Acting responsibly
The history of our company has been influenced by war, reconstruction, reunification and globalisation

Inros Lackner was established in 2004, following the merger between the companies Inros Planungsgesellschaft mbH and Prof. Dr. Lackner & Partner GmbH, whose roots go back to 1936. Our historical connection to the time when our company’s foundation stones were laid requires us to acknowledge the past and, in particular, to act responsibly now and in the future.

From the start, a strong reputation was gained in the field of hydraulic engineering and port construction, resulting in a corresponding demand for marine structure design services. In the early years, projects were primarily focussed on the structural design of major marine structures.  At that time, the technical design challenges were supplemented by the need to construct the structures for wartime conditions. Particularly noteworthy was the Valentin submarine bunker in Bremen-Farge, for which the company provided design services. Prof. Dr. Erich Lackner led the design team on site, and the naval command was responsible for organisation and construction management. Fifty companies participated in the construction, divided into two teams. Over 10,000 forced labourers worked on the project, of whom more than 1,100 lost their lives or suffered severe trauma.

In November 2015, the Valentin Bunker Place of Remembrance was opened in Bremen-Farge. Here, visitors can learn about the time of the bunker’s construction, the forced labour and the conditions in the camp, and the suffering and death inflicted upon the workers. One part of the exhibit deals with Prof. Dr. Lackner’s past, with particular reference to a radio interview from the 1980s. A lack of examination of his own past is depicted, as he primarily focussed on his technical work in the bunker construction. Critical reflections on his own role, the victims and the suffering, were not mentioned by Prof. Dr. Lackner. For anyone that did not know him, this lack of critical reflection, or lack of communication about any reflections he had, seems incomprehensible.

What happened during the war cannot be undone. Reparation payments represent only a small step towards compensation for inflicted suffering. Remembering the past, we as a company, and as individuals, have a duty to act in a history-conscious and responsible way, both now and in the future. The principle of responsibility to our fellow human beings and to our society is an integral part of our self-understanding. The essential basic principle of our activities is tolerant and respectful cooperation with people of different cultural and national origins, regardless of where around the world.