Germany pledged to 'never forget' the Holocaust. Its car companies complicate that

the last beetle
In this May 26, 1938 file photo, German Nazi leader Adolf Hitler speaks at the opening ceremony of the Volkswagen car factory in Fallersleben, Lower Saxony, Germany. (AP Photo, File)

Germany’s determination to “never forget” the atrocities of the Holocaust has been at the center of its postwar success. But the Nazi legacies of Germany’s wealthiest families highlight the country’s challenge to make good on that commitment, according to author David de Jong.

He tells this story in his new book, “Nazi Billionaires: The Dark History Of Germany’s Wealthiest Dynasties.” He said what shocked him most was the “brazen whitewashing” that still happened today by companies like BMW and Porsche.

“The families that control them … are maintaining global foundations in the name of their patriarchs, such as Ferry Porsche, who designed the first Porsche sports car, or Herbert Quandt, who saved BMW from bankruptcy,” de Jong said.