Did Mercedes Make Crematoriums for the Nazis?
When I was a kid, our family lived near a quiet old man named Mr. Kravitz. He owned a dry cleaning business and his pride and joy was his dark blue Mercedes with a personalized plate reading “L’ Chaim” (Hebrew for “to life”). This was a personal affront to my father.
“How dare he put those words on his car. To Life? How about To Death. Doesn’t he know Mercedes built ovens for Hitler?”
Thus, I grew up believing Mercedes-Benz helped construct crematoriums for Nazi concentration camps. At some point in my teens, this belief morphed to include BMW and Volkswagen. I grew to resent all German cars and whenever I saw one of my Jewish friends driving an Audi or a Porsche, I couldn’t help but scowl. The idea embedded itself in my subconscious to such an extent that I severed ties with friends who drove German cars. When I learned my favorite cousin purchased a Mercedes, I was mortified.
“How can you drive that car?”
“My Mercedes,” he replied clearly confused by my anger.
“Why couldn’t you buy a Lexus or a Jaguar? Why’d you have to go the German route?”
“Mercedes makes a great car. I want the best. What’s wrong with that?”
“Everything. Don’t you know your relatives were cooked in Mercedes built ovens? You’re driving a Nazi…
