Like many people who live in Western Europe, it was no surprise that there are billionaires in German whose wealth was significantly enhanced by support of the Nazi Party. War and armaments are big business and Germany is far from the only country to see war profiteers. That said, the story here is not only of those who enjoyed favourable policies and contracts under the Nazi party but those who actively supported the party and their ideals of the master race. The book unambiguously outlines the specifics of the behaviours of the families (e.g Aryanisation of companies, use of slave labour) as well as dispelling rumours that family members were pressured to join the party.

The truly disgusting and disappointing aspect of the book was the silent complicity of the descendants of the industrial tycoons, or worse their active disdain for survivors. While some families have reckoned with their past, others seem to think that they have no obligation to the Jewish families from whom they expropriated land and businesses. Nor do they believe they owe an apology and restitution to the concentration camp victims who were forced to work as slave labour in their industrial plants.

Money seems to have provided as second persilschein for these families. Not only were they able to weasel their way out of responsibility after the war but they have now been able to use donations to universities and charities to try and rehabilitate their family name without actually acknowledging the harm done.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has even a passing interest in history, politics, war, and economics. It really brings together all the loose threads of this story and lays the story out clearly.