German airline confronts its Nazi past on 100th anniversary

Germany's national airline, Lufthansa, is confronting its complex Nazi-era history, marking a significant departure from previous attempts to separate its pre- and post-war identities.

This reappraisal coincides with the company's centenary, prompting a deeper look into its historical responsibilities.

CEO Carsten Spohr said: "We at Lufthansa are proud of what we are today. To then ignore the difficult, dark, terrible years would simply have been dishonest."

The very decision to mark 100 years since the original "Deutsche Luft Hansa" signals this shift, as the company long stressed a legal and organisational break between its Nazi-era predecessor, which shut in 1946, and the post-war Lufthansa AG, founded in 1953.

Lufthansa's entanglement with the Nazi regime was extensive. Its board and supervisory board members joined the Nazi Party from 1930, and as the state airline, it transported government officials.

The company also played a role in the arms industry and supported the Luftwaffe air force, with the armaments sector contributing over two-thirds of its total revenue by 1944.

open image in gallery

Earlier board members stressed the legal separation largely for reasons of reputation and liability. Lufthansa now wants to take responsibility, Spohr said.

One step is a new book on the company's history that will be distributed to all of its more than 100,000 employees, along with an exhibition in the new visitors' centre.

Lufthansa commissioned research into its past more than 25 years ago but declined to acknowledge findings on the extent of its use of forced labour and personnel continuity after World War Two.

According to historian Manfred Grieger, who contributed to the book, more than 12,000 people were exploited in Hansa's arms production and its repair and maintenance operations. It has only recently emerged that the number included children.

Looking towards its future, Lufthansa Group previously announced plans to cut 4,000 jobs by 2030, citing advancements in artificial intelligence, digitalisation, and the consolidation of operations across its member airlines.

open image in gallery

This move comes despite the company reporting robust demand for air travel and forecasting increased profits in the coming years.

The majority of these redundancies are expected to occur in Germany, primarily affecting administrative roles rather than operational staff, the airline group confirmed.

Lufthansa is intensifying the integration of its constituent carriers – Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and ITA Airways.

The company stated it is "reviewing which activities will be no longer necessary in the future, for instance due to duplication of work."

In a statement, Lufthansa highlighted that "profound changes brought about by digitalisation and artificial intelligence" are set to enhance efficiency across all business areas and activities.