Roland Berger's father was much less critical of the National Socialist regime than publicly known. This reports the "Handelsblatt", citing numerous historical sources. On the contrary, the father of Germany's best-known business consultant was even a profiteer of the regime, according to the article.
Contrary to previous information, Georg Berger had neither resisted the persecution of the Jews by the Nazis, nor had he been sent to the concentration camp, according to the report, which is based on months of research.
Georg Berger had instead worked as chief financial officer of the Hitler Youth and then, with the support of the National Socialists, became general director of the "Aryanized" Ankerbrot, the largest bakery in Austria. He also lived in a villa that once had Jewish owners, but then was confiscated.
Berger has hitherto presented his father as a "moral role model"
The well-known management consultant had painted the picture of his father so far completely different. "To this day, my father is a moral role model for me," wrote Berger in July 2012 in a guest contribution. "He stands for decency and courage."
In an interview in September 2018, he said of his father: "He joined the party in 1933. He resigned in protest after Kristallnacht in 1938. After that, we had the Gestapo in the house every six to eight weeks."
Both are true, according to "Handelsblatt" not. Georg Berger had already joined the NSDAP on 1 June 1931 and paid his membership fees until September 1944, the report said. In 1937 Adolf Hitler also appointed him Ministerialrat.
Berger got into trouble only in 1942, when Ankerbrot employees accused him of self-enrichment, writes the newspaper citing a police report dated June 20, 1942.
According to this, Berger has "expanded his villa" with an unprecedented effort "which is in stark contrast to the austerity measures offered by the war". In addition, Berger hoarded food from the company for private purposes.
Historians should examine Georg Bergers Nazi period
Faced with the research, Roland Berger acknowledged mistakes. "If you like, then it was an unintentional self-deception," said the 81-year-old in an interview with the "Handelsblatt". "If it turns out I've said wrong things, I sincerely regret that - and I'll make it public."
The previous picture he had of his father came from his own stories as well as reports from his mother and relatives, Berger continued. In addition, he himself had heard as a child, as the Gestapo repeatedly searched the house of his family. The descriptions were therefore plausible for him so far.
Also, the question of why no contradictions resulted from previous tests of his father's history, Roland Berger answered evasively. This is how his autobiography should appear on his 70th birthday. The author ordered her own research on Georg Berger's past.
According to Roland Berger, the author's research largely coincided with the father's descriptions. The publication of the book was later stopped. But according to Roland Berger this had "nothing to do with the Third Reich".
Berger has now commissioned the historians Michael Wolfssohn and Sönke Neitzel to work up his father's role in the Nazi era. He told the "Handelsblatt" that one thing is already clear: "Georg Berger was indeed profiteer of the Nazi system."
