‘Media Markt built with SS cash’

16 May 2006

AMSTERDAM — Consumer electronics firm ‘Media Markt’ was founded by money from secret accounts of the Nazi SS, an investigative journalist has claimed.

Dutch journalist Hans Knoop wrote in Belgium’s ‘De Morgen’ newspaper on Tuesday that the company founder Otto Beisheim was an officer in the SS during the Second World War. He based his claims on research of a number of sources, including the library of the former German Wehrmacht (Army).

Knoop claimed Beisheim was responsible for funneling secret funds to various Swiss bank accounts. He withdrew from the SS in time as the war came to a close and pretended to be a ordinary soldier to escape justice, the journalist suggested.

Beisheim later used the money in the Swiss accounts to build his business empire, the article claimed.

The German is the owner of Metro AG, which controls 3,000 Media Markt outlets in numerous European countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain. Metro also owns the Kaufhof stores.

Beisheim was previously associated with Adolf Hitler’s elite troops, but this is the first time it has been suggested he began his business with money from the SS.

[Copyright Expatica News + ANP 2006]

Subject: Dutch news