Jewish Groups say DaimlerChrysler Ads Whitewash History

Wall Street Journal (must be online member to access article) ^ | July 11, 2002 | Joseph B. White, WSJ

[RicocheT]

New Ad Spots Use Einstein, Edison, to Link German, American Skills; Can the War Ever Be a

[RicocheT]

Also, the new Mercedes super luxury “ Maybach” auto carries the same name as the engines that powered WW I German Zeppelins and WWII Nazi Tiger I and King Tiger tanks. How will that go over with some of their potential buyers? A lot of US GIs got the runs when they heard the sound of those tanks, so you don't have to be Jewish to be a bit miffed.

[Hacksaw]

Also, the new Mercedes super luxury “ Maybach” auto carries the same name as the engines that powered WW I German Zeppelins and WWII Nazi Tiger I and King Tiger tanks.

IMO, so what? We are no longer at war. The same thing could be said about Mitsubishi, who made the Zero's. But of course it isn't.

[gov_bean_ counter]

As a matter of fact most of the major auto manufacturers all through history got their start (or at least ran dual operations with) manufacturing engines for aircraft (most of which shifted commercial airplane engines to bombers and fighter planes during times of war).

[2banana]

Also the Volkswagon Beetle was a car designed and promoted at the request of Hitler...

[ingeborg]

There is an ad in this summer's Atlantic Monthly that shows a Mercedes racing a Norfolk & Western passenger train. If you look closely, behind the tender and between the first baggage car, is a coach. I think that's where the Jim Crow car went on some trains.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

A friend of mine has a German Army helmet collection. Inside each is a sticker that says "Siemans" now a maker of electronics gear.

[2banana]

Don't forget about Krupps - the largest arms manufacturer to Germany of WWI and WII. They now make coffee makers...

[Katya]

As I don't have access to the entire article, I can only comment on what's printed...but how is claiming jews as germans "whitewashing history"? Wouldn't disclaiming them as germans be exactly what the Nazi's did? In terms of the controversy regarding corporate involvment in the Hitler regime....was someone under the impression that these firms had more freedom in decision making than the average citizen? That said, quite a few jewish american citizens actively support Mercedes-Benz in terms of vehicle choice.

[bimbo]

I just caught a Daimler Chrysler Advertisement using the same distortions to claim that German Technology teamed up with America to put the First Man on the Moon! What an incredible stretch!!!!

Sure, sixty years ago America gave refuge and work to VonBraun and some other German Scientists ... but it was the Soviets, through their final push through Germany, who got the bulk of the Nazi German rocket hardware, enabling early Soviet space advances with Sputnik and satellite booster technology. Daimler can advertise that, if they want!

Landing a man on the moon and returning him safely was a 100 %AMERICAN accomplishment! Germany hardly offered congratulations at the time! The only way they can get away with such an incredible distortion, is due to the incredibly dumbed-down American education system. Just because Daimler was able to purchase an American Company, doesn't mean they have a claim on all of America's accomplishments.