Ein Volk-swagen

Do you own, have owned, a BMW, a Mercedes, or a Volkswagen?

If the answer is yes does that mean that you support the NSDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei  ?

Of course not, stupid question, right?

Volkswagen, or the peoples car, was the 'brainchild' of Adolf Hitler and Ferdinand Porsche. In 1934 Hitler decreed that production should begin of the original 'beetle'.

During World War Two all of the three German vehicle manufacturers were involved in producing war materials and slave labour was employed by them.

Karl Marx said, "History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce."

History is again on the verge of repeating itself – tragic or farcical?

In a capitalist system Volkswagen will have no problem in offering up justification for their resorting back to war production. Well, you know we've got to increase our declining profits, then there's the shareholders, and our executives bonuses of course.

How would German car workers feel about making tanks or guns or whatever would be used to kill other workers with who they have no quarrel?

Note that in the article below the EU move toward a war economy has sent the share prices of arms manufacturers soaring.

Capitalism was long ago on the wrong side of history, how much longer before the working class majority which runs it, and supports it, says enough is enough?

'Struggling German auto maker, Volkswagen, is open to producing weapons and military equipment, CEO Oliver Blume has said. He made the remarks in response to a recent EU announcement of a plan to spend up to $870 billion on its defence sector.

The automotive giant posted declining sales and profits last year and was forced announce plant closures and mass layoffs in Germany for the first time.

Germany’s was the worst-performing major economy globally in 2023 posting a 0.3% contraction, followed by minimal growth in 2024 leading to recession. The economic crisis is partly due to the loss of affordable Russian energy following Ukraine-related sanctions.

Speaking to German state broadcaster NDR Blume announced that the carmaker was closely examining the needs of the defence industry.

All options are on the table, he said, including repurposing some factories from civilian to military production. “We are fundamentally open to such topics,” Blume claimed.

The idea has been supported by Germany’s largest arms manufacturer Rheinmetall. Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger said on Wednesday that the VW facility in Osnabrueck would be a good fit for a conversion.

VW previously produced military vehicles for the Wehrmacht, the armed forces of Nazi Germany, during World War II, including lightweight transporter Kübelwagen and amphibious four-wheel-drive vehicle Schwimmwagen.

A VW plant was involved in manufacturing components for the V-1 flying bomb, a type of early cruise missile used to devastating effect by the Nazis.

The EU intensified its efforts to militarize after US President Donald Trump repeatedly criticized European NATO members for failing to meet the bloc’s defence spending commitments.

In response Brussels announced a large militarization initiative proposed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Dubbed ReArm Europe, the plan could divert €800 billion ($870 billion) into the defence sector over the next four years. While the announcement sent share prices of Europe’s largest weapons producers soaring, the plan has been rejected by Dutch lawmakers, citing fiscal concerns.'