It disclosed information about the use of slave labourers in the family's factories during World War II.

The two children of her marriage, Stefan and Susanne, are also substantial shareholders in BMW and now sit on the supervisory board of the company.

A programme by the German public broadcaster, ARD, in October 2007 described in detail the role of the Quandt family businesses during the Second World War.

[8] Johanna Quandt died at the age of 89 in her home in Bad Homburg near Frankfurt am Main.

[9] She created the foundation Johanna Quandt Stiftung, to provide training for aspiring business journalists.