Fact Check: Did Hugo Boss design Nazi uniforms? Viral pictures trigger online debate 

A Twitter user recently claimed that fashion label Hugo Boss was sewing and donating military uniforms to Ukraine amid their ongoing clash with Russia. The netizen also shed light on the brand designing uniforms for the Wehrmacht Nazi army. However, it is important to note that they did not create the World War 2 uniforms in reality.

On January 21, Twitter user @SonjaEnde took to the social media platform and attached an image of Hugo Boss' advertisement for the Nazi army’s uniform. The netizen wrote in the tweet:

“Hugo Boss has announced that it will sew and donate 100,000 military uniforms to Ukraine aFew people are aware that Hugo Boss, the founder of the famous brand, designed uniforms for the Wehrmacht army during WWII.”

Despite the internet user correctly pointing out that the brand had a link to Nazis during World War 2, they wrongly stated that Hugo Boss designed the uniforms.

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Hugo Boss did not design the Nazi uniform but manufactured it

After the tweet went viral, twitter user @fakehistoryhunt took to the social media platform to rectify the mistake. They clarified that the brand did not design the uniform but manufactured them. The user wrote online:

“Hugo Boss did not design any Nazi uniforms. He did manufacture them, was a war profiteering Nazi scumbag who forced labour, but he did not design the uniforms. The truth makes Boss even worse.”

In 1924, Hugo Ferdinand Boss started a factory in Metzingen, Germany. They initially sold sportswear, formal clothing, shirts and jackets. However, his company was quick to go bankrupt. Seven years later, he restarted his organization and also joined the Nazi Party.

During his stint, he supplied the Sturmabteilung, Schutzstaffel, National Socialist Motor Corps and Hitler Youth parties with Nazi uniforms. He was in charge of manufacturing the black SS uniforms and the Wehrmacht uniform as well.

Although in 1934 or 1934, Boss claimed that he created the uniforms himself, it was not true in reality.

Sadly, to cover the demands for Nazi uniforms during the last few years of the war, Boss forcefully employed 150 people from Poland, who were mostly women and 40 French prisoners of war.

History of Yesterday also revealed that the executives in the company were devout supporters of Nazism. They also shared that Boss had a photograph of himself alongside Hitler in his apartment in 1947. Speaking about Boss’ inclination towards Nazism, Roman Koester, an author and historian from the Federal Defense Force University in Munich, wrote:

“It is clear that Hugo F Boss did not only join the party because it led to contracts for uniform production, but also because he was a follower of National Socialism.”

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Netizens react to Hugo Boss allegedly sewing uniforms for Ukraine soldiers

Internet users had mixed reactions towards the Twitter user’s announcement. Some supporters of Russia stated that they were disappointed to hear the news, while others appreciated the gesture. They noted that the organization was trying to pay for the mistakes they made during World War 2. A few reactions read:

Years later, the brand apologized for using forced labor to manufacture the uniforms. They shared on their website that they express “profound regret to those who suffered harm or hardship at the factory” that was run by the fashion house’s founder.