Herbert Quandt

Quandt also oversaw the use at his family's factories during World War II of tens of thousands of slave labourers, many of whom perished.

[7] The independent 1,200-page study that was released in 2011 concluded: "The Quandts were linked inseparably with the crimes of the Nazis.

"[1] After extensive training at the family's companies at home and abroad, Quandt became a member of the executive board of AFA, later VARTA AG, in 1940.

[8] This turnover was due in large part to the concentration of acid gas in the air of the factory in which the slave labor was forced to work.

[8] Concentration camps were set up on the grounds of the AFA at Hanover which included an execution area.

Ferencz was convinced that if what is known about them today had been known at the end of the war, both Herbert and his father would have been prosecuted for crimes against humanity.

[4] He developed a business philosophy of decentralised organisation which gave executives wide powers for decision-making and allowed employees to participate in their company's success.

Herbert Quandt was close to agreeing to such a deal, but changed his mind at the last minute because of opposition from the workforce and trade unions.

BMW's sophisticated technical skills put it in a strong position to fill this niche.

When Harald died in 1967 in an air crash, Herbert received more shares in BMW, VARTA and IWKA.

This marriage had produced a daughter, Silvia Quandt (born 1937),[3] who stayed with her mother after the divorce.