By Eric Auchard and Joan Gralla
NEW YORK (Reuters) - International Business Machines Corp. is bracing itself against charges raised in a new book and lawsuit that the firm's tabulating machinery and its German business unit were instrumental in helping Hitler systematically identify and select victims of the Holocaust.
The book, entitled ``IBM and the Holocaust: The Strategic Alliance Between Nazi Germany and America's Most Powerful Corporation,'' was written by Holocaust investigator Edwin Black, who was aided by a far-flung team of 100 researchers.
Historians have known for decades of Nazi use of Hollerith tabulators -- the mainframe computer of its era -- but the book sheds light on IBM business dealings and the lengths to which it may have tailored its machines to meet Nazi requirements.
IBM, the world's largest computer company, responded on Friday to general issues that may be raised by the book in a letter posted on the firm's internal computer bulletin board that is read by its more than 307,000 employees.
``A book will be published shortly stating that Hollerith tabulating machines were used by the Nazi regime and apparently speculating on the activities of IBM's subsidiary in Germany at the time,'' IBM said in the statement.
``We recognize that its (the book's) very subject is an important and highly painful one for many IBMers, their families and the world community at large,'' it said.
IBM spokeswoman Carol Makovich declined to comment beyond the employee statement, saying the company had not yet seen the book. However, IBM is prepared to respond should new evidence of its historical actions come to light, she said.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010211/ts/ibm_nazis_dc.html
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