American IG
Encyclopedia
American IG is the name of a company, and it owes its genesis to a German
business conglomerate
, namely, Interessens-Gemeinschaft Farbenindustrie AG, or IG Farben
for short. The business and the industrial empire, which the “IG” controlled and commanded has been described as “a state within a state”.
The Farben cartel was created in 1925, when Hermann Schmitz
, the master organizer, with the Wall Street
financial assistance, created the super-giant chemical corporation, combining six already giant German chemical companies — Badische Anilin- und Sodafabrik Ludwigshafen (BASF)
, Bayer
, Agfa, Hoechst
, Weiler-ter-Meer, and Griesheim-Elektron. These six companies were merged into Interessen-Gemeinschaft Farbenindustrie AG or, IG Farben
, for short.
In the year 1928, American holdings of IG Farben, namely, the American branches of Bayer
Company, General Aniline Works, Agfa Ansco, and Winthrop
Chemical Company, were organized into a Swiss holding company, which was christened Internationale Gesellschaft für Chemische Unternehmungen AG or IG Chemie, in short. The controlling interest of this entity rested with IG Farben in Germany
. In the following year, in 1929, just a decade before the outbreak of the Second World War, these American firms merged to become American IG Chemical Corporation, or American IG, later renamed General Aniline & Film.
On the eve of World War II
, IG Farben
, the German chemical conglomerate was the largest manufacturing enterprise in the world and exercised extraordinary economic and political clout in the Nazi Germany. In 1936, they were the principal source for Zyklon B
, the poison used in German concentration camps. From 1942-1945, the company used slave labor from Nazi
concentration camps. After 1945, three members of the Board of Governors of American IG were tried and convicted as German war criminals. In 1952, the IG Farben
was split into BASF
, Bayer
, and Hoechst
again.
General Aniline & Film (or GAF) went on to produce the View-Master
, a children's toy, now made today by Mattel
's "Fisher-Price
" division. GAF today still exists as GAF Materials Corporation
, mainly as a manufacturer of asphalt
and building materials.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
business conglomerate
Conglomerate (company)
A conglomerate is a combination of two or more corporations engaged in entirely different businesses that fall under one corporate structure , usually involving a parent company and several subsidiaries. Often, a conglomerate is a multi-industry company...
, namely, Interessens-Gemeinschaft Farbenindustrie AG, or IG Farben
IG Farben
I.G. Farbenindustrie AG was a German chemical industry conglomerate. Its name is taken from Interessen-Gemeinschaft Farbenindustrie AG . The company was formed in 1925 from a number of major companies that had been working together closely since World War I...
for short. The business and the industrial empire, which the “IG” controlled and commanded has been described as “a state within a state”.
The Farben cartel was created in 1925, when Hermann Schmitz
Hermann Schmitz (industrialist)
Hermann Schmitz was a German industrialist, and CEO of IG Farben from 1935 to 1945. He was sentenced to four years in the IG Farben Trial....
, the master organizer, with the Wall Street
Wall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
financial assistance, created the super-giant chemical corporation, combining six already giant German chemical companies — Badische Anilin- und Sodafabrik Ludwigshafen (BASF)
BASF
BASF SE is the largest chemical company in the world and is headquartered in Germany. BASF originally stood for Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik . Today, the four letters are a registered trademark and the company is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange, and Zurich Stock...
, Bayer
Bayer
Bayer AG is a chemical and pharmaceutical company founded in Barmen , Germany in 1863. It is headquartered in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and well known for its original brand of aspirin.-History:...
, Agfa, Hoechst
Hoechst
Hoechst or Höchst may refer to:* Hoechst AG, a former German life-sciences company* Hoechst stain, one of a family of fluorescent DNA-binding compounds* Höchst , Germany* Höchst im Odenwald, Germany* Höchst, Austria...
, Weiler-ter-Meer, and Griesheim-Elektron. These six companies were merged into Interessen-Gemeinschaft Farbenindustrie AG or, IG Farben
IG Farben
I.G. Farbenindustrie AG was a German chemical industry conglomerate. Its name is taken from Interessen-Gemeinschaft Farbenindustrie AG . The company was formed in 1925 from a number of major companies that had been working together closely since World War I...
, for short.
In the year 1928, American holdings of IG Farben, namely, the American branches of Bayer
Bayer
Bayer AG is a chemical and pharmaceutical company founded in Barmen , Germany in 1863. It is headquartered in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and well known for its original brand of aspirin.-History:...
Company, General Aniline Works, Agfa Ansco, and Winthrop
Winthrop
-Places:United States*Winthrop, Arkansas*Winthrop, Indiana*Winthrop, Iowa*Winthrop, Maine*Winthrop, Massachusetts*Winthrop, Minnesota*Winthrop, WashingtonAustralia*Winthrop, Western AustraliaUnited Kingdom*Winthrop, Nottinghamshire, England-Other uses:...
Chemical Company, were organized into a Swiss holding company, which was christened Internationale Gesellschaft für Chemische Unternehmungen AG or IG Chemie, in short. The controlling interest of this entity rested with IG Farben in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. In the following year, in 1929, just a decade before the outbreak of the Second World War, these American firms merged to become American IG Chemical Corporation, or American IG, later renamed General Aniline & Film.
On the eve of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, IG Farben
IG Farben
I.G. Farbenindustrie AG was a German chemical industry conglomerate. Its name is taken from Interessen-Gemeinschaft Farbenindustrie AG . The company was formed in 1925 from a number of major companies that had been working together closely since World War I...
, the German chemical conglomerate was the largest manufacturing enterprise in the world and exercised extraordinary economic and political clout in the Nazi Germany. In 1936, they were the principal source for Zyklon B
Zyklon B
Zyklon B was the trade name of a cyanide-based pesticide infamous for its use by Nazi Germany to kill human beings in gas chambers of extermination camps during the Holocaust. The "B" designation indicates one of two types of Zyklon...
, the poison used in German concentration camps. From 1942-1945, the company used slave labor from Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
concentration camps. After 1945, three members of the Board of Governors of American IG were tried and convicted as German war criminals. In 1952, the IG Farben
IG Farben
I.G. Farbenindustrie AG was a German chemical industry conglomerate. Its name is taken from Interessen-Gemeinschaft Farbenindustrie AG . The company was formed in 1925 from a number of major companies that had been working together closely since World War I...
was split into BASF
BASF
BASF SE is the largest chemical company in the world and is headquartered in Germany. BASF originally stood for Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik . Today, the four letters are a registered trademark and the company is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange, and Zurich Stock...
, Bayer
Bayer
Bayer AG is a chemical and pharmaceutical company founded in Barmen , Germany in 1863. It is headquartered in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and well known for its original brand of aspirin.-History:...
, and Hoechst
Hoechst
Hoechst or Höchst may refer to:* Hoechst AG, a former German life-sciences company* Hoechst stain, one of a family of fluorescent DNA-binding compounds* Höchst , Germany* Höchst im Odenwald, Germany* Höchst, Austria...
again.
General Aniline & Film (or GAF) went on to produce the View-Master
View-Master
View-Master is a device for viewing seven 3-D images on a paper disk. Although the View-Master is now considered a children's toy, it was originally marketed as a way for viewers to enjoy stereograms of colorful and picturesque tourist attractions.-1939–66: stereoscopic sightseeing:In 1911,...
, a children's toy, now made today by Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
's "Fisher-Price
Fisher-Price
Fisher-Price is a company that produces toys for infants and children, headquartered in East Aurora, New York. Fisher-Price has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel since 1993.-History:...
" division. GAF today still exists as GAF Materials Corporation
GAF Materials Corporation
GAF Materials Corporation is a company based in Wayne, New Jersey, that has roots dating back to the late 19th century. The GAF acronym stands for General Aniline & Film. The company has historically been primarily focused on manufacturing of roofing materials for residential and commercial...
, mainly as a manufacturer of asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
and building materials.