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.
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8 Responses
Not surprising for any German to sympathize with the Nazis. I just discovered Edwin Black’s book “IBM and the Holocaust” where he unearthed info in 2012 about IBM USA knowingly leasing their Hollerith punch card machines to the Nazis who used them to take censuses and then track and locate Jews to send them to concentration camps. All these years people have been using IBM equipment and services.
the revulsion felt by survivors and their families is understandable, but rolex didn’t manufacture guns or tanks, and didn’t rent slave labourers from the ss. if we want to question a company’s “leanings”, i would start with henry ford, who openly admired hitler, and did business with germany. as did ibm. if we need a reason not to raffle off rolex watches, maybe “tzniut” is a better one, since there is no real need to waste money on conspicuous consumption.
Forget about this man. Why would any “tzedaka” be raffling ostentatious or luxuries, altogether? For shame.
I don’t know if this report will make too much of a dent. It used to be the off limits to drive a Mercedes or BMW by the heimishe oilam but now they’re like the Camry’s all over the place.
shloimeboruch
PERFECTLY SAID!
As Shloime Boruch pointed out, Henry Ford’s Nazi connection was open and dangerous. He printed the infamous ‘Protocols’ and other antisemitic trash. This guy seems creepy enough, and he isn’t subject to בצדק תשפוט את עמיתך to be דן לכף זכות, although it doesn’t seem that the Rolex company itself wasn’t directly involved in any part of the Holocaust.
The Italians weren’t really with the Nazi program on genocide, and looked the other way when Jewish refugees escaped through their territory, similar to the Japanese. So the frogmen watches story, by itself, isn’t necessarily an issue. Nikon (at the time they only made lenses, not cameras) made rangefinder scopes used by Japanese bomber crews to aim, including during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Leica on the other hand, made equipment for the Nazis. (Most of the horrific Nazi murder ‘selfies’ in Yad VaShem were made using Leica cameras. So if you have $5000 plus to spare for a top of the line camera, buy something Japanese instead…)
@YaakovYosefA You obviously haven’t heard of ‘Leica Freedom Train’!
To help their Jewish workers and colleagues, Ernst Leitz and his daughter Elsie Kuehn-Leitz quietly established what has become known among historians of the Holocaust as the ‘Leica Freedom Train’, a covert means of allowing Jews to leave Germany in the guise of Leitz employees being assigned overseas. Employees, retailers, family members, even friends of family members were “assigned” to Leitz sales offices in France, Britain, Hong Kong and the United States. German “employees” disembarking from the ocean liner Bremen at a New York pier went to Leitz’s Manhattan office, where they were helped to find jobs. Each new arrival was given a Leica camera. The refugees were paid a stipend until they could find work.
Elsie Kuhn-Leitz, was imprisoned by the Gestapo after she was caught at the border, helping Jewish women cross into Switzerland.
The Leitz family wanted no publicity for its heroic efforts. Only after the last member of the Leitz family was dead did the ‘Leica Freedom Train’ finally come to light.
Ernst Leitz II was awarded posthumously the Courage To Care Award by the Anti-Defamation League.
Buy Leica!
Leica was actually a company that did much to save Jews before the holocaust. Research “Leica Freedom Train”. Let’s give credit where credit is due.