Swarovski and the Nazi era: a shocking chapter reveals!

Swarovski and the Nazi era: a shocking chapter reveals!

Wattens, Tirol, Österreich - The traditional Swarovski company celebrates its 130th anniversary in 2023, and while the glittering world of the crystals shines, dark chapters of the company history also focus on. Historians have devoted themselves to the role of Swarovski during National Socialism, and the company is in the process of comprehensively working on its own history. The latest expression of these efforts is the book "The company Swarovski under National Socialism", which will soon be published by the Student publisher. The historian Horst Schreiber, head of the mediation program Remenen.at.

Alfred Swarovski, the then president of the Tyrolean regional association of Austrian industrialists, supported the "connection" of Austria to the German Reich with his company and exposed a close interrelation with the National Socialist ideology. He donated 100,000 shillings to Adolf Hitler on his 49th birthday for a recreation home in Tyrol and regularly emphasized the need to integrate the Tyrolean industry into the National Socialist economic order. The political landscape was also shaped by its influence because he was Vice President of the Innsbruck Chamber of Commerce and Industry and played a central role in the “Alpine Chamber of Commerce”. This was founded in 1939 after the Tyrol Chamber of Commerce and Gauwirtschaftswirtschaftschaft formed in April 1938, in which it acted both as a provisional director and later as President.

economic entanglements and achievements

The time of National Socialism not only brought challenges for Swarovski, but also opportunities. The economic order of the Third Reich favored private companies and enabled the company to maintain its production through Wehrmacht orders. Despite initial difficulties from a foreign economic boycott, Swarovski was able to significantly increase his export numbers in 1937 and 1938, especially to the United States. During this time, the company argued that low prices and high -quality products were decisive for export success.

Apart from the usual production diversified Swarovski and entering armaments production. By 1943, the company employed around 1,200 people, including forced laborers. These economic successes did not come without profound moral questions that still have an impact on this day. In recent years, various historians such as Dieter Stiefel tried to work up this era, although the results of their studies may not be published.

transparency and responsibility

Swarovski has now known to deal with its history "proactively". While 2013 Langes-Swarovski. According to reports, Alfred Swarovski was an "enthusiastic member of the NSDAP", and the family also had deeper roots in the party, as the numerous party members numbers. Around 141 out of 571 employees joined the NSDAP before 1938. One of the special occasions was a torchlight procession in Wattens, in which members of the Swarovski family also took part.

Economically Swarovski survived the post -war period and the associated “denazification” without prejudice. The comprehensive revision and the publication of Schreiber’s book could be a further step to make the complex history of the company and its entanglements better understandable with the National Socialist past. It remains to be seen how the public will react to these historical revelations and what consequences could result in the future of the brand.