BMW, English Bavarian Motor Works is a German automobile and motorcycle manufacturing company. Founded in 1916, it is known for its performance and luxury vehicles. It owns and produces the MINI brand, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
The term "Beemer" started as a slang term for the acronym "BMW," adapted from the early-20th century British pronunciation of BSA, whose motorcycles were often racing BMWs. Over time, the term became closely associated with BMW motorcycles.
In the United States, the term "Bimmer" was later coined to refer (exclusively) to BMW automobiles. As such, use of the word "Beemer" to refer to a BMW automobile is frowned upon by some BMW enthusiasts, because it is the term used for motorcycles. Although the distinction is arbitrary, the media, movies, and people still use the term "Beemer" to refer to the automobiles.
The initials BMW in German. The model series are referred to as "Einser" "One-er" for 1 series, "Dreier" "Three-er" for 3 series, "Fünfer" "Five-er" for the 5 series, "Sechser" "Six-er" for the 6 series, "Siebener" "Seven-er" for the 7 series.
Nazi connections
Günther Quandt, whose family became major shareholders of BMW 15 years after the war, was a member of the Nazi Party from 1933. After Hitler's election he was appointed to the position of Leader of the Armament Economy, which was a title given to industrialists who played a leading role in the Nazi war economy. Quandt's factories supplied ammunition, rifles, artillery and batteries for the Nazis and, it is claimed, used slave labourers from concentration camps in some of his factories. Quandt's first wife, Magda, later married the Nazi propaganda chief, Joseph Goebbels.
A documentary aired on German TV in 2007 claimed that Quandt not only utilized slave labour, but also sidestepped postwar recrimination. BMW has made no comment about the Quandts, but claims to have confronted its own wartime history via independent research projects. The Quandt family responded by pledging to fund a research project into the family's Nazi past and its role under the Third Reich.
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