RESPONSIBILITY AND OBLIVION: GERMANY’S BIG BUSINESS BETWEEN NAZISM AND THE SOCIAL MARKET ECONOMY

Abstract

This article examines the evolution of the role played by German big business in Nazi Germany and in the post-war Federal Republic through the lens of historical memory. It analyzes the mechanisms of corporate involvement in the consolidation of the totalitarian regime, the use of forced labour, and the militarization of the economy. Particular attention is given to the processes of denazification, amnesia in public and corporate memory, compensations to victims, and contemporary memory politics pursued by successor companies. The article highlights the paradox that, despite documented involvement in Nazi crimes, most companies still avoid institutional acknowledgment of guilt. In conclusion, the issue of moral responsibility of business toward society is raised in the context of renewed militarization of Germany’s Standort. The study seeks to address a gap in Russian economic historiography and emphasizes the need to integrate the economic dimension into discussions on the legacy of Nazism.

Keywords

• germany
• historical memory
• big business
• nazism
• denazification
• social market economy
• corporate responsibility
• forced labour
• industrial conglomerates
• militarization