Fury as Choco Leibnitz biscuit heiress insists company did ‘nothing wrong’ by using slave labourers in Nazi era
THE heiress of German Choco Leibnitz biscuit empire sparked outrage after insisting the company did “nothing wrong” by using slave labourers in the Nazi era.
Verena Bahlsen, 25, whose dad owns the Bahlsen Company that makes the famous biscuits, told Bild newspaper the firm employed some 200 forced labourers during World War Two.
Most of the forced labourers at Hanover-based Bahlsen were women, many from Nazi-occupied Ukraine.
The 25-year-old said: "This was before my time and we paid the forced labourers exactly as much as German workers and we treated them well.”
German politicians criticised her remarks and some social media users called for a boycott of Bahlsen biscuits.
Lars Klingbeil, secretary general of the centre-left Social Democrats, told the newspaper: "If you inherit such a large estate you also inherit responsibility and should not come across as aloof.”
In a statement, Bahlsen said it was aware of the moral responsibility that comes with being one of dozens of German companies that used forced labour during the Nazi dictatorship.
The mass company has annual sales exceeding £435.5million.
The statement said: "The company is aware of the big suffering and injustice experienced by forced labourers and many more people at the time and recognises its historical and moral responsibility.”
Bahlsen also says it voluntarily paid £651,000 in 2000-2001 to a foundation set up by German firms to compensate 20 million forced labourers used by the Nazis.
Former forced labourers have failed in individual lawsuits to obtain compensation from Bahlsen. German courts have cited statute of limitations laws.
Verena Bahlsen was earlier criticised for boasting about her wealth and her love of conspicuous consumption.
Earlier at a business event this month, she said: "I own a fourth of Bahlsen and I am very happy about that.
"I want to earn money and buy a sailing yacht.”
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