Fascist Millionaires and Rich Traitors
The Billionaire Behind Hitler's War Machine: Friedrich Flick
14m
Friedrich Flick rose from a young businessman in the German steel industry to become one of the richest men in the world. Long before Adolf Hitler came to power, Flick had built a vast industrial empire in coal and steel, but the rise of Nazi Germany transformed his fortune into something far greater.
As the Third Reich expanded, Flick became one of the regime's most important industrial supporters. His companies supplied the German war effort, benefited from the confiscation of Jewish property, and relied heavily on forced labor. Tens of thousands of foreign workers and concentration camp prisoners passed through his enterprises, where brutal conditions claimed thousands of lives.
After the Second World War, Flick was prosecuted at Nuremberg and convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Yet his story did not end there. Released from prison after only a few years, he rebuilt his business empire and once again became one of the wealthiest men in West Germany.
This is the story of Friedrich Flick, the industrial magnate whose fortune was intertwined with the rise, crimes, and legacy of Nazi Germany.