Category Archives: IG Farben

CHAPTER 10: Shell support for the Nazis continued after the retirement of Sir Henri as leader

The above photograph is of Sir Henri Deterding around the time of his retirement as absolute leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group, standing alongside his third wife, a thirty-eight-year-old German-born ardent Nazi, Charlotte Knaack. Her admiration for the Nazis probably strengthened his views, and no doubt played a part in the decision to move their home to Germany.

In October 1936, the first news reports of the pending resignation of Sir Henri Deterding as the leader of Royal Dutch Shell Group were published. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in Adolf Hitler, Charlotte-Minna Knaack, Fritz De Kok, Germany, Human Rights, I.G. Farben, IG Farben, Jewish, Nuremberg War Crimes Trials, Oil, Rhenania-Ossag, Robert Finn, Royal Dutch Shell, Royal Dutch Shell Group, Shell, Sir Henri Deterding, Standard Oil, The Holocaust, The Nazis, World War 2, Zyklon-B gas | Comments Off on CHAPTER 10: Shell support for the Nazis continued after the retirement of Sir Henri as leader

CHAPTER 11: Shell collaborated in the Nazi annexation of Austria and occupation of Czechoslovakia

German forces entered Vienna on 17 March 1938 (above). The Nazis annexed Austria in what became known as the Anschluss and occupied Czechoslovakia a year later. Royal Dutch Shell authorized its German subsidiary Rhenania-Ossag, to take over Shell operating companies in both countries.

Being one of the two biggest German oil concerns and the main lube oil manufacturer, Shell subsidiary Rhenania-Ossag was an industry leader in Nazi Germany. Many of its directors and staff were Nazis.

Following Hitler’s annexation of Austria on 12 March 1938 (photo) and the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia in March 1939, Dutch directors of Royal Dutch gave approval to Rhenania-Ossag taking over the Shell operating companies in those countries. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in Adolf Hitler, Czechoslovakia, Deutsche Gasolin A.G., Germany, Hauptmann Eckhardt von Klass, Heinrich Himmler, I.G. Farben, IG Farben, Rhenania-Ossag, Royal Dutch Shell Group, Shell, Standard Oil, The Nazis, Uncategorized, World War 2 | Comments Off on CHAPTER 11: Shell collaborated in the Nazi annexation of Austria and occupation of Czechoslovakia

CHAPTER 12: Shell’s notorious business partner: IG Farben

Several IG Farben directors were found guilty of war crimes arising from their actions during WW2.  The firm manufactured large quantities of Zyklon-B gas used by the Nazis to kill millions of Jews at extermination camps during the Holocaust. Royal Dutch Shell was a business partner of I.G. Farben both in Germany and globally.

Prior to WW2, Royal Dutch Shell had been a business partner both internationally and in Germany, with I.G. Farben (Interessen-Gemeinschaft Farbenindustrie AG.

IG Farben was formed in 1925 from a number of chemical companies and became the largest chemical company in the world.  Involved in war crimes during WW2, the company was seized by the Allies in 1945 and liquidated in 1952. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in Dr. Erich Boeder, Heinrich Himmler, Hermann Göring, Human Rights, I.G. Farben, IG Farben, Nuremberg War Crimes Trials, Oil, Rhenania-Ossag, Royal Dutch Shell Group, Russia, Shell, Sir Henri Deterding, Slave labor, Standard Oil, Verwalter, Wikipedia, World War 2, Zyklon-B gas | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on CHAPTER 12: Shell’s notorious business partner: IG Farben

CHAPTER 13: Royal Dutch Shell and Nazi slave labor

The photograph shows military uniforms worn by marching employees of the Shell German subsidiary, Rhenania-Ossag. A photograph on the next page shows swastika flags on display during a staff meeting. Rhenania-Ossag was part and parcel of the Nazi movement when the Shell Group was in undisputed full control of the company.  A senior director was involved in Nazi military planning.

In 1935, Rhenania-Ossag (owned by Royal Dutch Shell) was Germany’s second-largest gas station company, with 16,363 petrol pumps and several refineries. There were active Nazi members in the workforce and management. It’s DG, Dr. Erich Boeder, was involved in Nazi military planning (oil production) on behalf of the company. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in Adolf Hitler, Anti-Semitic, Collaboration, Deutsche Gasolin A.G., Germany, I.G. Farben, IG Farben, Jewish, Oil, Rhenania-Ossag, Royal Dutch Shell Group, Shell, Slave labor, Standard Oil, Swastika flag, The Nazi Party, The Nazis, The Netherlands, Uncategorized, Waffen-SS, World War 2, Zyklon-B gas | Comments Off on CHAPTER 13: Royal Dutch Shell and Nazi slave labor

CHAPTER 14: Control of Royal Dutch Shell companies in Nazi-occupied Europe

The Nazis presented considerable challenges to Royal Dutch Shell over control of its subsidiaries in occupied countries. The above caricature (and seated Nazi officer in the photograph) is a former Shell director, Hauptmann Eckhardt von Klass. He was the Verwalter (administrator) appointed by the Nazis to “exercise supervision over Group companies in occupied Europe.” See pages 80 and 81 from RDSH V2.

Before, during, and after World War 2, Royal Dutch Shell was the owner of companies located in Germany and Nazi-occupied Europe, including Rhenania-Ossag. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in A History of Royal Dutch Shell, Hauptmann Eckhardt von Klass, I.G. Farben, IG Farben, Jewish, Rhenania-Ossag, Royal Dutch Petroleum Company, Royal Dutch Shell Group, Shell, Slave labor, The Nazi Party, The Nazis, The Netherlands | Tagged | Comments Off on CHAPTER 14: Control of Royal Dutch Shell companies in Nazi-occupied Europe

CHAPTER 15: Nazi connections relating to Shell

The Dutch royal family remains a major shareholder in Royal Dutch Shell Plc. Beatrix of the Netherlands (above) reigned as Queen of the Netherlands from 1980 until her abdication in April 2013. She is the eldest daughter of Prince Bernard, until 1934 a Nazi stormtrooper. He redeemed himself after switching sides and fighting against the Nazis in World War 2.

I have provided extensive verification evidence from reputable sources about Royal Dutch Shell’s connection with Hitler, including Deterding’s meetings with him. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in Adolf Hitler, Alfred Rosenberg, Anti-Semitic, Appeasement, Berlin, Collaboration, Dr George Bell, Germany, I.G. Farben, IG Farben, Mein Kampf, Prince Bernhard, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Russia, Shell, Sir Henri Deterding, The Nazi Party, The Nazis, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Comments Off on CHAPTER 15: Nazi connections relating to Shell

CHAPTER 17: Why does it still matter?

The general public, drivers, investors, relatives of victims of the Holocaust and other Nazi crimes against humanity, are entitled on moral grounds, to be aware of this dark chapter in the history of Royal Dutch Shell. People can then decide on an informed basis if they wish to hold shares in the company, or purchase Shell products.

The purpose of this book is to present the unvarnished history of a very dark chapter in Shell’s past, rather than the spun version paid for by the oil giant. I have also drawn attention to other unethical episodes in the history of Royal Dutch Shell.  read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in Adolf Hitler, Apartheid, Ben van Beurden, BP, Business Ethics, Business Principles, Corrib Gas Project, Corruption, Environment, Gazprom, Germany, I.G. Farben, IG Farben, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Oil, Royal Dutch Shell Group, Russia, Shell, Sir Philip Watts, The Nazis, Uncategorized | Comments Off on CHAPTER 17: Why does it still matter?

Wiesenthal Centre to Royal Dutch Shell CEO: ‘Disassociate Your Company from Glorification of a Nazi War Criminal’

By John Donovan

I recently became aware of a letter (see below) which a director of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre sent to Royal Dutch Shell CEO Ben van Beurden on 5 February 2015. The communication stemmed from my campaigning activities that ended with Allseas renaming the worlds largest ship. It had been named in honour of a Waffen SS officer, Pieter Schelte Heerema (right). I will shortly be supplying the Simon Wiesenthal Centre with a trove of evidence about Shell’s Nazi history including its close partnership in Nazi Germany with IG Farben, the chemical giant which manufactured the gas used to exterminate several million Jewish people in the Holocaust. Dutch Directors of the Royal Dutch Shell Group including Sir Henri Deterding helped finance Hitler and the Nazi Party. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in Adolf Hitler, Allseas, Business Ethics, Business Principles, Fascists, Germany, Holocaust, Human Rights, I.G. Farben, IG Farben, Jewish, John Donovan, Pieter Schelte, Pieter Schelte Heerema, Royal Dutch Shell, Shell, Sir Henri Deterding, The Nazi Party, The Nazis, Waffen-SS | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Wiesenthal Centre to Royal Dutch Shell CEO: ‘Disassociate Your Company from Glorification of a Nazi War Criminal’