Editing Bertelsmann (section)

== Criticism ==
In the 1990s, critical questions arose as to the role of Bertelsmann in [[Nazi Germany]].<ref>{{cite news|language=de|first=Andreas|last= Puff-Trojan|title=Papier ist geduldig|magazine=[[Profil (magazine)|profil]]|date=14 October 2002|page=164}}</ref> They were precipitated by a speech given by the chairman and chief executive officer, [[Thomas Middelhoff]], on the occasion of his receiving the [[Vernon A. Walters|Vernon A. Walters Award]] 1998 in [[New York City]].<ref>{{cite news|language=de|title=Ein Adler für die Bertelsfrau|first=Stefan|last=Brams|date=10 June 2008|newspaper=Neue Westfälische}}</ref> Thomas Middelhoff portrayed Bertelsmann as one of the few non-Jewish media companies shut down by the National Socialists because it allegedly published subversive literature.<ref>{{cite news|language=de|first=Gerhard|last=Hegmann|title=Bertelsmann gesteht Fehler in NS-Zeit ein|date=8 October 2002|page=5|newspaper=Financial Times}}</ref> This interpretation was severely criticized, for example, by publicist Hersch Fischler.<ref>{{cite news|language=de|title=Ganz geringe Beträge|newspaper=[[Stuttgarter Zeitung]]|date=24 January 2000|page=13}}</ref> The speech led to a broad public debate and ultimately in 1998 to the establishment of an independent historical commission (IHC) by the group.<ref>{{cite news|language=de|first=Siegfried|last=Lokatis|title=Feldpost von Bertelsmann|newspaper=Neue Zürcher Zeitung|date=8 March 1999|page=27}}</ref> This was headed by [[Saul Friedländer]], and additional members were Norbert Frei, Trutz Rendtorff and Reinhard Wittmann. The IHC presented an interim report in the year 2000 and issued a final report in 2002.<ref>{{cite news|language=de|first=Wieland|last=Freund|title=Bertelsmann im Dritten Reich: Der Abschlussbericht der Kommission|website=Die Welt|date=8 October 2002|url=https://www.welt.de/print-welt/article415011/Bertelsmann-im-Dritten-Reich-Der-Abschlussbericht-der-Kommission.html|access-date=2 May 2016}}</ref> It stated, for example, that the suggestion that the ''C. Bertelsmann Verlag'' mounted resistance against National Socialism was clearly not accurate.<ref>{{cite news|language=de|first=Nicole|last= Adolph|title=Widerstandslegende enttarnt|newspaper=Der Tagesspiegel|date=8 October 2002|page=27}}</ref> The company's "shut-down as a publisher of the resistance" could not be proven.<ref>{{cite news|language=de|first=Dirk|last=Fuhrig|title=Legende vom Widerstandsverlag|newspaper=Frankfurter Rundschau|date=18 January 2000|page=13}}</ref> Historian [[Volker Ullrich]] said in the weekly ''[[Die Zeit]]'' that the notion of the company's being "a resistance publisher" was clearly baseless.<ref>{{cite news|language=de|first=Volker|last=Ullrich|title=Ein Musterbetrieb|newspaper=Die Zeit|date=10 October 2002|url=http://www.zeit.de/2002/42/Ein_Musterbetrieb|access-date=1 June 2015}}</ref> The files of the IHC have been publicly available in the company archives of Bertelsmann in Gütersloh since 2003.<ref>{{cite news|language=de|first=Stefan|last= Brams|title=Bertelsmanns Gedächtnis|newspaper=Neue Westfälische|date=31 May 2003}}</ref> In October 2002 the Bertelsmann conglomerate publicly expressed regret for its "conduct under the Nazis, and for later efforts to cover it up".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Landler|first1=Mark|title=Bertelsmann Offers Regret For Its Nazi-Era Conduct|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/08/world/bertelsmann-offers-regret-for-its-nazi-era-conduct.html|access-date=26 September 2017|website=The New York Times|date=8 October 2002}}</ref>