The People's Car

[Gillies, Lindsay]

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|As an ex-beetle owner and drive (a 72 1100, man what a car to learn to
|drive in) I was aghast when told of the Nazi connection(?)
|
|Grant
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Not to worry (too much)...the VW, designed by Porsche, was more of a PR 
campaign than anything else.  Very few were built, much less sold to the 
National Socialist masses.  On the other hand, Mercedes were built in 
quantity, and with slave/camp labor as well.  Furthermore, many US companies 
(Ford, e.g.) had substantial interlocks to German firms throughout the war 
(typically via South American subs) through which they benefited from slave 
labor as well.  Its impossible to escape this taint.  I also learned to 
drive in a bug ('69)---but whereas I could drive one then or now (since it 
really was a NS failure) I would never be able to drive a Mercedes...