Milling & Baking News - July 2, 2019 - 7

Editorial

Recalling dark episode in JAB Holding history

t isn't every day that U.S. grain-based foods com- woman who joined Benckiser in 1941. Mr. Reimann
panies become enmeshed in the revelation of a described himself as an "unconditional follower"
tragic World War II drama, but that's exactly what of Nazi race theory and told Nazi leader Heinrich
has transpired over the last several months. A con- Himmler that Benckiser was "a purely Aryan family
nection between JAB Holding Co. and the Nazi past business."
of members of the family that controls the business
Ms. Landecker, though, was half Jewish and fearfirst came to light earlier this year. The specific baked ful that she and her siblings would be deported. Ms.
foods portfolio of the company fueled media atten- Landecker's Catholic mother died in 1928, and she
tion - "German billionaire family that owns Einstein and her sisters were raised by their father Alfred, a
Bros. Bagels admits Nazi past," read one headline.
Jewish accountant. When the Nazis began stripping
JAB is named for Joh. A. Benckiser and is a German Jews of their citizenship rights, Mr. Landecker enbusiness owned since the 1800s by the Reimann fami- sured that his children were baptized Catholic, like
ly. In March, Peter Harf, one of two managing partners his late wife, and he transferred his principal possesof JAB Holding and a spokesman for the Reimanns, sions, including his home, to his children, to protect
said the company has launched an investigation into the property from expropriation.
the Nazi involvement of Albert Reimann Sr. and AlThe relationship between Mr. Reimann and Ms.
bert Reimann Jr. who led the company for much of the Landecker continued for decades. He was married
20th century. Mr. Harf described their
but childless. He and Ms. Landecker
JAB began the
roles in harsh terms. "It's all correct,"
had three children, and he adopted
he said of the allegations in an interthem in the 1960s. Two of the chilinvestigation in 2014,
view with the German tabloid Bild.
dren now own a combined stake of
the same year it
"The two men have passed away, but
45 per cent in JAB today, according
acquired Einstein Bros.
they actually belonged in prison."
to The Times.
In addition to membership in the Nazi party, the
Before World War II, Alfred Landecker had sought
Reimanns used and abused forced laborers during to emigrate from Germany but was unsuccessful. In
World War II.
April 1942 he was deported and is believed to have
The men were said to have avoided discussing been murdered in a death camp.
their Nazi connections after the war, and the elder
Before his deportation, Mr. Landecker wrote letReimann died in 1954. His son died in 1984. Family ters to his children with messages that could only be
members began looking into their family's past in the described as an ethical will.
early 2000s. It was in 2014 the family commissioned
"I wish you all the best for the future, stay healthy
a historian to research the company's activities dur- and become decent human beings," he wrote in his
ing the Nazi era and said it would fund an $11 mil- final letter. "If possible, I will write as soon as poslion charitable foundation. It was also in 2014 JAB sible and hope that you won't entirely forget me. You
Holding acquired Einstein Bros. Other baked foods won't be able to marry here in Germany. Learn lanbusinesses owned by JAB include Panera Bread Co., guages!! You have your future ahead of you - don't
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. and Pret A Manger.
waste it."
The historian's full report will not be published
Mr. Harf said sharing the past is important beuntil next year, but revelations stemming from the re- cause of the many times in history populist leadsearch published by The New York Times in June were ers have been enabled by businesses. Moved by the
nothing less than breathtaking.
more recent revelations, the Reimann family has deThe Times described a romatic relationship between cided to double the size of the foundation and name
Albert Reimann Jr. and Emilie Landecker, a young it for their grandfather, Alfred Landecker. MBN
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