61340 Vorabseiten_e - Unabhängige Expertenkommission Schweiz

other countries, before the war. But during the war, this advantage decreased on
the German market more than elsewhere. In comparison with the efforts made,
which were considerable, the immediate financial result was modest. On the
other hand, it was possible to invest part of the capital accumulated and blocked
in Germany in order to foster a policy of expansion, to meet demand, and to
increase production in the medium term. The effects of this investment policy
were seen only later and therefore represented only a minor contribution
towards the war effort. They strengthened production potential for the period
after the war, a period for which everyone was preparing. Not a single entrepreneur
entertained doubts about the prospects he would enjoy once the war
had come to an end.
In effect from 1945/46 on, the same companies were able to continue or revive
their activities without any major problems. They did, however, lose
subsidiaries or factories which fell into the hands of the USSR or the puppet
regimes they set up in Eastern Europe. Sarotti (Nestlé) was dissolved; PCI (Ciba)
came under public control and was later nationalised; Nestlé Prague disappeared
in 1948. In all other locations, Swiss ownership was respected. In the
French occupied zone (Baden-Württemberg), there were threats of forced
closure or seizure which, however, were not carried out. In general, the factories
suffered very little from bombing raids (except in Mannheim) or fighting on the
ground. Production equipment remained virtually intact – in a country which
was devastated. Swiss senior managers were hardly alarmed. Several German
directors who had severely compromised themselves and had been put through
a «denazification» procedure, were dismissed. Only one of the larger Swiss
companies paid the price of adopting the unfortunate strategy of depending too
heavily on the Nazi market and complying with the Nazi regime’s wishes.
Along with the Third Reich, Maggi too lost the war. It recovered only further
to having accepted the merger proposed by Nestlé in 1947.
1 Unless otherwise indicated, this section is based on the results of the following reports: Ruch/Rais-
Liechti/Peter, Geschäfte, 2001; Straumann/Wildmann, Chemieunternehmen, 2001 (Publications of
the ICE).
2 Around 87% of the general expenses reimbursed by Swiss companies to their parent companies
during the war came from Baden. FA, E 7160-11 1968/31, vol. 569, Licensing Office,
«Regiespesen», 9 February 1949.
3 For a more detailed description of the ambiguous character of Köhler see Bräunche, Nationalsozialist,
1997.
4 See also section 4.10, included herein.
5 UBS Archives, SBV Fund, Lonza file, no. 6, letter from Schenker to Golay dated 8 September 1945
(original German).
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