Secret British intelligence files have revealed that MI5 once considered Hans Wilsdorf — the German-born founder of Rolex — a potential Nazi sympathizer and even a possible spy during the Second World War.

The newly declassified records, held at the UK National Archives and first reported by The Telegraph, describe Wilsdorf as “most objectionable” and “well known” for his political leanings toward Adolf Hitler’s regime. Born in Bavaria in 1881, Wilsdorf moved to London in 1903, married a British woman, and eventually founded Rolex, later relocating the company’s headquarters to Geneva in 1919.

By the early 1940s, British officials were alarmed by claims from the British consul in Geneva that Wilsdorf had “strong Nazi sympathies,” with reports linking his brother to Joseph Goebbels’ propaganda ministry. Swiss federal police were already monitoring him for allegedly spreading Nazi messaging abroad.

An MI5 report from 1943 said the agency was tracking Rolex’s British operations in Bexleyheath and suspected Wilsdorf of “espionage on behalf of the enemy.” Officials also questioned the motives behind one of his most famous wartime acts — sending free Rolex watches to British prisoners of war. While the gesture became a celebrated part of Rolex lore, some British authorities at the time speculated it was an image-building exercise designed to curry favor, rather than pure charity.

Jose Pereztroika, the horology historian who discovered the MI5 file, believes the evidence supports the view that Wilsdorf sympathized with the Nazis. He also pointed to Rolex’s sales of dive watches to the Italian navy’s “frogmen” — an elite Axis-aligned unit — as another potential source of wartime suspicion.

Rolex has confirmed it is aware of the archive file and has commissioned Swiss historian Dr. Marc Perrenoud to conduct an independent review, promising to publish his findings.

For decades, many Jews have avoided purchasing goods from companies with historical ties to Nazi Germany — whether Volkswagen, BMW, Siemens, or certain European luxury brands. The revelations about Wilsdorf’s suspected Nazi sympathies now raise questions for the Jewish market, where Rolex enjoys strong brand recognition and prestige.

In recent years, many tzedakos have turned to high-value luxury watch raffles — often featuring Rolex models — as a way to draw donors. The strategy has proven lucrative, but the MI5 files may force an uncomfortable conversation: should tzedakah be raised through the sale or promotion of a timepiece with alleged Nazi associations? For donors who already avoid cars, appliances, or clothing brands tied to the Third Reich, the choice of prize may now merit closer scrutiny.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)