Buying German Products

Blossom

Tue, Jul 11 2006, 10:24 am

I was in a clothing store and a woman who wasn't a very easy size was trying on a few things and finally there was one she liked but then she realized what brand it was and said that she can't buy it since it's a German Company. I was so amazed by her and maybe felt a pang of guilt. I never check clothing labels if they're from Germany and I know that some shirts I have are. My challos that I bake l'kovod shabbos are done in a Bosch Machine. And I'm sure countless other things I have are German made products.
What do you ladies think about this????

brooklyn

Tue, Jul 11 2006, 10:36 am

I guess if someone is a survivor I can understand. But let's get realistic. Almost every country in the world at one point was or still is anti-semetic. If you go that route then you should not buy anything from Spain, France, Poland, Russia........ the list goes on.

chen

Tue, Jul 11 2006, 10:38 am

I grew up with the German boycott very strongly entrenched. If we ever bought s/t or received a gift and discovered too late that it was made in Germany, we'd get rid of it immediately. Owning anything German-made was a horror and an embarrassment, and I really could not understand Jewish people who escaped from germany before or after the Holocaust who still bought german goods and flew Lufthansa for their biannual visits or business trips to germany.

We still uphold the German boycott, and was very upset to discover that the extremely expensive stroller we bought, recommended by all the most knowledgeable mothers, was made in germany. It was sold under a different name in the US but when delivered it had the german labeling. AARGH!

I am appalled that so many people seem to have forgotten all about the boycott, if they ever knew in the first place. It's not that our boycott is going to make a dent in the German economy--it's just a matter of remembering the Holocaust and respecting those who perished by not enriching the country that murderd them. By the same token I won't buy goods from Arab countries or from stores I know are owned by Arabs. (You don't always know, of course, and there's nothing we can do about that, but if I know, I won't shop there.)

Unfortunately it's such a global economy, and so many companies are owned by other companies, that it is really impossible to know who owns what.

besimcha

Tue, Jul 11 2006, 11:05 am

I think it's pretty much impossible to avoid buying anything from Germany at all since today, one device is put together from little pieces that come from all over the world. Like, when you buy something, you have no way of knowing if maybe some little thing in it comes from Germany as the product itself is made somewhere else.

Chanie

Tue, Jul 11 2006, 11:49 am

besimcha wrote:

That's right. How often do you see something that says "assembled in the US with imported products"
Where are the products from?
You know, there are a lot of Jewish people who live in germany today, don't they need parnasa too?

JMto2

Tue, Jul 11 2006, 12:27 pm

I try to stay away from things made in germany but sometimes I do buy it like the ricosta shoes some are from germany the inglesina stroller is made in germany sometimes we get things and do not realize I would never by a BMW due to what they did to the jews during the war.

Blossom

Tue, Jul 11 2006, 12:30 pm

It's not only German products though. I wouldn't buy a Ford because Henry Ford and Family were big anti-semites and during the holocaust when America was given a chance to save Jews he advised against it. Still today I don't think they employ any Jews in their factory.

Chanie

Tue, Jul 11 2006, 12:56 pm

Blossom wrote:

Ford is no longer owned by the Ford family.

JRKmommy

Tue, Jul 11 2006, 1:13 pm

Blossom wrote:

IStill today I don't think they employ any Jews in their factory.

Where on earth would you get that information from???

Dh's cousin is employed by Ford in Israel.

As well, many of their factories are located in the US and Canada, where it is illegal to ask about religion on employment applications, and illegal to discriminate.

shalhevet

Tue, Jul 11 2006, 1:40 pm

What about all the trips people make to Eastern Europe to 'discover their roots' or to visit concentration camps etc? It makes me sick to think that they are giving plenty of parnassa there to the grandchildren of those who killed their grandparents.

Crayon210

Tue, Jul 11 2006, 1:44 pm

I think it gets to be too much sometimes to check into every product you buy. I guess for the things that are "classically German", it's one thing, but to look these things up and worry about it is just adding another headache to my life that doesn't really do a heck of a lot.

rosehill

Tue, Jul 11 2006, 2:13 pm

I tortured myself deciding between the Magic Mill, and the Bosch when looking for a mixer. I had decided on the Bosch, as it wasn't so heavy (and I store it in the basement).
Before I bought it, I asked "permission" from my mother, grandmother, and grandmother-in-law....survivors all. They said if all was equal, to avoid the German product. But if there was something I liked better about the Bosch, they said I should buy it.
I doubt they'd say the same about say a Mercedes.

Buddy

Tue, Jul 11 2006, 2:49 pm

If I had a choice btwn a German or other product I'd probably not choose the German one if it didnt' make a big difference, but after all, German products are often stronger and longer lasting.
Maybe we can consider it a sweet revenge, that German machines are actually making delicious challas lekovod Shabbos!

Blossom

Tue, Jul 11 2006, 3:53 pm

I have German blood too. My father is from Germany........Not that he is very proud of it though.

I remember reading that as long as Ford was run by the Ford family there were absolutely no jewish workers employed. I don't know how, what, when but that's what I read.

Quote:

Maybe we can consider it a sweet revenge, that German machines are actually making delicious challas lekovod Shabbos!

That's true and a cute way to look at it!!

Motek

Tue, Jul 11 2006, 6:39 pm

Quote:

The government of Germany has approved the sale to Israel of German-designed Dingo II APVs and two Dolphin-class submarines.

http://www.israelnationalnews......07031

The State of Israel has no problem doing business with Germany. Hmmm.