What can I say, the Nazis created a great visual background for themselves: events, symbols, clothing. I remember as a kid I looked at Stirlitz in a German uniform - spectacularly!
Several years ago, a scandal erupted around the published facts about the involvement of the world famous brand "Hugo Boss" in the creation of military uniforms for soldiers and officers of the Wehrmacht. The famous designer Hugo Boss was accused of complicity with the Nazis and personal ties with Hitler. The company even turned to historians for help to sort out the issue. And although the results of scientific research refuted many of the popular myths about the designer, the company had to admit the fact of creating the Nazi uniform and apologize for the exploitation of prisoners of war and prisoners from concentration camps in the factories.
In those days, the name of Hugo Boss was not yet a well-known brand. He began his professional career as a garment factory worker in 1902. 6 years later he inherited a textile shop from his parents, and in 1923 Hugo Boss opened his own sewing enterprise - a workshop for sewing workwear, windbreakers, overalls and raincoats for workers … In 1930, his firm was on the verge of bankruptcy. To save her from ruin, he started sewing Wehrmacht uniforms.
Rumors that the world famous company "Hugo Boss" profited from cooperation with the Nazis, appeared in the late 1990s., Stirred up the society and caused a scandal. In 1997, the company publicly acknowledged its collaboration with the Nazis. Since this negatively affected the brand's image, the company sponsored a scientific study of these facts, which was carried out by the Munich historian Roman Kester. In 2012, he published a book called Hugo Boss, 1924-1945. A garment factory between the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich”, in which he detailed the results of his research.
As it turned out, Hugo Boss was really engaged in sewing military uniforms for the Wehrmacht and received large profits from these orders. And the factory used the forced labor of 140 immigrants from Poland and 40 prisoners of the French. However, no written evidence has survived that Hugo Boss was Adolf Hitler's personal tailor. In addition, the designer did not participate in the development of sketches and creation of patterns, and his factory was one of many, far from the largest, of all the companies that were engaged in sewing uniforms.
Karl Diebitsch is the designer of the black SS uniform.
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In fact, the designer of the black SS uniform was not Hugo Boss, but Karl Diebitsch, a German artist, designer and SS officer, and the SS emblem in the form of two "Sieg" runes was designed by graphic artist Walter Heck. The black color of the uniform of the SS officers was intended to evoke respect and fear, but it soon turned out that this color had a significant drawback: in the summer, it absorbs solar radiation and provokes profuse sweating. Therefore, the black color was soon replaced by gray, although black continued to be used in the ceremonial uniforms of officers of the highest echelon of the SS. The Hugo Boss factory was engaged only in the tailoring of uniforms designed by Karl Diebitsch.
Diebitsch's SS uniform was inspired by the Prussian * Hussar of Death * uniform.
But the fact that Hugo Boss collaborated with the Nazis not under duress, but out of personal convictions, was confirmed even by his son. In 2007, Siegfried Boss publicly admitted that his father was a member of the Nazi party and commented on this fact: “Who was not a member at that time? The entire industry worked for the Nazis. Back in 1931, the designer voluntarily joined the National Socialist Labor Party of the NSDAP and was himself a staunch Nazi. This was the main reason why his factory was registered as an important military enterprise and received a large order for tailoring the Wehrmacht uniform. The German historian Henning Kober claims that all of the Hugo Boss management were Nazis and Hitler supporters.
Form designed by Karl Diebitsch.
After the end of the war, the factory again began to manufacture workwear for postmen, police officers and railway workers. And its owner was tried, he escaped prison, but was sentenced to pay a fine of 100 thousand marks. However, later Hugo Boss was partially rehabilitated, and his status was changed: from the "accused" he turned into a "sympathetic". In 1948, the designer passed away at the age of 63. His company became a world famous brand after his death.
Following the publication of Roman Kester's book, Hugo Boss posted a statement on its website in which it expressed “deep regret for the suffering that befell those who had to work in Hugo Boss's factory under the Nazis,” thereby acknowledging the historian's conclusions.
And in the world of fashion, the uniforms of the Third Reich, created by the "Hugo Boss" company, are considered the most beautiful and stylish military uniform. In the 1990s. even a new movement was born - Nazi chic - Nazi chic. It was especially popular in Japan, where neo-Nazi organizations appeared. True, such a fashion is dictated rather not by aesthetic preferences, but by socio-political views, and is very far from ethical considerations - what is called "beyond good and evil."
Designer and founder of the famous brand Hugo Boss.
Hugo Ferdinand Boss founded his first clothing company in 1924. Unfortunately, the first pancake turned out to be a lump - economic conditions in Germany at that time were rather harsh. After a while, Hugo's company went bankrupt; Boss managed to finally deal with creditors only in 1931 - by that time he had six sewing machines from the whole company.
In 1931, Hugo joined the ranks of the Nazi Party and even became one of the sponsors of the SS. Later, Boss argued that he came to the Nazis primarily because they promised to end unemployment; played a role and the crisis of faith that overtook Hugo by that time.
In 1936, Boss joined the German Labor Front, in 1939 he joined the Reichsluftschutzbund, and in 1941 he became a member of the National Socialist People's Welfare.
Sales of Hugo Fashion House products grew with enviable regularity - from 38,260 Reichsmarks in 1932 to 3,300,000 Reichsmarks in 1941; along with sales, net income also grew. In his advertisements, Boss claimed to have been supplying uniforms to the Nazis since 1924; this, however, is most likely an exaggeration - deliveries have definitely been going only since 1934, although they could well have begun around 1928.
In 1934, Hugo already provided uniforms for the assault detachments, SS, Hitler Youth and the NSDAP mechanized corps. From a certain point, Hugo, in order to cope with the influx of orders, began to use the labor of prisoners of war - according to various sources, he had from 30 to 40 such involuntary employees; another 150 people were brought by force from the Baltic States, France (France), Belgium (Belgium), Italy (Italy), Austria (Austria), Czechoslovakia (Czechoslovakia) and Poland (Poland). German historian Henning Kober argued that all of the company's management were staunch Nazis and Hitler supporters.
In 1946, Boss was recognized as an activist and supporter of the NSDAP for his membership in the party, supporting the SS and supplying the Nazi troops with uniforms - even before 1933; for this he was deprived of the right to vote, the ability to manage his own company and was fined 100,000 marks.
Hugo died in 1948; his work, however, outlived its founder.
The Nazi past haunts the company to this day. In 1997, the Fashion House was mentioned in connection with the list of Swiss accounts; this story helped the world learn even more about the 'Hugo Boss' connection with the Nazis. In December 1999, after a lengthy trial, the German government, a group of American lawyers, representatives of the Jewish nation, and the US government set up a $ 5.1 billion fund; the funds of the fund were to go to compensate the forced slaves of the Nazi regime. The fund was funded by the German government and German industrialists; 'Hugo Boss' also contributed.
Currently, the company's products are sold in at least 6102 stores in 110 countries around the world. More than 364 stores are owned by the Fashion House itself; another 1000 stores belong to various subsidiaries. The production facilities of the company are also located around the world - 'Hugo Boss' has its own factories in Turkey (Turkey), Poland, Italy, the USA and Germany. The main factory of 'HB' is located in Izmir, Turkey.
