No donations to flood victims: H&K responds

Heckler & Koch wanted to donate to the flood victims as a company, together with their employees. This donation was rejected by "Aktion Deutschland Hilft" as "unethical". We document the response letter from H&K. The scandalous boycott affects a company that does a lot for the security of the country in Germany.

Dear Former Federal President Köhler,

Dear Federal Minister Maas,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

With great empathy, we, the management, the works council, and the employees of Heckler & Koch in Oberndorf, have seen the distressing images of the flood in the Ahr Valley and in other parts of North Rhine-Westphalia as well as Rhineland-Palatinate. Our sympathy goes out to the people who lost their relatives, their health, or their property in the disaster, our concern to all those who are now left with nothing.

In view of the moving events, we decided to help spontaneously, like many other workforces in Germany. We responded to the call of "Aktion Deutschland Hilft" and collected donations for the flood victims. Within a few days, about 7,500 euros were raised.

"Take responsibility and achieve great things together with your employees!" This is how you formulate it on your website "aktion-deutschland-hilft.de". It goes on to say: "Double the donations of your female and male employees and create an additional incentive to engage in helping people in need".

That's what we did. On August 4, 2021, we transferred the amount of 15,000 euros to your donation account. One month later, we received the following message from you by email: "Due to our ethical guidelines, a decision was made by a board resolution that we cannot accept your donation."

We regret this decision not only because of the needy people in the disaster areas, but also because it portrays our company and its employees in a completely wrong light. Without your website section "Mission & Guidelines of our Action" providing information on what the Aktion Deutschland Hilft e.V. understands as "unethical", accusing us of operating an "unethical business" primarily demonstrates deep ignorance. Two examples:

First: The police officers, soldiers, who rushed to the affected areas right after the flood to help the people on-site, are equipped by Heckler & Koch. Hardly any citizen in the flood areas who was not glad and grateful that our security forces were there for him at that moment.

Second: You certainly remember the images of the Bundeswehr's mission to rescue German and Afghan citizens from the Taliban in Kabul. Soldiers from France, Great Britain, Norway, the USA, and Germany were able to carry out this mission successfully, also because they were equipped with weapons from Heckler & Koch. Weapons with which they could protect themselves and others.

It distresses us when the board of "Aktion Deutschland Hilft" rejects our donation with the remark that this money was acquired by unethical means. This not only denigrates us as a medium-sized company from Baden-Württemberg and our employees, but also the security forces in Germany, the EU, and NATO, who use our products daily.

Heckler & Koch contributes to the security architecture of Germany, Europe, and NATO with its products. We manufacture weapons for the defense of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. When it comes to exporting our products, we only supply Germany's allies in principle. Not a single weapon leaves our premises without the approval of the Federal Government.

Heckler & Koch does not act unethically or immorally, but strictly according to law and regulations. Security and the protection of people provide the foundation for prosperity, freedom, and democracy.

Dear Former Federal President Köhler, Dear Federal Minister Maas,

We are convinced that you, like us, know how important solidarity is particularly in times of greatest need. Therefore, we will now split our donation in half and give it directly to the community of Dernau, which was particularly hard hit by the flood, and to the Technical Relief Service.

Kind regards,

HECKLER AND KOCH on the internet