It was recently discovered that the Reimanns, a super-wealthy German family who owns such companies as Krispy Kreme, Panera Bread, and Dr. Pepper, had ties to the Nazi regime during WWII.
It turns out their family made a large portion of its wealth making supplies for the Nazi army using POWs as slave labor.
Obviously, none of this information reflects well on Krispy Kreme or any of the Reimann's other companies, so the billionaire family decided to try and make it up to their customers by donating $11 million to charity.
Peter Harf, a spokesperson for the Reimann family, confirmed their predecessor's involvement in the Nazi regime and made it clear the current Reimanns were staunchly against their ancestors.
"It is all correct. Reimann senior and Reimann junior were guilty ... they belonged in jail."
The family owns innumerable companies that most Americans interact with on a daily basis.
Considering the family's vast holdings, and current net worth estimated around $4 billion each, a single $11 million donation to a random charity seemed a bit paltry to some.
Others were simply shocked to see their favorite donut mired in controversy!
Many people were ashamed of Krispy Kreme's past...but couldn't stop eating the donuts.
Many Twitter users called the Reimanns out on their half-hearted attempts to "get in front" of the controversy.
$11 million from a family of billionaires seemed like a pittance to many.
Others, however, felt the family's reparations were a step in the right direction.
It just goes to show—acts of great evil continue to impact people's lives, decades and even centuries later. The horrors of Nazi Germany aren't as distant as we'd like to think they are, and humankind must remain vigilant to ensure similar regimes don't spring up in its place.
Jane Rosenberg
Jane Rosenberg
@arianagrande/Instagram
@arianagrande/Instagram