IG Farben

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/ig-farben

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the date of merger?December 2, 1925
2. What is the original constituent companies?Agfa, BASF, Bayer, Griesheim-Elektron, Hoechst, and Weiler-ter-Meer
3. What was IG Farben and when was it created?IG Farben was a huge German chemical company formed on December 2, 1925 by merging six major firms. It became the largest company in Europe and a leader in the global chemical industry.
4. What important discoveries did IG Farben scientists make?Scientists at IG Farben invented polyurethane, a versatile plastic used in many products. They also won Nobel Prizes for high‑pressure chemistry and for discovering the antibiotic prontosil, which helped fight bacterial infections.

Chemical Conglomerate: A large, diversified company formed by the merger of multiple businesses in the chemical industry.
Polyurethane: A versatile polymer used in a wide range of products, from foams to coatings, discovered by IG Farben.
Holocaust: The systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators.
War Crimes Trials: Legal proceedings held to prosecute individuals for violations of the laws of war.