Latest news with #HansWilsdorf
New York Post
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Founder of Rolex luxury watch empire may have been a Nazi spy: report
Secret British intelligence files have revealed that MI5 once suspected the German-born founder of the iconic Rolex luxury watch empire of holding strong Nazi sympathies and possibly acting as a spy during the Second World War. The declassified records, held at the National Archives, describe Hans Wilsdorf as 'most objectionable' and allege he may have used his position to spread propaganda for Adolf Hitler's regime, according to The Telegraph. The documents, written between 1941 and 1943 and many stamped with 'Box 500' — a wartime nickname for MI5's headquarters — outline fears among British authorities that Wilsdorf posed a security risk despite being a naturalized British citizen. Advertisement 5 An undated portrait of Hans Wilsdorf, the German-born founder of Rolex, who British intelligence described in wartime documents as 'well known' for his Nazi sympathies. Born in Bavaria in 1881, Wilsdorf moved to London in 1903, where he began making watches in Hatton Garden and later founded Rolex. He married a British woman, Florence Crotty, before relocating the company's headquarters to Geneva in 1919. By the early 1940s, British officials had become increasingly wary of Wilsdorf's loyalties, the Telegraph reported. Advertisement A 1941 report from the British consul in Geneva said he was 'well known for his strong Nazi sympathies,' pointing to claims that his brother, Karl, was working in Joseph Goebbels's propaganda ministry. According to the file, Swiss federal police were already monitoring Wilsdorf over concerns he might be involved in spreading Nazi messaging worldwide. An MI5 report from 1943 stated that the agency had been keeping tabs on Rolex's British operations in Bexleyheath and suspected Wilsdorf of 'espionage on behalf of the enemy.' 5 Hans Wilsdorf in his office at Rolex, whom wartime British officials suspected of espionage on behalf of Nazi Germany. Advertisement The papers repeatedly described him as 'well known' for his political leanings toward the Nazi regime. Tom Bolt, a horology specialist who owns a Rolex once sent to a POW in Stalag Luft III, said the newly uncovered documents 'show the level of concern within the British authorities about the company's founder' and that blacklisting him would have been 'severely damaging for Rolex.' Rolex has acknowledged knowing about the archive file and says it is taking the allegations seriously. A company spokesperson told The Telegraph that an independent review is underway, led by Swiss historian Dr. Marc Perrenoud, who specializes in Switzerland's role during the Second World War. Advertisement Perrenoud has assembled a committee of historians from multiple countries to assist with the research. 5 Rolex watches on display in London, as the company investigates archival claims that its founder may have had ties to Nazi sympathizers. Getty Images 'In the interest of transparency, we will publish Dr. Perrenoud's findings once he has completed his work,' the spokesperson said. The Post has sought comment from Rolex. The MI5's World War II era report also questioned the true motive behind one of Wilsdorf's most celebrated wartime gestures: sending free Rolex watches to British prisoners of war. In 1940, after German officers confiscated timepieces from captured servicemen, Corporal Clive Nutting — held at the infamous Stalag Luft III camp in Poland — wrote to Wilsdorf asking for replacements. Wilsdorf agreed, telling Nutting he should 'not even think' about paying until after the war. He also sent food parcels and tobacco to some prisoners. 5 A golden Rolex once owned by former German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer is displayed in Geneva. AP Advertisement While the gesture boosted Rolex's public image, British officials at the time speculated whether it was genuine generosity or part of a calculated effort to win favor. Jose Pereztroika, a historian of watchmaking who discovered the MI5 file and alerted The Telegraph, believes the evidence supports the view that Wilsdorf sympathized with the Nazis. While the company's gifts to Allied prisoners could be seen as a sign of solidarity, Pereztroika argued it might also have been 'a stunt to gain favor with the British government' at a time when Swiss watch imports to the UK were largely banned. He suggested the move allowed Rolex to cultivate goodwill while positioning itself for postwar business, even if payment for the watches was deferred. Advertisement A 1941 letter from the Ministry of Economic Warfare's Blacklist Section recommended reviewing whether Wilsdorf should be placed on a trade blacklist, a move that could have crippled Rolex's overseas sales. 5 The 1908 registration of the Rolex name, decades before its founder came under suspicion by MI5 during the Second World War. However, the ministry concluded that blacklisting him 'may not be entirely in our interests' because much of the company's trade was with countries in the British Empire. Officials also noted they had not found direct evidence of harmful activity by the Swiss company. Even so, they flagged that Wilsdorf's financial ties to German bankers could allow enemy interests to influence both the Swiss and British arms of Rolex. Advertisement By 1943, MI5 decided against blacklisting Wilsdorf, despite maintaining he was 'most objectionable.' The British consul at the time said there was 'no doubt whatever' about his political views and voiced skepticism about his aid to prisoners of war, noting that if earlier intelligence was correct, his motives 'hardly seem likely' to have been purely charitable. Experts say the suspicions may also have been fuelled by Rolex's role in supplying dive watches to the Italian navy's frogmen, an elite unit aligned with the Axis powers.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Rolex founder 'was a suspected Nazi spy'
Secret service agents believed the German founder of Rolex was a Nazi spy, formerly classified documents at the National Archives reveal. MI5 feared Hans Wilsdorf should be blacklisted due to his 'strong' sympathies for Adolf Hitler's regime, The Telegraph reports. The Second World War papers, dated between 1941 and 1943, state that Wilsdorf was 'most objectionable' and 'suspected of espionage'. Despite his status as a naturalised British citizen, the papers suggest that MI5 viewed Wilsdorf as a potential threat to Allied interests during World War II. British authorities first became concerned that Wilsdorf supported the Nazis in 1941. A report that year from the British consul in Geneva said he was 'well known for his strong Nazi sympathies'. And, a 1941 letter from the Blacklist Section of the Ministry of Economic Warfare stated it was desirable to review blacklisting Wilsdorf, but noted it may not be in the best interests at the moment. Wilsdorf's blacklisting may have hurt Rolex and a large amount of overseas trade with the Empire countries, the papers revealed. A later report from 1943 stated: 'Wilsdorf and his wife are majority shareholders, and he is suspected of espionage on behalf of the enemy.' The documents also suggest that Wilsdorf's offer of free Rolex watches to British prisoners of war (POWs) may have been motivated by publicity rather than patriotism. 'The fact Rolex offered watches to Allied POWs in German camps suggested Wilsdorf was on the right side of history,' Jose Perez, a horological historian who discovered the existence of the MI5 file told the publication. 'But, I believe it was a stunt to gain favour with the British government,' he told the publication. Responding to the allegations, Rolex said it was well aware of the file in the National Archives and had constituted a team of historians for further research. Wilsdorf was born in Bavaria in 1881 but his parents died shortly afterwards. He moved to England in 1903 and started making watches in Hatton Garden before registering the name Rolex and marrying British-born Florence Crotty. In 1919, he based the company headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Wilsdorf died in 1960, leaving his ownership stake in Rolex to the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, which continues to own the company and supports charitable causes.
NDTV
4 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
Was Rolex Founder A Nazi Spy? MI5 Files Link Wilsdorf To Hitler
Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of the renowned watch brand, Rolex, was an alleged Nazi spy, having strong sympathies for Adolf Hitler's regime, a report in The Telegraph has claimed. Citing previously classified documents at the National Archives, the report states that secret service agents wanted Wilsdorf blacklisted owing to his allegiances. The World War II papers, stamped with MI5's civil service nickname, "Box 500", dating between 1941 and 1943, describe Wilsdorf as "most objectionable" and "suspected of espionage". Despite his status as a naturalised British citizen, the papers suggest that MI5 viewed Wilsdorf as a potential threat to Allied interests during World War II. "Wilsdorf and his wife are majority shareholders, and he is suspected of espionage on behalf of the enemy," the report from 1943 highlighted. A 1941 letter from the Blacklist Section of the Ministry of Economic Warfare stated it was desirable to review blacklisting Wilsdorf, but noted it may not be in the best interests at the moment. Wilsdorf's blacklisting may have hurt Rolex and a large amount of overseas trade with the Empire countries, the papers revealed. The papers also suggest that Wilsdorf's offer of free Rolex watches to British prisoners of war (POWs) may have been motivated by publicity rather than patriotism. 'The fact Rolex offered watches to Allied POWs in German camps suggested Wilsdorf was on the right side of history,' Jose Perez, a horological historian who discovered the existence of the MI5 file told the publication. 'But, I believe it was a stunt to gain favour with the British government. It must also be considered that from 1941 to 1946, the import of Swiss watches to the UK was basically prohibited, so this might have been the proverbial killing of two birds with one stone: gain favour with the British and sell some watches in the process, even though payment was only due after the war.' Rolex responds Responding to the allegations, Rolex said it was well aware of the file in the National Archives and had constituted a team of historians for further research. 'Given the sensitivity of these allegations, we have already commissioned an independent, authoritative team of historians who are carrying out research into the exact role of Hans Wilsdorf during this period,' a spokesperson said. Wilsdorf was born in Bavaria in 1881, but his parents died shortly afterwards. He landed in England in 1903, which at the time had virtually no formal immigration controls. Wilsdorf started making watches in Hatton Garden before registering the name Rolex and marrying British-born Florence Crotty. In 1919, he shifted the company headquarters to Geneva, Switzerland. Wilsdorf died in 1960, leaving his ownership stake in Rolex to the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, which continues to own the company and supports charitable causes.
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Rolex founder was suspected Nazi spy
MI5 suspected that the German founder of Rolex was a Nazi spy, the Telegraph can reveal. Formerly classified documents at the National Archives show how secret service agents feared Hans Wilsdorf should be blacklisted due to his 'strong' sympathies for Adolf Hitler's regime. The Second World War papers, dated between 1941 and 1943, state that Wilsdorf was 'most objectionable' and 'suspected of espionage'. The file also suggested the businessman may have made much of his decision to offer British prisoners of war (POWs) free Rolex watches despite his real intentions being anything but patriotic. The papers – many stamped from 'Box 500', the colloquial civil service nickname for MI5 due to its wartime address – show the increasing concern that Wilsdorf, a naturalised British citizen, posed a threat to the Allies. Wilsdorf was born in Bavaria in 1881 and moved to London in 1903, where he made watches in Hatton Garden before registering the name Rolex and marrying British-born Florence Crotty. In 1919, he based the company headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. By 1941, the British authorities were concerned Wilsdorf supported the Nazis. A report that year from the British consul in Geneva said he was 'well known for his strong Nazi sympathies' citing how his brother, Karl, was 'reported to be an active member of [Joseph] Goebbels' propaganda ministry'. The file claimed the brother would 'make use of Hans Wilsdorf in Geneva to put out Nazi propaganda all over the world, and we heard that Hans is, in consequence, being watched by the Swiss federal police'. An MI5 report from 1943 said the secret service had been 'interested in the affairs' of Rolex, from its UK base in Bexleyheath, and its founder 'for some time'. 'Wilsdorf and his wife are majority shareholders, and he is suspected of espionage on behalf of the enemy,' it added. The papers repeatedly said Wilsdorf was 'well known' as a 'strong Nazi'. One 1941 letter from the Blacklist Section of the Ministry of Economic Warfare said it was 'desirable' to 'review' blacklisting Wilsdorf, but noted it 'may not be entirely in our interests at the moment' because his company 'would undoubtedly have to share his fate [and] a large amount of its overseas trade seems to be with the Empire countries'. It added that intelligence had been 'unable to detect any undesirable activities on the part of the Swiss firm'. It even said how Wilsdorf's 'indebtedness to German bankers may result in a considerable enemy interest in both the Swiss and the British [Rolex] companies'. A 1943 message from MI5 concluded that blacklisting Wilsdorf should not go ahead, despite him being 'most objectionable'. The British consul report insists there was 'no doubt whatever' about Wilsdorf's 'political opinions' and questioned his motives for sending watches – as well as 'food parcels and tobacco' – to British POWs. In 1940, Cpl Clive Nutting, a POW in the notorious Stalag Luft III in Poland, contacted Wilsdorf requesting new watches after German officers confiscated servicemens' Rolexes when captured. Wilsdorf sent the corporal Rolexes insisting he should 'not even think' about paying for them until after the war. 'Stunt to gain favour' But, despite the move proving a public relations coup for Rolex, the consul report in the files was sceptical of his motives. 'It is interesting to note that, according to a letter from Mr Hans Wilsdorf... he has been acting for many months as an intermediary between 25 British officers, prisoners of war in Germany, and their friends at home... 'Of course, these activities may have been due to an impulse of generosity on the part of Mr Wilsdorf, but, if our other information about him is true, this hardly seems likely.' Jose Perez, a horological historian, discovered the existence of the MI5 file and contacted The Telegraph, which then retrieved it. He said the documents add to mounting evidence Wilsdorf was a Nazi sympathiser. 'The fact Rolex offered watches to Allied POWs in German camps suggested Wilsdorf was on the right side of history,' he added. 'But, I believe it was a stunt to gain favour with the British government. It must also be considered that from 1941 to 1946, the import of Swiss watches to the UK was basically prohibited, so this might have been the proverbial killing of two birds with one stone: gain favour with the British and sell some watches in the process, even though payment was only due after the war.' A spokesman for Rolex said the company was 'well aware' of the file in the National Archives. 'Given the sensitivity of these allegations, we have already commissioned an independent, authoritative team of historians who are carrying out research into the exact role of Hans Wilsdorf during this period,' she said. 'This research has been entrusted to Dr Marc Perrenoud, a Swiss historian renowned for his work on contemporary history, especially regarding Switzerland during the Second World War. 'For this assignment, Dr Perrenoud has assembled a scientific committee comprising distinguished historians from the various countries concerned. 'In the interest of transparency, we will publish Dr Perrenoud's findings once he has completed his work.'
