March 29, 1945: Chemische Werke Huls in Marl Germany

On March 31, 8th (holy Saturday) the 8th Armored Division occupied Chemische Werke Huls. The 75th Infantry Division which was assigned to the 8th Armored Division helped secure the facility. The chemical plant had suffered from Allied bombing prior to the attack. It was to be blown up and completely destroyed by the retreating Nazi’s because of Hitler’s (Nero Policy) but it was saved because Nazi leadership was convinced it was no longer operational anyway and they were in a rush to flee.

I.G. Farben (which controlled the mine) was a German chemical and pharmaceutical conglomerate that was integral to the Nazi war machine and the atrocities of the Holocaust. The company conducted drug experiments on live inmates at concentration camps, including Auschwitz, Dachau, and Buchenwald. Bayer, a company within the I.G. Farben conglomerate, was particularly involved, paying an SS physician to test experimental drugs on deliberately infected prisoners.

I.G. Farben produced essential materials for the German military, including synthetic oil, rubber, explosives, and aviation fuel, making it critical to the German war effort and the invasion of other countries. The company seized and plundered factories and property in occupied territories during the war.

As World War II ended, the giant chemical conglomerate I.G. Farben was broken up by the Allies, leading to the colliery being placed under Allied control. The company committed extensive war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the manufacturing of Zyklon B, the poison gas used in the gas chambers for the mass murder of millions of people in concentration camps, primarily Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The chemical company also endorsed the brutal exploitation of massive amounts of slave labor from concentration camps, including Auschwitz.

After World War II, the Allies seized I.G. Farben’s assets. The subsequent I.G. Farben Trial (officially The United States of America v. Carl Krauch, et al.) took place from August 1947 to July 1948. Twenty-four directors were charged with crimes against peace, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and membership in the SS.

Thirteen of the defendants were found guilty of charges such as plunder and spoliation of property, and imposing slave labor. Sentences ranged from one to eight years in prison, but all convicted individuals were released early by 1951, partly due to Cold War political considerations.

In the western zones of Germany, I.G. Farben was broken up into its constituent companies with the goal of preventing a future threat to world peace. These included industry giants like Bayer, BASF, and Hoechst (which later became part of Aventis, now part of Sanofi).

The successor companies eventually contributed to a $5.9 billion fund for compensating former slave laborers and concentration camp inmates. Thr Chemical Plant is still in operation today.

My father, 1st Lieutenant Arthur Thorspecken was leading C-Company in the attack of Marl. These are the C-Company soldiers who were killed in action on that advance…

Private First Class Dean Bergeron. Age 25, died March 29, 1945 on the advance to Marl

Private First Class Alfred D. Stockwell Age 25, died March 29, 1945 on the advance to Marl.

Private First Class Ernie J. Guigar. Age 23, died April 2, 1945 in Marl Germany.