Ernst Leitz's optics company (Leica), founded in Wetzlar in 1869, had a tradition of enlightened behavior toward its workers. Pensions, sick leave, health insurance — all were instituted early on at Leitz, which depended for its work force upon generations of skilled employees. Leitz's daughter, Elsie Kuhn-Leitz, fell under suspicion of the Gestapo (German Secret Police) when she attempted to improve the living conditions of 700 to 800 Ukrainian slave laborers, all of them women, who had been assigned to work in the plant during the 1940s.
700 Ukrainians worked at Leica during WWII
Posted - Oct 21 2014 : 11:57:07 AM
