit, filed as a class action, > seeks reasonable payment for the work performed and the disgorgement > of unfair profits. > > The federal case was filed on March 4, 1998 and is known as Elsa > Iwanowa vs FORD MOTOR COMPANY, and FORD WERKE A.G. She is represented > by Allyn Z. Lite, Joseph J. DePalma, and Bruce D. Greenberg in Newark. > > Ford's legal counsel, issued a statement saying that it was not > responsible for the operation of the plant during wartime, when the > percentage of unpaid labor allegedly reached 50%. However, the records > shows otherwise. > > This civil action was filed this week on behalf of thousands of > persons who were compelled to perform forced labor under inhuman > conditions for the Ford plant in Nazi Germany. It was the Ford Werke > A.G., the German subsidiary of defendant, Ford Motor Company. > > The workers at Ford Werke A.G. never received compensation for their > forced labor, or their suffering. > > Prior to November 1997, German laws barred workers from filing a court > action to obtain economic damages from Ford. > > Ford Werke A.G., may be liable to its German Ford plant workers if it > can be shown that its enormous profits were actually gained by > management practices that used forced slave labor under inhuman > conditions to produce their vehicles for the Nazis. > > Ford Motor Company (USA) was the owner of a substantial majority of > the shares of Ford Werke A.G. during the period of time in which > Hitler's Third Reich was in power in Germany 1933-1945. > > The plaintiff, Elsa Iwanowa, is a citizen of Belgium, and a resident > of Antwerp. Iwanowa, was compelled to perform forced labor under > inhuman conditions for Ford Werke A.G. at its Cologne plant. She has > never received compensation for her forced labor, or for the inhuman > conditions she was forced to endure at Ford Werke A.G. > > Historical records show that, unlike most American-owned property in > Nazi Germany, the Ford Werke A.G. plant was never confiscated by the > German government. It continued to be owned by Ford Motor Company > throughout the war. Edsel Ford and Robert Sorenson, high-ranking > officials of Ford Motor Company, served as directors of Ford Werke > A.G. throughout the Nazi Third Reich. > > During that period, Ford Werke A.G. generated enormous profits, and > other economic advantages, from the use of unpaid, forced labor. > > The detailed allegations of the complaint set forth facts that the > Nazis had achieved domination over territories with an aggregate > population of 350,000,000 people. It became impossible to obtain > sufficient voluntary labor from the German people to sustain the Nazi > war machine, the Nazi regime increasingly turned to unpaid, forced > labor, impressed from its captive populations, the inmates of > concentration camps, and prisoners of war. > > The Nazi forced labor program was prosecuted with unrelenting cruelty > and persistence. The International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg > found that '...[m]anhunts took place in streets, at motion picture > houses, even at churches and at night in private houses'. Over > 7,500,000 human beings were forcibly deported from occupied territory > to Germany to support its war effort. From the moment of their > abduction, the victims were subjected to all the tortures, > indignities, and suffering that the human mind can encompass. > > Ford Werke A.G. began utilizing French prisoners of war as forced > laborers, and continued utilizing thousands of forced laborers > throughout the war in violation of Article 52 of the Hague Convention, > and the provisions of the Geneva Convention Governing Prisoners of > War. > > Ford Werke A.G. quickly became an eager, aggressive and successful > bidder for forced laborers. More than 50% of the work-force utilized > by Ford Werke A.G were unpaid, forced laborers as well as > concentration camp inmates from Buchenwald. > > Until 1938, Ford Werke A.G. produced passenger vehicles. In 1938, Ford > began manufacturing tracked vehicles for the transport of German > troops, and other military equipment. Soon, it had ceased producing > passenger vehicles, and was devoting its entire production capacity to > the manufacture of military trucks. Military historians estimate that > approximately 60% of the 3 ton tracked vehicles produced for the > German army were manufactured by the Ford Werke A.G. company. > > Apparently, the use of unpaid, forced laborers by Ford Werke A.G. was > immensely profitable. Relieved of the necessity of paying wages, and > operating at peak capacity to meet the inexhaustible need of the > German army for tracked vehicles and other trucks, Ford Werke A.G. > realized enormous wartime profits. > > Throughout the war years, Edsel Ford and Robert Sorenson, high-ranking > officials of Ford Motor Company, continued to serve as directors of > Ford Werke A.G. > > The favorable treatment accorded by Nazi Germany to Ford Motor Company > as the American owners of Ford Werke A.G. was attributable to a > personal friendship between Henry Ford and Adolph Hitler. Henry Ford > made annual birthday gifts of 50,000 deutsch marks to Adolph Hitler. > > On Henry Ford's 75th birthday in 1938, Hitler awarded Ford the Great > Cross of the German Order of the Eagle for Henry Ford's publication of > the notorious anti-Semitic pamphlet, The International Jew, a > Worldwide Problem [Berlin, 1921]. > --------

take this shit to another newsgroup please. "John Poindexter" <john.poindexter@wowmail.com> wrote in message news:e7c38a7a.0310141420.78b9c42d@posting.google.com... > Does anyone know what happened with this case? Was Henry Ford really a > Nazi? > JP. > > -------- > Ford Motor Co. charged in Nazi secret profits on slave labor > > By Howard Hobbs > > March 18, 1998 > > http://www.dailyrepublican.com/ford_slave_labor.html > > A Belgium woman, forced to work as a slave laborer at a manufacturing > plant in Cologne, Germany during World War II, sued the Ford Motor > Company and its German affiliate. The suit, filed as a class action, > seeks reasonable payment for the work performed and the disgorgement > of unfair profits. > > The federal case was filed on March 4, 1998 and is known as Elsa > Iwanowa vs FORD MOTOR COMPANY, and FORD WERKE A.G. She is represented > by Allyn Z. Lite, Joseph J. DePalma, and Bruce D. Greenberg in Newark. > > Ford's legal counsel, issued a statement saying that it was not > responsible for the operation of the plant during wartime, when the > percentage of unpaid labor allegedly reached 50%. However, the records > shows otherwise. > > This civil action was filed this week on behalf of thousands of > persons who were compelled to perform forced labor under inhuman > conditions for the Ford plant in Nazi Germany. It was the Ford Werke > A.G., the German subsidiary of defendant, Ford Motor Company. > > The workers at Ford Werke A.G. never received compensation for their > forced labor, or their suffering. > > Prior to November 1997, German laws barred workers from filing a court > action to obtain economic damages from Ford. > > Ford Werke A.G., may be liable to its German Ford plant workers if it > can be shown that its enormous profits were actually gained by > management practices that used forced slave labor under inhuman > conditions to produce their vehicles for the Nazis. > > Ford Motor Company (USA) was the owner of a substantial majority of > the shares of Ford Werke A.G. during the period of time in which > Hitler's Third Reich was in power in Germany 1933-1945. > > The plaintiff, Elsa Iwanowa, is a citizen of Belgium, and a resident > of Antwerp. Iwanowa, was compelled to perform forced labor under > inhuman conditions for Ford Werke A.G. at its Cologne plant. She has > never received compensation for her forced labor, or for the inhuman > conditions she was forced to endure at Ford Werke A.G. > > Historical records show that, unlike most American-owned property in > Nazi Germany, the Ford Werke A.G. plant was never confiscated by the > German government. It continued to be owned by Ford Motor Company > throughout the war. Edsel Ford and Robert Sorenson, high-ranking > officials of Ford Motor Company, served as directors of Ford Werke > A.G. throughout the Nazi Third Reich. > > During that period, Ford Werke A.G. generated enormous profits, and > other economic advantages, from the use of unpaid, forced labor. > > The detailed allegations of the complaint set forth facts that the > Nazis had achieved domination over territories with an aggregate > population of 350,000,000 people. It became impossible to obtain > sufficient voluntary labor from the German people to sustain the Nazi > war machine, the Nazi regime increasingly turned to unpaid, forced > labor, impressed from its captive populations, the inmates of > concentration camps, and prisoners of war. > > The Nazi forced labor program was prosecuted with unrelenting cruelty > and persistence. The International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg > found that '...[m]anhunts took place in streets, at motion picture > houses, even at churches and at night in private houses'. Over > 7,500,000 human beings were forcibly deported from occupied territory > to Germany to support its war effort. From the moment of their > abduction, the victims were subjected to all the tortures, > indignities, and suffering that the human mind can encompass. > > Ford Werke A.G. began utilizing French prisoners of war as forced > laborers, and continued utilizing thousands of forced laborers > throughout the war in violation of Article 52 of the Hague Convention, > and the provisions of the Geneva Convention Governing Prisoners of > War. > > Ford Werke A.G. quickly became an eager, aggressive and successful > bidder for forced laborers. More than 50% of the work-force utilized > by Ford Werke A.G were unpaid, forced laborers as well as > concentration camp inmates from Buchenwald. > > Until 1938, Ford Werke A.G. produced passenger vehicles. In 1938, Ford > began manufacturing tracked vehicles for the transport of German > troops, and other military equipment. Soon, it had ceased producing > passenger vehicles, and was devoting its entire production capacity to > the manufacture of military trucks. Military historians estimate that > approximately 60% of the 3 ton tracked vehicles produced for the > German army were manufactured by the Ford Werke A.G. company. > > Apparently, the use of unpaid, forced laborers by Ford Werke A.G. was > immensely profitable. Relieved of the necessity of paying wages, and > operating at peak capacity to meet the inexhaustible need of the > German army for tracked vehicles and other trucks, Ford Werke A.G. > realized enormous wartime profits. > > Throughout the war years, Edsel Ford and Robert Sorenson, high-ranking > officials of Ford Motor Company, continued to serve as directors of > Ford Werke A.G. > > The favorable treatment accorded by Nazi Germany to Ford Motor Company > as the American owners of Ford Werke A.G. was attributable to a > personal friendship between Henry Ford and Adolph Hitler. Henry Ford > made annual birthday gifts of 50,000 deutsch marks to Adolph Hitler. > > On Henry Ford's 75th birthday in 1938, Hitler awarded Ford the Great > Cross of the German Order of the Eagle for Henry Ford's publication of > the notorious anti-Semitic pamphlet, The International Jew, a > Worldwide Problem [Berlin, 1921]. > --------

"John Poindexter" <john.poindexter@wowmail.com> wrote in message news:e7c38a7a.0310141420.78b9c42d@posting.google.com... > Does anyone know what happened with this case? Was Henry Ford really a > Nazi? > JP. > He was a vicious antisemite and a personal friend of Hitler's. This is not new information. Best regards, ---Cindy S. > -------- > Ford Motor Co. charged in Nazi secret profits on slave labor > > By Howard Hobbs > > March 18, 1998 > > http://www.dailyrepublican.com/ford_slave_labor.html > > A Belgium woman, forced to work as a slave laborer at a manufacturing > plant in Cologne, Germany during World War II, sued the Ford Motor > Company and its German affiliate. The suit, filed as a class action, > seeks reasonable payment for the work performed and the disgorgement > of unfair profits. > > The federal case was filed on March 4, 1998 and is known as Elsa > Iwanowa vs FORD MOTOR COMPANY, and FORD WERKE A.G. She is represented > by Allyn Z. Lite, Joseph J. DePalma, and Bruce D. Greenberg in Newark. > > Ford's legal counsel, issued a statement saying that it was not > responsible for the operation of the plant during wartime, when the > percentage of unpaid labor allegedly reached 50%. However, the records > shows otherwise. > > This civil action was filed this week on behalf of thousands of > persons who were compelled to perform forced labor under inhuman > conditions for the Ford plant in Nazi Germany. It was the Ford Werke > A.G., the German subsidiary of defendant, Ford Motor Company. > > The workers at Ford Werke A.G. never received compensation for their > forced labor, or their suffering. > > Prior to November 1997, German laws barred workers from filing a court > action to obtain economic damages from Ford. > > Ford Werke A.G., may be liable to its German Ford plant workers if it > can be shown that its enormous profits were actually gained by > management practices that used forced slave labor under inhuman > conditions to produce their vehicles for the Nazis. > > Ford Motor Company (USA) was the owner of a substantial majority of > the shares of Ford Werke A.G. during the period of time in which > Hitler's Third Reich was in power in Germany 1933-1945. > > The plaintiff, Elsa Iwanowa, is a citizen of Belgium, and a resident > of Antwerp. Iwanowa, was compelled to perform forced labor under > inhuman conditions for Ford Werke A.G. at its Cologne plant. She has > never received compensation for her forced labor, or for the inhuman > conditions she was forced to endure at Ford Werke A.G. > > Historical records show that, unlike most American-owned property in > Nazi Germany, the Ford Werke A.G. plant was never confiscated by the > German government. It continued to be owned by Ford Motor Company > throughout the war. Edsel Ford and Robert Sorenson, high-ranking > officials of Ford Motor Company, served as directors of Ford Werke > A.G. throughout the Nazi Third Reich. > > During that period, Ford Werke A.G. generated enormous profits, and > other economic advantages, from the use of unpaid, forced labor. > > The detailed allegations of the complaint set forth facts that the > Nazis had achieved domination over territories with an aggregate > population of 350,000,000 people. It became impossible to obtain > sufficient voluntary labor from the German people to sustain the Nazi > war machine, the Nazi regime increasingly turned to unpaid, forced > labor, impressed from its captive populations, the inmates of > concentration camps, and prisoners of war. > > The Nazi forced labor program was prosecuted with unrelenting cruelty > and persistence. The International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg > found that '...[m]anhunts took place in streets, at motion picture > houses, even at churches and at night in private houses'. Over > 7,500,000 human beings were forcibly deported from occupied territory > to Germany to support its war effort. From the moment of their > abduction, the victims were subjected to all the tortures, > indignities, and suffering that the human mind can encompass. > > Ford Werke A.G. began utilizing French prisoners of war as forced > laborers, and continued utilizing thousands of forced laborers > throughout the war in violation of Article 52 of the Hague Convention, > and the provisions of the Geneva Convention Governing Prisoners of > War. > > Ford Werke A.G. quickly became an eager, aggressive and successful > bidder for forced laborers. More than 50% of the work-force utilized > by Ford Werke A.G were unpaid, forced laborers as well as > concentration camp inmates from Buchenwald. > > Until 1938, Ford Werke A.G. produced passenger vehicles. In 1938, Ford > began manufacturing tracked vehicles for the transport of German > troops, and other military equipment. Soon, it had ceased producing > passenger vehicles, and was devoting its entire production capacity to > the manufacture of military trucks. Military historians estimate that > approximately 60% of the 3 ton tracked vehicles produced for the > German army were manufactured by the Ford Werke A.G. company. > > Apparently, the use of unpaid, forced laborers by Ford Werke A.G. was > immensely profitable. Relieved of the necessity of paying wages, and > operating at peak capacity to meet the inexhaustible need of the > German army for tracked vehicles and other trucks, Ford Werke A.G. > realized enormous wartime profits. > > Throughout the war years, Edsel Ford and Robert Sorenson, high-ranking > officials of Ford Motor Company, continued to serve as directors of > Ford Werke A.G. > > The favorable treatment accorded by Nazi Germany to Ford Motor Company > as the American owners of Ford Werke A.G. was attributable to a > personal friendship between Henry Ford and Adolph Hitler. Henry Ford > made annual birthday gifts of 50,000 deutsch marks to Adolph Hitler. > > On Henry Ford's 75th birthday in 1938, Hitler awarded Ford the Great > Cross of the German Order of the Eagle for Henry Ford's publication of > the notorious anti-Semitic pamphlet, The International Jew, a > Worldwide Problem [Berlin, 1921]. > --------

"cindys" <cstein1@rochester.rr.com> wrote in message news:AJ_ib.20622$Sc7.7914@twister.nyroc.rr.com... > > "John Poindexter" <john.poindexter@wowmail.com> wrote in message > news:e7c38a7a.0310141420.78b9c42d@posting.google.com... > > Does anyone know what happened with this case? Was Henry Ford really a > > Nazi? > > JP. > > > > He was a vicious antisemite and a personal friend of Hitler's. This is not > new information. > Best regards, > ---Cindy S. LIAR!@ HENRY FORD NEVER EVER MET HITLER, BUT HE HATED JEWS THERE IS NO DOUBT. THAT DOES NOT MAKE HIM AN ANTI SEMITE, SINCE ALL OF YOU JEWS ARE EITHER RUSSIANS OR EUROPEANS, NOT SEMITES AT ALL

You do not really know what a "Jew" is do you? "paredon" <pinkspider123@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:9T%ib.55862$mQ2.21497@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net... > > "cindys" <cstein1@rochester.rr.com> wrote in message > news:AJ_ib.20622$Sc7.7914@twister.nyroc.rr.com... > > > > "John Poindexter" <john.poindexter@wowmail.com> wrote in message > > news:e7c38a7a.0310141420.78b9c42d@posting.google.com... > > > Does anyone know what happened with this case? Was Henry Ford really a > > > Nazi? > > > JP. > > > > > > > He was a vicious antisemite and a personal friend of Hitler's. This is not > > new information. > > Best regards, > > ---Cindy S. > LIAR!@ HENRY FORD NEVER EVER MET HITLER, BUT HE HATED JEWS THERE IS NO > DOUBT. THAT DOES NOT MAKE HIM AN ANTI SEMITE, SINCE ALL OF YOU JEWS ARE > EITHER RUSSIANS OR EUROPEANS, NOT SEMITES AT ALL > >

What are you doing here Alex? This is about Ford trucks, not dumb f*cks! "paredon" <pinkspider123@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:9T%ib.55862$mQ2.21497@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net... > > "cindys" <cstein1@rochester.rr.com> wrote in message > news:AJ_ib.20622$Sc7.7914@twister.nyroc.rr.com... > > > > "John Poindexter" <john.poindexter@wowmail.com> wrote in message > > news:e7c38a7a.0310141420.78b9c42d@posting.google.com... > > > Does anyone know what happened with this case? Was Henry Ford really a > > > Nazi? > > > JP. > > > > > > > He was a vicious antisemite and a personal friend of Hitler's. This is not > > new information. > > Best regards, > > ---Cindy S. > LIAR!@ HENRY FORD NEVER EVER MET HITLER, BUT HE HATED JEWS THERE IS NO > DOUBT. THAT DOES NOT MAKE HIM AN ANTI SEMITE, SINCE ALL OF YOU JEWS ARE > EITHER RUSSIANS OR EUROPEANS, NOT SEMITES AT ALL > >

"cindys" <cstein1@rochester.rr.com> wrote in message news:AJ_ib.20622$Sc7.7914@twister.nyroc.rr.com... > > "John Poindexter" <john.poindexter@wowmail.com> wrote in message > news:e7c38a7a.0310141420.78b9c42d@posting.google.com... > > Does anyone know what happened with this case? Was Henry Ford really a > > Nazi? > > JP. > > > > He was a vicious antisemite and a personal friend of Hitler's. This is not > new information. > Best regards, > ---Cindy S. Not just a plain "antisemite", but a "vicious antisemite." I'm certain that you could come up with a few more choice adjectives, if you really tried Cindy. Come on Cindy, have a go at it, my little racist friend.

"Sudoxe" <Sudoxe@att.net> wrote in message news:OS1jb.1875$Ec1.141650@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net... > > "cindys" <cstein1@rochester.rr.com> wrote in message > news:AJ_ib.20622$Sc7.7914@twister.nyroc.rr.com... > > > > "John Poindexter" <john.poindexter@wowmail.com> wrote in message > > news:e7c38a7a.0310141420.78b9c42d@posting.google.com... > > > Does anyone know what happened with this case? Was Henry Ford really > a > > > Nazi? > > > JP. > > > > > > > He was a vicious antisemite and a personal friend of Hitler's. This is > not > > new information. > > Best regards, > > ---Cindy S. > > Not just a plain "antisemite", but a "vicious antisemite." I'm certain > that you could come up with a few more choice adjectives, if you really > tried Cindy. Come on Cindy, have a go at it, my little racist friend. Oh, this is funny! Some jackass calling *Cindy* a *racist*!! Wait - I'll go get some popcorn & settle in; this oughta be good. Susan > >

As a scion of the Michigan Jewish community, I can personally assure you "vicious" is appropriate. "Sudoxe" <Sudoxe@att.net> wrote in message news:OS1jb.1875$Ec1.141650@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net... > > "cindys" <cstein1@rochester.rr.com> wrote in message > news:AJ_ib.20622$Sc7.7914@twister.nyroc.rr.com... > > > > "John Poindexter" <john.poindexter@wowmail.com> wrote in message > > news:e7c38a7a.0310141420.78b9c42d@posting.google.com... > > > Does anyone know what happened with this case? Was Henry Ford really > a > > > Nazi? > > > JP. > > > > > > > He was a vicious antisemite and a personal friend of Hitler's. This is > not > > new information. > > Best regards, > > ---Cindy S. > > Not just a plain "antisemite", but a "vicious antisemite." I'm certain > that you could come up with a few more choice adjectives, if you really > tried Cindy. Come on Cindy, have a go at it, my little racist friend. > >

Oh, thank you vicious racist scion of a Michigan community of thugs. I assume you are referring to yourself and your sick, Jew, brethren when you use the word vicious, you worthless, top posting, sorry excuse for humanity. "MK" <mk8@comcast.net> wrote in message news:bmk818$nlo1o$1@ID-128272.news.uni-berlin.de... > As a scion of the Michigan Jewish community, I can personally assure you > "vicious" is appropriate. > > "Sudoxe" <Sudoxe@att.net> wrote in message > news:OS1jb.1875$Ec1.141650@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net... > > > > "cindys" <cstein1@rochester.rr.com> wrote in message > > news:AJ_ib.20622$Sc7.7914@twister.nyroc.rr.com... > > > > > > "John Poindexter" <john.poindexter@wowmail.com> wrote in message > > > news:e7c38a7a.0310141420.78b9c42d@posting.google.com... > > > > Does anyone know what happened with this case? Was Henry Ford really > > a > > > > Nazi? > > > > JP. > > > > > > > > > > He was a vicious antisemite and a personal friend of Hitler's. This is > > not > > > new information. > > > Best regards, > > > ---Cindy S. > > > > Not just a plain "antisemite", but a "vicious antisemite." I'm certain > > that you could come up with a few more choice adjectives, if you really > > tried Cindy. Come on Cindy, have a go at it, my little racist friend. > > > > > >

The shark lawyers at work once again. They are suing EVERY manufacture, vehicles, steel, munitions etc. that made anything in Germany with forced labor. Do you think any manufacture could have done anything differently in nazi Germany at the time? Do some research and you will find Henry Ford was not pro nazi but rather anti-war. Ford build planes trucks and jeeps for the US government at COST during the war, the only vehicle manufacture to do so! He was of course the only manufacture not publicly owed, so he was the only one in the position to do so, but he was not required to not make a profit all others did. mike hunt John Poindexter wrote: > > Does anyone know what happened with this case? Was Henry Ford really a > Nazi? > JP. > > -------- > Ford Motor Co. charged in Nazi secret profits on slave labor > > By Howard Hobbs > > March 18, 1998 > > http://www.dailyrepublican.com/ford_slave_labor.html > > A Belgium woman, forced to work as a slave laborer at a manufacturing > plant in Cologne, Germany during World War II, sued the Ford Motor > Company and its German affiliate. The suit, filed as a class action, > seeks reasonable payment for the work performed and the disgorgement > of unfair profits. >

JEWS WILL MAKE ANYONE INTO A NAZI IF IT BRINGS FEW SHEKELS INTO THEIR POCKET! "John Poindexter" <john.poindexter@wowmail.com> wrote in message news:e7c38a7a.0310141420.78b9c42d@posting.google.com... > Does anyone know what happened with this case? Was Henry Ford really a > Nazi? > JP. > > -------- > Ford Motor Co. charged in Nazi secret profits on slave labor > > By Howard Hobbs > > March 18, 1998 > > http://www.dailyrepublican.com/ford_slave_labor.html > > A Belgium woman, forced to work as a slave laborer at a manufacturing > plant in Cologne, Germany during World War II, sued the Ford Motor > Company and its German affiliate. The suit, filed as a class action, > seeks reasonable payment for the work performed and the disgorgement > of unfair profits. > > The federal case was filed on March 4, 1998 and is known as Elsa > Iwanowa vs FORD MOTOR COMPANY, and FORD WERKE A.G. She is represented > by Allyn Z. Lite, Joseph J. DePalma, and Bruce D. Greenberg in Newark. > > Ford's legal counsel, issued a statement saying that it was not > responsible for the operation of the plant during wartime, when the > percentage of unpaid labor allegedly reached 50%. However, the records > shows otherwise. > > This civil action was filed this week on behalf of thousands of > persons who were compelled to perform forced labor under inhuman > conditions for the Ford plant in Nazi Germany. It was the Ford Werke > A.G., the German subsidiary of defendant, Ford Motor Company. > > The workers at Ford Werke A.G. never received compensation for their > forced labor, or their suffering. > > Prior to November 1997, German laws barred workers from filing a court > action to obtain economic damages from Ford. > > Ford Werke A.G., may be liable to its German Ford plant workers if it > can be shown that its enormous profits were actually gained by > management practices that used forced slave labor under inhuman > conditions to produce their vehicles for the Nazis. > > Ford Motor Company (USA) was the owner of a substantial majority of > the shares of Ford Werke A.G. during the period of time in which > Hitler's Third Reich was in power in Germany 1933-1945. > > The plaintiff, Elsa Iwanowa, is a citizen of Belgium, and a resident > of Antwerp. Iwanowa, was compelled to perform forced labor under > inhuman conditions for Ford Werke A.G. at its Cologne plant. She has > never received compensation for her forced labor, or for the inhuman > conditions she was forced to endure at Ford Werke A.G. > > Historical records show that, unlike most American-owned property in > Nazi Germany, the Ford Werke A.G. plant was never confiscated by the > German government. It continued to be owned by Ford Motor Company > throughout the war. Edsel Ford and Robert Sorenson, high-ranking > officials of Ford Motor Company, served as directors of Ford Werke > A.G. throughout the Nazi Third Reich. > > During that period, Ford Werke A.G. generated enormous profits, and > other economic advantages, from the use of unpaid, forced labor. > > The detailed allegations of the complaint set forth facts that the > Nazis had achieved domination over territories with an aggregate > population of 350,000,000 people. It became impossible to obtain > sufficient voluntary labor from the German people to sustain the Nazi > war machine, the Nazi regime increasingly turned to unpaid, forced > labor, impressed from its captive populations, the inmates of > concentration camps, and prisoners of war. > > The Nazi forced labor program was prosecuted with unrelenting cruelty > and persistence. The International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg > found that '...[m]anhunts took place in streets, at motion picture > houses, even at churches and at night in private houses'. Over > 7,500,000 human beings were forcibly deported from occupied territory > to Germany to support its war effort. From the moment of their > abduction, the victims were subjected to all the tortures, > indignities, and suffering that the human mind can encompass. > > Ford Werke A.G. began utilizing French prisoners of war as forced > laborers, and continued utilizing thousands of forced laborers > throughout the war in violation of Article 52 of the Hague Convention, > and the provisions of the Geneva Convention Governing Prisoners of > War. > > Ford Werke A.G. quickly became an eager, aggressive and successful > bidder for forced laborers. More than 50% of the work-force utilized > by Ford Werke A.G were unpaid, forced laborers as well as > concentration camp inmates from Buchenwald. > > Until 1938, Ford Werke A.G. produced passenger vehicles. In 1938, Ford > began manufacturing tracked vehicles for the transport of German > troops, and other military equipment. Soon, it had ceased producing > passenger vehicles, and was devoting its entire production capacity to > the manufacture of military trucks. Military historians estimate that > approximately 60% of the 3 ton tracked vehicles produced for the > German army were manufactured by the Ford Werke A.G. company. > > Apparently, the use of unpaid, forced laborers by Ford Werke A.G. was > immensely profitable. Relieved of the necessity of paying wages, and > operating at peak capacity to meet the inexhaustible need of the > German army for tracked vehicles and other trucks, Ford Werke A.G. > realized enormous wartime profits. > > Throughout the war years, Edsel Ford and Robert Sorenson, high-ranking > officials of Ford Motor Company, continued to serve as directors of > Ford Werke A.G. > > The favorable treatment accorded by Nazi Germany to Ford Motor Company > as the American owners of Ford Werke A.G. was attributable to a > personal friendship between Henry Ford and Adolph Hitler. Henry Ford > made annual birthday gifts of 50,000 deutsch marks to Adolph Hitler. > > On Henry Ford's 75th birthday in 1938, Hitler awarded Ford the Great > Cross of the German Order of the Eagle for Henry Ford's publication of > the notorious anti-Semitic pamphlet, The International Jew, a > Worldwide Problem [Berlin, 1921]. > --------

Doubtful. Remember, at the time the world was in the midst of a world-wide depression, and it appeared to the world that Germany had found a formula for pulling themselves out of that state of affairs. A lot of industry around the world - as well as a few religions - were extremely effusive in their praise of the accomplishments of the Germans. Moody, cantankerous, and full of himeslf, he very much was. Also, in many ways, he was relatively unsophisticated. But this hardly makes him a Nazi - a lot of people around the world had nothing but good to say about the Nazis, because they saw in them an end to the depression. (Hell, it took the US Government and the population of the US a lot longer than the rest of the world to figure out just what a problem the Nazis were, and to join in the fight against them...) Many people have made this claim against him, but this is with the benefit of 50 years of experience and hindsight - and never having lived through the times before the Nazis came along. This takes no sense and less judgement. Judge him against the times and the actions of others at the same time. H. In article <e7c38a7a.0310141420.78b9c42d@posting.google.com>, john.poindexter@wowmail.com (John Poindexter) wrote: > Does anyone know what happened with this case? Was Henry Ford really a > Nazi? > JP. > > -------- > Ford Motor Co. charged in Nazi secret profits on slave labor > > By Howard Hobbs > > March 18, 1998 > > http://www.dailyrepublican.com/ford_slave_labor.html >

"John Poindexter" <john.poindexter@wowmail.com> wrote in message news:e7c38a7a.0310141420.78b9c42d@posting.google.com... > Does anyone know what happened with this case? Was Henry Ford really a > Nazi? > JP. I don't think it's been proven he was a nazi, or a nazi simpathizer for that matter. However, it is well known he was an anti-semite. Even if he did business in Germany (with the nazis), he was nowhere near the collaborator George Bush's grandfather was, or even as bad as Cheney's Halliburton going through backdoors to do business with Iraq when it was expressly illegal. Jeff Jeff > > -------- > Ford Motor Co. charged in Nazi secret profits on slave labor > > By Howard Hobbs > > March 18, 1998 > > http://www.dailyrepublican.com/ford_slave_labor.html > > A Belgium woman, forced to work as a slave laborer at a manufacturing > plant in Cologne, Germany during World War II, sued the Ford Motor > Company and its German affiliate. The suit, filed as a class action, > seeks reasonable payment for the work performed and the disgorgement > of unfair profits. > > The federal case was filed on March 4, 1998 and is known as Elsa > Iwanowa vs FORD MOTOR COMPANY, and FORD WERKE A.G. She is represented > by Allyn Z. Lite, Joseph J. DePalma, and Bruce D. Greenberg in Newark. > > Ford's legal counsel, issued a statement saying that it was not > responsible for the operation of the plant during wartime, when the > percentage of unpaid labor allegedly reached 50%. However, the records > shows otherwise. > > This civil action was filed this week on behalf of thousands of > persons who were compelled to perform forced labor under inhuman > conditions for the Ford plant in Nazi Germany. It was the Ford Werke > A.G., the German subsidiary of defendant, Ford Motor Company. > > The workers at Ford Werke A.G. never received compensation for their > forced labor, or their suffering. > > Prior to November 1997, German laws barred workers from filing a court > action to obtain economic damages from Ford. > > Ford Werke A.G., may be liable to its German Ford plant workers if it > can be shown that its enormous profits were actually gained by > management practices that used forced slave labor under inhuman > conditions to produce their vehicles for the Nazis. > > Ford Motor Company (USA) was the owner of a substantial majority of > the shares of Ford Werke A.G. during the period of time in which > Hitler's Third Reich was in power in Germany 1933-1945. > > The plaintiff, Elsa Iwanowa, is a citizen of Belgium, and a resident > of Antwerp. Iwanowa, was compelled to perform forced labor under > inhuman conditions for Ford Werke A.G. at its Cologne plant. She has > never received compensation for her forced labor, or for the inhuman > conditions she was forced to endure at Ford Werke A.G. > > Historical records show that, unlike most American-owned property in > Nazi Germany, the Ford Werke A.G. plant was never confiscated by the > German government. It continued to be owned by Ford Motor Company > throughout the war. Edsel Ford and Robert Sorenson, high-ranking > officials of Ford Motor Company, served as directors of Ford Werke > A.G. throughout the Nazi Third Reich. > > During that period, Ford Werke A.G. generated enormous profits, and > other economic advantages, from the use of unpaid, forced labor. > > The detailed allegations of the complaint set forth facts that the > Nazis had achieved domination over territories with an aggregate > population of 350,000,000 people. It became impossible to obtain > sufficient voluntary labor from the German people to sustain the Nazi > war machine, the Nazi regime increasingly turned to unpaid, forced > labor, impressed from its captive populations, the inmates of > concentration camps, and prisoners of war. > > The Nazi forced labor program was prosecuted with unrelenting cruelty > and persistence. The International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg > found that '...[m]anhunts took place in streets, at motion picture > houses, even at churches and at night in private houses'. Over > 7,500,000 human beings were forcibly deported from occupied territory > to Germany to support its war effort. From the moment of their > abduction, the victims were subjected to all the tortures, > indignities, and suffering that the human mind can encompass. > > Ford Werke A.G. began utilizing French prisoners of war as forced > laborers, and continued utilizing thousands of forced laborers > throughout the war in violation of Article 52 of the Hague Convention, > and the provisions of the Geneva Convention Governing Prisoners of > War. > > Ford Werke A.G. quickly became an eager, aggressive and successful > bidder for forced laborers. More than 50% of the work-force utilized > by Ford Werke A.G were unpaid, forced laborers as well as > concentration camp inmates from Buchenwald. > > Until 1938, Ford Werke A.G. produced passenger vehicles. In 1938, Ford > began manufacturing tracked vehicles for the transport of German > troops, and other military equipment. Soon, it had ceased producing > passenger vehicles, and was devoting its entire production capacity to > the manufacture of military trucks. Military historians estimate that > approximately 60% of the 3 ton tracked vehicles produced for the > German army were manufactured by the Ford Werke A.G. company. > > Apparently, the use of unpaid, forced laborers by Ford Werke A.G. was > immensely profitable. Relieved of the necessity of paying wages, and > operating at peak capacity to meet the inexhaustible need of the > German army for tracked vehicles and other trucks, Ford Werke A.G. > realized enormous wartime profits. > > Throughout the war years, Edsel Ford and Robert Sorenson, high-ranking > officials of Ford Motor Company, continued to serve as directors of > Ford Werke A.G. > > The favorable treatment accorded by Nazi Germany to Ford Motor Company > as the American owners of Ford Werke A.G. was attributable to a > personal friendship between Henry Ford and Adolph Hitler. Henry Ford > made annual birthday gifts of 50,000 deutsch marks to Adolph Hitler. > > On Henry Ford's 75th birthday in 1938, Hitler awarded Ford the Great > Cross of the German Order of the Eagle for Henry Ford's publication of > the notorious anti-Semitic pamphlet, The International Jew, a > Worldwide Problem [Berlin, 1921]. > --------

Why are we hashing this out here? Would it not be better on the Ford Surname Forum? What is the point of this discussion, let's get back to genealogy. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff Mayner" <jeffmayner@yahoo.com> To: <GEN-SLAVIC-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 1:05 PM Subject: Re: Ford Motor Co. charged in Nazi secret profits on slave labor > "John Poindexter" <john.poindexter@wowmail.com> wrote in message > news:e7c38a7a.0310141420.78b9c42d@posting.google.com... > > Does anyone know what happened with this case? Was Henry Ford really a > > Nazi? > > JP. > > I don't think it's been proven he was a nazi, or a nazi simpathizer for that > matter. However, it is well known he was an anti-semite. Even if he did > business in Germany (with the nazis), he was nowhere near the collaborator > George Bush's grandfather was, or even as bad as Cheney's Halliburton going > through backdoors to do business with Iraq when it was expressly illegal. > > Jeff > > > Jeff > > > > > -------- > > Ford Motor Co. charged in Nazi secret profits on slave labor > > > > By Howard Hobbs > > > > March 18, 1998 > > > > http://www.dailyrepublican.com/ford_slave_labor.html > > > > A Belgium woman, forced to work as a slave laborer at a manufacturing > > plant in Cologne, Germany during World War II, sued the Ford Motor > > Company and its German affiliate. The suit, filed as a class action, > > seeks reasonable payment for the work performed and the disgorgement > > of unfair profits. > > > > The federal case was filed on March 4, 1998 and is known as Elsa > > Iwanowa vs FORD MOTOR COMPANY, and FORD WERKE A.G. She is represented > > by Allyn Z. Lite, Joseph J. DePalma, and Bruce D. Greenberg in Newark. > > > > Ford's legal counsel, issued a statement saying that it was not > > responsible for the operation of the plant during wartime, when the > > percentage of unpaid labor allegedly reached 50%. However, the records > > shows otherwise. > > > > This civil action was filed this week on behalf of thousands of > > persons who were compelled to perform forced labor under inhuman > > conditions for the Ford plant in Nazi Germany. It was the Ford Werke > > A.G., the German subsidiary of defendant, Ford Motor Company. > > > > The workers at Ford Werke A.G. never received compensation for their > > forced labor, or their suffering. > > > > Prior to November 1997, German laws barred workers from filing a court > > action to obtain economic damages from Ford. > > > > Ford Werke A.G., may be liable to its German Ford plant workers if it > > can be shown that its enormous profits were actually gained by > > management practices that used forced slave labor under inhuman > > conditions to produce their vehicles for the Nazis. > > > > Ford Motor Company (USA) was the owner of a substantial majority of > > the shares of Ford Werke A.G. during the period of time in which > > Hitler's Third Reich was in power in Germany 1933-1945. > > > > The plaintiff, Elsa Iwanowa, is a citizen of Belgium, and a resident > > of Antwerp. Iwanowa, was compelled to perform forced labor under > > inhuman conditions for Ford Werke A.G. at its Cologne plant. She has > > never received compensation for her forced labor, or for the inhuman > > conditions she was forced to endure at Ford Werke A.G. > > > > Historical records show that, unlike most American-owned property in > > Nazi Germany, the Ford Werke A.G. plant was never confiscated by the > > German government. It continued to be owned by Ford Motor Company > > throughout the war. Edsel Ford and Robert Sorenson, high-ranking > > officials of Ford Motor Company, served as directors of Ford Werke > > A.G. throughout the Nazi Third Reich. > > > > During that period, Ford Werke A.G. generated enormous profits, and > > other economic advantages, from the use of unpaid, forced labor. > > > > The detailed allegations of the complaint set forth facts that the > > Nazis had achieved domination over territories with an aggregate > > population of 350,000,000 people. It became impossible to obtain > > sufficient voluntary labor from the German people to sustain the Nazi > > war machine, the Nazi regime increasingly turned to unpaid, forced > > labor, impressed from its captive populations, the inmates of > > concentration camps, and prisoners of war. > > > > The Nazi forced labor program was prosecuted with unrelenting cruelty > > and persistence. The International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg > > found that '...[m]anhunts took place in streets, at motion picture > > houses, even at churches and at night in private houses'. Over > > 7,500,000 human beings were forcibly deported from occupied territory > > to Germany to support its war effort. From the moment of their > > abduction, the victims were subjected to all the tortures, > > indignities, and suffering that the human mind can encompass. > > > > Ford Werke A.G. began utilizing French prisoners of war as forced > > laborers, and continued utilizing thousands of forced laborers > > throughout the war in violation of Article 52 of the Hague Convention, > > and the provisions of the Geneva Convention Governing Prisoners of > > War. > > > > Ford Werke A.G. quickly became an eager, aggressive and successful > > bidder for forced laborers. More than 50% of the work-force utilized > > by Ford Werke A.G were unpaid, forced laborers as well as > > concentration camp inmates from Buchenwald. > > > > Until 1938, Ford Werke A.G. produced passenger vehicles. In 1938, Ford > > began manufacturing tracked vehicles for the transport of German > > troops, and other military equipment. Soon, it had ceased producing > > passenger vehicles, and was devoting its entire production capacity to > > the manufacture of military trucks. Military historians estimate that > > approximately 60% of the 3 ton tracked vehicles produced for the > > German army were manufactured by the Ford Werke A.G. company. > > > > Apparently, the use of unpaid, forced laborers by Ford Werke A.G. was > > immensely profitable. Relieved of the necessity of paying wages, and > > operating at peak capacity to meet the inexhaustible need of the > > German army for tracked vehicles and other trucks, Ford Werke A.G. > > realized enormous wartime profits. > > > > Throughout the war years, Edsel Ford and Robert Sorenson, high-ranking > > officials of Ford Motor Company, continued to serve as directors of > > Ford Werke A.G. > > > > The favorable treatment accorded by Nazi Germany to Ford Motor Company > > as the American owners of Ford Werke A.G. was attributable to a > > personal friendship between Henry Ford and Adolph Hitler. Henry Ford > > made annual birthday gifts of 50,000 deutsch marks to Adolph Hitler. > > > > On Henry Ford's 75th birthday in 1938, Hitler awarded Ford the Great > > Cross of the German Order of the Eagle for Henry Ford's publication of > > the notorious anti-Semitic pamphlet, The International Jew, a > > Worldwide Problem [Berlin, 1921]. > > -------- > > ______________________________