Anton Wilhelm Hüffer

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Grave plaque Anton Wilhelm Hüffer

Anton Wilhelm Hüffer (born December 6, 1786 in Münster , † April 17, 1868 in Eupen ) was a German entrepreneur in the textile and mining industry .

Life

Hüffer was the son of Professor of Natural and International Law Christoph Hüffer (1755–1792) and Sophia (1760–1848), the daughter of the publisher Anton Wilhelm Aschendorff . His brother was the bookseller and politician Johann Hermann Hüffer .

After the early death of his father, Hüffer came to see his uncle Johann Gerhard Hüffer. He was a cloth manufacturer and several times mayor in Eupen. Hüffer received commercial training in his company. In 1809 he married his cousin Elisabeth Hüffer and took over the business of his uncle in 1823. In Eupen he expanded the company and also acquired considerable property. He also became a partner in the "Hüffer & Morkramer" cloth factory in Eupen, whose own shares he transferred in 1842 to his son-in-law Julius The Losen . Together with other manufacturers from the Aachen area, he was one of the supporters of David Hansemann's plan for a Rheinische Eisenbahn.

For Hüffer, railway construction meant considerable business opportunities for the coal and steel industry. Mainly supported by his relatives in Eupen and investors from Aachen, Hüffer founded the puddling and steel rolling mill T. Michiels & Co in 1841 . in Eschweiler . The company flourished quickly, so that in 1846 it was converted into a stock corporation. The new capital was necessary to build efficient coke ovens, among other things. However, the official approval of the stock corporation was not granted until 1852. As a result, Hüffer and other donors founded the Phoenix anonymous society for mining and smelting in Aachen . Immediately afterwards, Hüffer built a blast furnace and steel works near Ruhrort and a blast furnace plant in Kupferdreh for the AG . Phönix AG took over Michiels & Co in 1853. and in 1855 took over the blast furnaces in Bergeborbeck with French capital . In addition, the company acquired Erzgruben an der Lahn , in the Hunsrück and the Eifel . There were also ore and coal deposits near Essen and Velbert .

Despite all the problems, Hüffer played a key role in the development of the Phönixwerke as the first mixed-economy, vertically structured mining group. One of Hüffer's merits is that he recognized the ideal transport and economic geographic location of Duisburg-Ruhrort.

In addition to his economic activities, Hüffer also devoted himself to local politics in Eupen and was made the first honorary citizen of the city of Eupen in 1859, primarily for his social commitment. He was also a member of the Rhenish Landtag and in 1847/48 of the First and Second United Landtag in Berlin. There he came forward with his request for a “representation of the people” and made the question of electoral law the subject of debate. He demanded that a new “estates constitution” should in particular favor trade and industry. The aim was to obtain a parliamentary basis for further economic growth.

For his services, Hüffer was awarded the 3rd Class Red Eagle Order with Ribbon.

literature


personal data
SURNAME Hüffer, Anton Wilhelm
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German entrepreneur in the textile and mining industry
DATE OF BIRTH December 6, 1786
PLACE OF BIRTH Muenster
DATE OF DEATH April 17, 1868
Place of death Eupen