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Business
VW's Decision
MI Advantage CD
Pressures Firms
New York (JTA) — Volkswagen's deci-
sion to establish a fund for Jewish
slave laborers ups the ante on other
German companies to make similar
payments.
Just three weeks after the German
car company rejected demandS to
compensate 30 Jewish slave laborers
who had worked for the company
during World War II, the auto manu-
facturer agreed to set up a fund.
According to a history financed by
the company two years ago,
Volkswagen employed 15,000 slave
workers to help in the German war
effort.
Hailing the move as a "bold step"
and a "breath of fresh air," Rabbi
Abraham Cooper, associate dean of
the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los
Angeles, said, "We now hold up VW
as a corporate leader" in making
amends to slave laborers.
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Most companies
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JEW= NEWS
N
because of the survivors' advanced age. c—/
Volkswagen said it would provide
details about the fund in September.
The German government made
compensation payments to slave labor-
ers for their imprisonment and for
health damages, but has refused to pay
back wages. German firms have gener-
ally refused to pay back wages, saying
that these were the government's
responsibility.
In May, the Karl Diehl armament
company agreed, under political pres-
sure, to pay $552 per month in back
wages to each slave laborer.
While it was unclear how much
money Volkswagen would pay rive-
laborers, von Muenchhausen was
quoted as saying his clients would seek
$2,200 for each month worked.
Volkswagen gave no indication of
why it reversed course. A statement
released by the company said the deci-
sion was "in recognition of its histori-
cal and moral obligations" to the slave
laborers.
Company Plans
Iraq, Iran Sales
Jerusalem (JPFS) — An Israeli-
Jordanian company dealing with Dead
Sea minerals plans to supply its prod-
ucts to Iraq, Iran and other Arab
Cooper noted that in 1995,
countries without ties with Israel by
Volkswagen led a campaign against a
next year, according to the company's
Japanese publishing company after
director.
one of its magazines published a
He said businessmen from Saudi
Holocaust-denial article on the 50th
Arabia and Syria are also interested in
anniversary of the liberation of
the products.
Auschwitz.
Jordael, a company established two
Klaus von Muenchhausen, the
years ago, began producing Dead Sea
lawyer who had threatened a class-
products a year ,go under the Sea of
action lawsuit on behalf of the 30 labor-
Life label. Annual sales have grown to
ers, all of whom were employed by the
a few million dollars a year.
firm as teenagers and now live in Israel,
The company has a joint manage-
said he would pursue similar action
ment based in Arad and Amman and
against Varta, a battery company, and
draws its raw materials from the
Hochtief, a construction company.
Jordanian side of the Dead Sea. The
But whether these or other compa-
mud is transported and then
nies would follow the.lead of VW,
processed and packaged at the compa-
which has recently completed the
ny factory in Arad. The salts are
acquisition of Rolls-Royce and is in
processed in the Amman facility
the process of purchasing
The products, including mud for
Lamborghini, an Italian car manufac-
health spas and salts, are being sup-
turer, remains unclear.
plied to health centers in Europe and
"There's no way this announcement
North America. Sales were also recent-
is popular in the boardrooms of
ly launched to China and Taiwan.
German and Austrian companies,"
Small quantities are also being sold to
Cooper said.
Qatar, Oman, and Dubai.
Many of the estimated millions of
The packages say the products are
slave laborers who worked for
co-produced in Jordan and Israel "to
Volkswagen and other companies
help develop the peace of tomorrow
under the Nazi regime have died, and
between the people of the Middle
the issue of making payments before
East."
much more time elapses is crucial