IBM and the Holocaust

About “IBM and the Holocaust”

IBM and the Holocaust by investigative journalist Edwin Black reveals how IBM and its subsidiaries worked closely with Nazi Germany from 1933 through World War II. The book details how IBM's Hollerith punch card technology was used to help the Nazis identify and organize the persecution of Jews. This technology was essential for census data, registration, and tracking, enabling the efficient targeting of Jews for asset confiscation, deportation, and extermination. IBM provided customized systems and leased machines to the Nazis, supplying billions of punch cards. The book explores how IBM's cooperation with the Nazis was deliberate and structured, involving deniable agreements and intermediaries. It also examines the role of IBM founder Thomas Watson, who prioritized profit over morality. Black uncovers how IBM's technology was crucial in enabling the scale of the Holocaust, answering the question of how Hitler obtained the names of his victims.