The parent site IBM 100 lists many of IBM's historical highlights. "Over the past 100 years, hundreds of millions of IBMers, clients, customers and business pa

The parent site IBM 100 lists many of IBM's historical highlights. "Over the past 100 years, hundreds of millions of IBMers, clients, customers and business partners all over the globe have helped IBM make the world work better. To every single individual, thank you. We pledge boldness in IBM’s second century to create a company that never stops moving toward the future. Ever onward."[0] Lofty speak, and not to be a party-pooper but I can't help but think, if we're getting all nostalgic about IBM history, then part of me just can't help but bring it up. IBM collaborated with Nazis and helped enable the holocaust which has been well document by Edwin Black. [1] As the Nazis invaded a country they would perform a census to identify the undesirables to be removed to concentration camps. This was an industrial scale data management and logistics problem that IBM was uniquely qualified to facilitate. The fact that they did so is not contested although it is not spoken of often and surely does not condemn today's IBM. We should however take it as an object lesson in the double edged sword of technology and the warning that we must restrain firms that would have us think they won't be evil. "...in the 2012 reissue Black presents a letter dated 1941 from IBM that directed a Dutch subsidiary to work with Dehomag — years after business with Germany was supposed to have ceased. Furthermore, according to Black’s 2012 evidence, Watson took a one percent commission on all profits made in business with the Nazis, and had to personally approve all expenditures on said business, such as bomb-fortifying Dehomag installations."[2] "What Hitler has done to us through his economic warfare, one of our own American corporations has also done . . . Hence IBM is in a class with the Nazis . . . The entire world citizenry is hampered by an international monster." - Economic Warfare Section Chief Investigator Howard J. Carter [2] [0] https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/ibm100/us/en/icons/ https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/ibm100/us/en/icons/ [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_and_the_Holocaust https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_and_the_Holocaust [2] https://allthatsinteresting.com/ibm-nazis-ww2/3 https://allthatsinteresting.com/ibm-nazis-ww2/3