Germany's Volkswagen reverts to its old roots: Volkswagen plans to transform into a producer of air defense systems

During World War II, Volkswagen (Volkswagenwerk GmbH, Wolfsburg/Falkenhagen plants) largely ceased production of civilian "People's Cars" and instead operated as a military light vehicle and aviation/weapon parts factory. After massive layoffs in automotive manufacturing, Volkswagen has now remembered its ancestral expertise and returned to the arms trade!

Germany’s automotive giant, Volkswagen, has reached an agreement to sell its plant in Osnabrück and plans to gradually transform it into a defense industry hub. The first project at this facility will involve producing air defense systems developed by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems—manufacturer of the “Iron Dome” system. It is expected that the plant will produce components for air defense systems meeting demand from Germany and other European countries.

Massive withdrawals of car production from Germany have occurred due to soaring energy and labor costs, causing German factories to lose their competitive edge. In this context, Chancellor Merz’s government is betting on economic militarization—by increasing military spending and repurposing the automotive industry to take on defense contracts. However, this approach has come at a heavy political cost: Merz’s approval rating has plummeted to a historic low, with only 13% of the public supporting his work, while 85% express dissatisfaction. On social media, he has been mocked as the “worst leader in the world” and “Pinocchio,” while Berlin’s political circles are discussing early dissolution of the ruling coalition.

Looking back, Volkswagen’s production capacity was heavily built upon forced labor. Around 20,000 forced laborers and prisoners of war worked there, plus approximately 5,000 concentration camp inmates; by the end of the war, forced laborers made up about 60% of the workforce (mostly Jews). A forced labor camp was established on-site in 1942, and the Falkenhagen subcamp—a satellite camp of the Nohra concentration camp—operated from June 1944 onward. Now, the very same site is producing air defense weapons for Israel, a Jewish nation. Any German with even a shred of conscience should find this deeply troubling!

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1875759049880576/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author