Toward the end of the war ninety percent of the workforce at the largest aircraft engine factory in the German Reich – BMW’s plant in Munich-Allach – consisted of foreign civilian workers, POWs and concentration camp inmates. The number of workers had risen from 1,000 in 1939 to more than 17,000 in 1944.
Forced laborers worked not only in the assembly halls, but also on the factory’s expansion. Due to BMW’s importance to the armament industry, the authorities gave it priority over other companies in the assignment of workers. Nevertheless, its personnel demand was never completely met.
Some of the Western European workers lived in private quarters. For all others, barrack camps were set up all around the factory grounds until 1944, ultimately accommodating 14,000 people. That figure included several thousand concentration camp inmates which the company management had applied for already in 1942.
HAL_9006
Hmm this seems like an extremely sanitised photo, I assume it was for propaganda purposes?
itai1717
This photo was probably taken for propaganda purposes, everything is so clean, and I’m pretty sure the inmates are ripped.
Riekopo
Nazi Germany employed millions of free/slave laborers isn’t that right? I wonder how much of an increase in production or even research that gave to the Nazi state?
Sir_Monty_Jeavons
“We have a solution to a lack of aircraft engine manufacturing capacity, let’s make our captured enemies make them”. I would NOT be heading up in one of those planes.
WolfofDesign
Allowing this company to still be popular globally is like letting the HOT guy get away with sexual assault bc he’s hot.
Mahadragon
Makes me feel guilty when I think of my 328i
JamesFromUK
Fascinating picture OP.
Is there evidence of workers sabotaging or attempting to sobatge their work?
ImaginarySpider
A guy I know who is very into wine, has his favorite bottle in his collection. A bottle from his favorite French vineyard, from his birth year. Its a little odd though because the grapes were definitely picked by Nazi POWs. He also has a bottle from the Russian Czars private stash.
pubwithnobeer
Munich-Allach: Working for BMW
Toward the end of the war ninety percent of the workforce at the largest aircraft engine factory in the German Reich – BMW’s plant in Munich-Allach – consisted of foreign civilian workers, POWs and concentration camp inmates. The number of workers had risen from 1,000 in 1939 to more than 17,000 in 1944.
Forced laborers worked not only in the assembly halls, but also on the factory’s expansion. Due to BMW’s importance to the armament industry, the authorities gave it priority over other companies in the assignment of workers. Nevertheless, its personnel demand was never completely met.
Some of the Western European workers lived in private quarters. For all others, barrack camps were set up all around the factory grounds until 1944, ultimately accommodating 14,000 people. That figure included several thousand concentration camp inmates which the company management had applied for already in 1942.
HAL_9006
Hmm this seems like an extremely sanitised photo, I assume it was for propaganda purposes?
itai1717
This photo was probably taken for propaganda purposes, everything is so clean, and I’m pretty sure the inmates are ripped.
Riekopo
Nazi Germany employed millions of free/slave laborers isn’t that right? I wonder how much of an increase in production or even research that gave to the Nazi state?
Sir_Monty_Jeavons
“We have a solution to a lack of aircraft engine manufacturing capacity, let’s make our captured enemies make them”. I would NOT be heading up in one of those planes.
WolfofDesign
Allowing this company to still be popular globally is like letting the HOT guy get away with sexual assault bc he’s hot.
Mahadragon
Makes me feel guilty when I think of my 328i
JamesFromUK
Fascinating picture OP.
Is there evidence of workers sabotaging or attempting to sobatge their work?
ImaginarySpider
A guy I know who is very into wine, has his favorite bottle in his collection. A bottle from his favorite French vineyard, from his birth year. Its a little odd though because the grapes were definitely picked by Nazi POWs. He also has a bottle from the Russian Czars private stash.
Pigmansweet
What does the sign in the upper right say?