Family spokesman Peter Harf, who heads Reimann's JAB Holding Company, is depicted in Berlin, Germany. One of Germany's richest families says it will give millions to charity as a gesture after they enthusiastically taught their ancestors the Nazis and used forced labor. (Seren Stache / dpa via AP)
BERLIN (AP) ̵
In a 4-page report, Bild newspaper reported that documents uncovered in Germany, France and the US reveal that Albert Reimann Sr. and Albert Reimann Jr. used Russian civil and French POWs as forced laborers.
Family spokesman Peter Harf, who is one of two managing partners in Reimann's JAB Holding Company, recently said internal research confirmed Bild's findings.
"That's all right, he told the newspaper." Reimann senior and Reimann junior were guilty … they belonged to prison. "
The father and son, who died in 1954 and 1984, did not talk about the Nazi era, and The family had believed that the entire company's affiliation with the Nazis had been revealed in a report from 1978, said Harf. said Reimann's story more thoroughly, Harf said.
The expert presented his preliminary findings to Reimann's children and grandchildren, as well as Hanf several weeks ago, he said.
"We were ashamed and became as white as the wall," he said "There is nothing to gloss over. These crimes are disgusting. "
In addition to Krispy Kreme Donuts and Fun a Manger, Luxembourg-based JAB Holding Co has controlling efforts in Keurig Green Mountain, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Caribou Coffee Co., Panera Bread and other companies.
Many German companies have recognized the use of slave workers in the Nazi era, and have carried out their own independent investigations.
In 2000, the German government approved a 10 billion mark (approximately 5.1 billion euros) fund to provide compensation , with half the money coming from companies like Bayer, Siemens, Deutsche Bank, Daimler-Benz, Volkswagen and AEG.
Bild reported that even before the Nazis came to power, Reimanns donated to the paramilitary SS.
World War II used the company forced laborers in their industrial chemical company. It was not clear how many were used in total, but Bild said in 1943, 175 forced laborers were used, about 30 percent of the workforce. Russian and other Eastern European civilians used the company French prisoners of war – about whom Reimann Jr. complained in a letter to the Mayor of Ludwigshafen in 1940 that they did not work hard.
After the war, the two were investigated by the occupied Allies and initially banned by the French from continuing their business activities, but then the verdict had been mentioned by the Americans, Bild reported.
Harf said the family would donate 10 million euros to a non-determined charity as a gesture, and when the historian's report is complete, it would be released to the public.
"The whole truth must be put on the table," he said.
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