Occupation authorities’ stabilization efforts preserved Nazi-era economic elites’ positions

Evidence

Officials of the military government often took the easiest way out in an effort to stabilize the situation: they left organizations that were still working untouched, and let civil servants who were efficient workers remain at their posts. Where personnel changes did take place, well-known National Socialists were often only replaced by less well-known ones or by fellow travellers. `For example, the ones we had at the top of the list of “economic war criminals” were soon back in the decisive, responsible positions in the German economy,’ Marcuse recalled, looking back on his period with the Office of Strategic Services. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 1639

Categorization

• XREF: Direct evidence for the Frankfurt School’s later claim that German elites went unreconstructed — echoes in Adorno’s ‘working through the past’ essay. — connects to: Allied bans on political activity preserved Nazi economic and administrative influence; Neumann’s orthodox Marxist analysis of Nazism proved useful to US officials — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 1208; German war-economy leaders regained control of their corporations within a few postwar years — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 2056 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• German war-economy leaders regained control of their corporations within a few postwar years #corroborates (0.92) — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 2056
• The Allied ban on political activity eased Nazi and conservative continuity in German institutions #corroborates (0.85) — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 1640