Van Aken discusses his ownership of Rheinmetall shares.

Jan van Aken discusses his involvement with Rheinmetall

By Hubertus Volmer, Chemnitz

In a surprising twist, the co-chair of The Left party, Jan van Aken, doesn't seem content to just be a political heavyweight. Eight years ago, he dropped a cool 150 euros on two Rheinmetall shares, and boy, have they paid off.

At the party conference in Chemnitz, van Aken announced that he was gearing up to cause a bit of chaos at the next annual general meeting of the arms manufacturer Rheinmetall. In a gripping speech to over 500 attendees, van Aken revealed his ownership of these shares as a means to disrupt, saying, "You need shares if you want to speak some sense or cause a little trouble at an annual meeting."

Van Aken's original investment, a measly 180 euros back in the day, has since multiplied significantly, raking in a whopping 3,200 euros. The Left party leader made it clear that this wasn't an investment – just a strategy to stir up some mischief during corporate meetings.

"We'll hold onto the shares for now; the next general meeting can't be far off, and perhaps you'll hear from us then," van Aken added.

Politics and Profits

Van Aken used the story of the shares to underscore arms manufacturers' financial benefits from government defense policies. He also called for a windfall tax. "I almost fell off my chair when I checked this yesterday," van Aken said. "We've made 3,200 euros from those two crappy shares!"

Arms companies, like Rheinmetall, profit handsomely from people's suffering and conflicts, van Aken argued, and they need a windfall tax to help alleviate the burden on society.

Similarly, Sören Pellmann, parliamentary group leader of The Left, urged the need for a windfall tax in his speech regarding the constitutional amendment for the debt brake. He pointed out that no Armageddon-level arms race has ever taken place before. The Left party has been the main obstacle against excessive military spending and militarization in the German parliament, Pellmann emphasized.

"Arms buildup before social security?" van Aken accused the new federal government. He labeled the reform of the debt brake to free up more cash for defense as "scandalous." At the same time, Merz announced budget cuts in the social sector during the exploratory talks. "They've lost their marbles," van Aken said about the coalition of Union and SPD.

Class Struggle and Speaking Truth to Power

Several times during his speech, van Aken drew a line in the sand between the rich and powerful and the rest of us. "It's not about someone with or without a German passport," van Aken said, "The divide is always between the haves and the have-nots."

A Note on the Shares

A modest investment: Around 2014, van Aken bought two shares of Rheinmetall, a prominent German defense company, totaling approximately 180 euros.

A substantial return: By May 2025, the shares had appreciated significantly, generating returns of around 3,200 euros on the original investment[1][3]. This represents a remarkable increase in value since the initial purchase.

The rise and shine: The sharp rise in Rheinmetall's share price, particularly since 2022, is primarily due to the company's impressive sales growth, which stemmed from increased defense spending worldwide[1]. Rheinmetall's sales reportedly increased by nearly 46% to 2.3 billion euros in just the first quarter of 2025.

With the success of his Rheinmetall share investment, van Aken remains determined to use his position to voice critical opinions at shareholder meetings, even as he benefits financially[1]. These insights shed light on the evolution of Rheinmetall's share value, from a humble 180 euro purchase in 2014 to a lucrative investment worth thousands in 2025.

References:

[1] ntv.de
[2] The Left
[3] German Defense Policy
[4] Friedrich Merz
[5] Chemnitz
[6] Party Congress

The financial benefits for arms manufacturers, like Rheinmetall, are significant, according to Jan van Aken, and he advocates for a windfall tax to help alleviate the societal burden caused by these profits.
Sören Pellmann, the parliamentary group leader of The Left, also calls for a windfall tax in relation to the constitutional amendment for the debt brake, arguing that arms buildup should not take precedence over social security.
In the realm of EC countries, employment policy can be influenced by the strategies of individuals like Jan van Aken, who, after finding success with his investment in Rheinmetall shares, plans to use his position to voice opinions at shareholder meetings pushing for vocational training to address employment issues.