Friedrich Alfred Krupp

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Friedrich Alfred Krupp, 1900

Friedrich Alfred Krupp (born February 17, 1854 in Essen , † November 22, 1902 there ) was a German industrialist . He was the owner of the Essen cast steel factory and other companies. He expanded the group by acquiring additional companies and establishing the plant in Rheinhausen. He was also a member of the Reichstag .

Early years

Croup family with friends in Nice 1868/69. From left: Clara Bruch, Bertha Krupp, Dr. Schwengberg [standing] (Friedrich Alfred Krupp's tutor), Alfred Krupp [standing in a white coat], Friedrich Alfred Krupp, Dr. Schmidt [standing] (doctor) and another unknown person

Friedrich Alfred Krupp was the son of Alfred Krupp and Bertha (née Eichhoff). In his childhood and youth he was physically weak and suffered from asthma and rheumatism, among other things. Since the family lived at the cast steelworks until Villa Hügel was built , the environmental pollution caused by the plant may have affected his health. For this reason, too, he received a large part of his education from private tutors. The Royal Grammar School at Castle Square to eat , he could only attend for two years. For health reasons, he spent numerous spa stays in southern Europe and traveled there.

The relationship with his dominant father was complicated. In contrast to his mother, Alfred Krupp has long resisted Friedrich Alfred's request to study engineering with a focus on metallurgy in Braunschweig . The father argued that such a degree was a matter for company employees who would specialize in certain things, not for the company's owner. Instead of studying, his father wanted him to experience corporate management in practice from 1872 onwards. However, the training was not very systematic. The relationship with the father also remained contradictory. Sometimes he was included in the decisions, then excluded again. The father also long opposed the marriage to Margarethe von Ende , the daughter of the district president of Düsseldorf August von Ende , whom Friedrich Alfred had met at an early age. Friedrich Alfred appeared to observers as amiable, balancing, but little independent and assertive.

Friedrich Alfred Krupp and Margarethe von Ende (1882)

He was sent to Egypt by his father in 1875 . The trip was for health reasons and had a business background. At times he played a role as a mediator between the increasingly withdrawn father and the senior staff. At times his father entrusted him with important tasks such as negotiating the takeover of the financial expert Gussmann from the Württemberg civil service. He also devoted himself to metallurgical problems.

In 1882 Friedrich Alfred Krupp was accepted into the procuration or directorate, the company's highest management body. However, he did not get his own department. In the same year he was allowed to marry Margarethe von Ende. The daughters Bertha and Barbara emerged from the marriage. He was finally able to attend the Technical University in Braunschweig for a few months . During this time he was in constant contact with the metal experts in Essen and suggested, among other things, the use of tungsten for alloys. The experience encouraged him to place production on a more scientific basis after his return. Therefore a second laboratory was set up in 1882 under the direction of a Braunschweig professor. The maintenance of foreign relations with Spain, the Ottoman Empire and Japan that was entrusted to it was not unimportant for the company. He also played an important role in the takeover of the Annen steelworks .

Business owner

Corporate strategy

Friedrich Alfred Krupp (painting by Ludwig Noster 1896)

Friedrich Alfred Krupp became the sole owner of the company in 1887 after the death of his father. Contrary to what parts of the procuration had hoped , in particular the leading figure Hanns Jencke , he did not want to limit himself to representative tasks and maintaining contact with Otto von Bismarck , the Kaiser and other leading persons. Rather, he actually wanted to take over the management and made this unmistakably clear to the procuration.

After the company management had steered a rather cautious course as a result of the temporary pledge to a bank consortium in the 1870s, Friedrich Alfred focused on expansion, increasing market power and, in some areas, for example armaments, even on a dominant position. In addition to the vertical expansion, which the father had already carried out, there was horizontal expansion, i.e. the acquisition of competing companies and the expansion of the product range. In the light of a new economic upswing, Friedrich Alfred wanted the company not only to become the leading arms manufacturer, but also the largest steel producer.

While the closest management team had largely determined the course in the father's last years, Friedrich Alfred Krupp endeavored to enforce a risky expansion course with Jencke as well. In contrast to his advice, for example, he was also prepared to use his private wealth for this. Like his father in earlier years, instead of building up reserves, Krupp used the company's profits primarily to expand the company. The attempt by parts of the directorate, as the procuration was now called, to gain greater leeway vis-à-vis the owner, had ultimately failed. Krupp retained the final decision-making authority, especially on fundamental questions. For the day-to-day business, on the other hand, the board of directors had a largely free hand.

Business expansion

The expansion strategy initially included the modernization and expansion of the operating complex in Essen, which is still known as the cast steelworks. While the workforce rose by only 2,000 in the father's last twelve years, it grew from 12,000 to 25,000 in the next twelve years. The total workforce rose to 42,000 men. Sales increased from around 42 million to 101 million. Arms production grew from 19 million to over 42 million.

The production of steel with alloy additives such as silicon, nickel or chromium was particularly expanded . Four new Martin works as well as various mechanical workshops and an electricity works were built. The previous steam hammers were replaced by forging presses, and the transmission belts gradually gave way to electric drives. The steel alloys played a major role in the company's armaments production, for example with gun barrels made of nickel steel or especially with nickel steel armor plates. The armor plates were superior to the competing products. Krupp supplied a large part of the armor for the new navy. For this purpose, a large armored plate factory, which was later expanded several times, was built in the 1890s. Another aspect of the expansion strategy was the broadening of the company's own raw material base. In 1889 iron ore fields in Lorraine were acquired. In Essen itself, the majority of the United Sälzer & Neuack colliery came into the possession of Krupp. In the meantime, this was already on the premises of the Kruppwerk. Added to this were the purchase of the Hannibal colliery in 1899, the acquisition of coal fields near Datteln and in 1901 the construction of the Emscher-Lippe colliery .

Friedrich Krupp AG Grusonwerk , armored ironworks

These acquisitions were on the older line of vertical concentration. In addition, there was only the horizontal concentration. The acquisition of the Gruson works in Magdeburg played an important role . This company mainly produced chilled iron. Among other things, armor plates for coastal fortifications , wheels and wear parts for heavily used machines were manufactured. Krupp's aim when taking over the plant was to expand its own product range and eliminate a competitor. In 1893 the Gruson factories were finally incorporated into the Krupp company. Gun and projectile production was concentrated in Essen, while the manufacture of armor plates and tank guns remained in Magdeburg. In addition, the non-military sector was expanded in Magdeburg. With regard to the manufacture of armor plates, Krupp was able to act like a monopoly after the acquisition of Gruson and demand high prices, ultimately at the expense of the taxpayer. Krupp was criticized for it.

Kruppwerke Rheinhausen at the beginning of the 20th century

The construction of the steelworks in Rheinhausen was of great long-term importance . In 1895 Krupp acquired a large piece of land near the village of Rheinhausen for the construction of a huge iron and steel works with steel and rolling mills . The first two of five planned blast furnaces were blown on as early as 1887. Against the hesitant directorate, especially against Jencke, Krupp pushed through the rapid expansion of the plant. The pig iron produced in the smelting works was processed further in the liquid state in the neighboring Siemens-Martin plant. He was still involved in planning the further expansion in 1902. The establishment of the plant in Rheinhausen was his most important contribution to the development of the company into a global corporation. It soon became one of the most modern and largest pig iron and crude steel works in the world. In 1904, when a new, modern blast furnace went into operation and construction of the Thomas steelworks began, the plant was renamed 'Friedrich-Alfred-Hütte'.

The third major expansion was the takeover of the Germania shipyard in Kiel and the associated machine factory in Berlin . However, his engagement in this matter was less emphatic than in the other acquisitions. In the context of the construction of the battle fleet, the purchase of a shipyard for a manufacturer of weapons and armor plates was an obvious choice, but the condition of the shipyard, which was in need of renovation, stood in the way of this. He eventually agreed with the majority opinion of the Board of Directors. The fact that Wilhelm II signaled his benevolence also played a role . For Krupp, one of the reasons for the acquisition was to strengthen ties to the state and the emperor. The shipyard was subsequently modernized. The mechanical engineering department previously located in Berlin was relocated to the coast. The workforce was greatly expanded to over 3000 men. Krupp's fears turned out to be justified. The high modernization costs were at the expense of Rheinhausen and forced the taking up of a loan of 20 million marks. Unlike at Gruson, the purchase did not immediately pay off, but was intended as an investment in the future.

“Master in the house” and social policy

He stuck to his father's master in the house position. When the establishment of workers 'committees was discussed in connection with the miners' strike of 1889 , he vehemently rejected these plans, for example in a letter to Bismarck.

But he also stuck to the socio-political efforts. But he set different accents than his father. It goes without saying that he promoted the company's services for general interest. In 1900 he proudly noted that the company had paid six million marks in accordance with statutory provisions, but in addition to that, 11 million in voluntary services since the company took over. In 1902, 3.6 million marks were spent on “welfare purposes” alone.

In addition, workers' settlements were expanded or newly built. For example, he was the originator of the Altenhof settlement in Essen-Rüttenscheid . Former workers were allowed to live in these stylish houses in the settlement free of charge. You should get away from the gray industrial everyday life of that time. Since Friedrich Alfred Krupp, home purchase loans have also been granted.

Altenhof settlement, drawing around 1902

What was really new, however, was the move towards promoting education and culture. For Alfred Krupp, something like this was still a waste of time or even a reduction in labor. For the son, however, this was a supplement to the material benefits in order to win the workers over to the existing social and political order in the long term and to keep them away from social democracy. In 1899, the Krupp book hall was founded as a works library for employees. In addition, he planned a workers' casino with lecture and event rooms. For various reasons, this did not happen, instead an educational association was set up. In addition to advanced training courses, it also offered all kinds of entertainment, from concerts to theater and dance evenings. Lay orchestras and choirs were founded. Some of them also practiced very demanding pieces. The Essen theater also benefited from this through special events organized by the education association . Large exhibitions were also organized. These efforts in favor of the workforce definitely paid off and contributed to the development of the self-image as Kruppians.

Politics and Public Criticism

In contrast to his father, who refused any political activity, Friedrich Alfred ran for the Reichstag in 1887 for the first time in vain . The candidacy for the free conservative party was successful in 1893. According to other sources, he remained non-party, but was close to the conservatives. The wish of Wilhelm II is said to have played a role in his candidacy. In Parliament itself, Krupp did not excel.

The Reichstag mandate turned out to be problematic, however, as it was already viewed by parts of the public as a prototype of a capitalist. In addition, his economic interests as an arms manufacturer were closely linked to building battle fleets. As a member of parliament he also exposed himself to his critics.

There was speculation in public about the company's huge profits from armaments deals. Although the total share of the armaments sector gradually declined, the profit margins achieved in this sector were significantly higher than with other products. Its quasi-monopoly position in the armored plate business in particular gave the company high profits at the expense of the taxpayer. The criticism was presented by August Bebel and Eugen Richter in the Reichstag in December 1899.

Politically, Krupp campaigned for armament early on. Self-interest played a major role in this. It was about increasing his company's sales opportunities. He also felt a strong personal obligation to Wilhelm II. The South German Reich correspondence, largely supported by Krupp, served to propagate the armaments of the navy in parallel to the message office of the Reichsmarinamt . The correspondence was not limited to advertising the armaments of the navy, but also campaigned for a German world policy or the preservation of the internal status quo of the empire. More clearly than before, Friedrich Alfred linked business interests with a political direction for which the emperor himself stood in the first place.

In the Essen council meeting on November 6, 1896, the secret councilor Friedrich Alfred Krupp was granted honorary citizenship of the city of Essen by Mayor Erich Zweigert .

Croup on Capri

The Via Krupp on Capri

Krupp was a friend of the island of Capri , where he spent the winter months from 1899 to 1902. On Capri he had a steep serpentine path cut into the rock, which later became Via Krupp , which is now a tourist attraction. Marine research was Krupp's main occupation on Capri. On site he had contacts with other naturalists such as Felix Anton Dohrn and Ignazio Cerio .

In the winter of 1901/02 he had a cave built at Marina Piccola for cozy get-togethers and "various festivities" in the Friends of the Congrega di Fra Felice . It is controversial whether he celebrated excesses with teenage lovers in this cave, or whether such allegations were just part of blackmail by a journalist. Krupp learned of such accusations in June 1902. On October 15 and 20, the Italian newspaper Propaganda attacked him as a pederast ; on November 15, 1902, the German social democratic newspaper Vorwärts described him as homosexual . Shortly afterwards, on November 22nd, he died in the Villa Hügel in Essen. A stroke was officially given as the cause of death. Some newspapers then suspected a suicide .

Funeral, will, honors

Friedrich Alfred Krupp was buried in the cemetery at Kettwiger Tor on Hohenburgstrasse in Essen. Due to the expansion of the station forecourt in 1910, the grave was relocated to Freiheit south of the main station. In 1955, municipal building measures forced the burial site to be relocated again. Since then, it has been located in the Bredeney municipal cemetery on Westerwaldstrasse in Essen.

In his will he ordered the conversion of the company into a stock corporation , the shares of which his older daughter Bertha received.

Several monuments were erected in honor of Friedrich Alfred Krupp, including the Friedrich-Alfred-Krupp-Monument , which once stood on Limbecker Platz and the preserved bronze statue is now in the park of Villa Hügel , as well as one near the benefactors' houses in Rüttenscheid .

literature

  • Willi A. Boelcke (Ed.): Krupp and the Hohenzollern in documents. Krupp correspondence with emperors, heads of cabinet and ministers 1850–1918 . Academic Publishing Company Athenaion, Frankfurt am Main 1970.
  • Michael Epkenhans : Between Patriotism and Business Interest. FA Krupp and the beginnings of German battle fleet construction 1897–1902 . In: Geschichte und Gesellschaft , Volume 15 (1989), pp. 196–226.
  • Michael Epkenhans, Ralf Stremmel (eds.): Friedrich Alfred Krupp. An entrepreneur in the empire. CH Beck, Munich 2010. ISBN 978-3-406-60670-0 .
  • Harold James : Krupp. German legend and global company , CH Beck, Munich 2011. ISBN 978-3-406-62414-8 . Engl. Edition: Krupp. A History of the Legendary German Firm . Princeton University Press, Princeton / Oxford 2012. ISBN 978-0-691-15340-7
  • Lothar Gall : Krupp. The rise of an industrial empire . Siedler, Berlin 2000. ISBN 3-88680-583-2 .
  • Carlo Knight: Krupp's Capri Utopia. L'utopia caprese di Krupp . Edizioni La Conchiglia, Capri 2002. ISBN 88-86443-54-4 .
  • Renate Koehne-Lindenlaub:  Krupp, Friedrich Alfred. In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 13, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1982, ISBN 3-428-00194-X , pp. 135-138 ( digitized version ).
  • Julius Meisbach: Friedrich Alfred Krupp. How he lived and died. Stauff, Cologne undated [around 1903].
  • A. Sper [d. i. Hans Rau (1882–1906)]: Capri and the homosexuals. A psychological study. Orania, Berlin 1903.

Web links

Commons : Friedrich Alfred Krupp  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Lothar Gall: Krupp. The rise of an industrial empire . Berlin 2000, p. 240 f.
  2. ^ Lothar Gall: Krupp. The rise of an industrial empire . Berlin 2000, p. 243 f.
  3. ^ Lothar Gall: Krupp. The rise of an industrial empire . Berlin 2000, p. 245.
  4. ^ Renate Koehne-Lindenlaub: Krupp, Friedrich Alfred . In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 13, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1982, p. 136.
  5. ^ Renate Koehne-Lindenlaub: Krupp, Friedrich Alfred . In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 13, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1982, p. 136.
  6. ^ Lothar Gall: Krupp. The rise of an industrial empire . Berlin, 2000, pp. 246-248.
  7. ^ Lothar Gall: Krupp. The rise of an industrial empire . Berlin 2000, p. 248 f.
  8. ^ Lothar Gall: Krupp. The rise of an industrial empire . Berlin, 2000 p. 254 f.
  9. ^ Renate Koehne-Lindenlaub: Krupp, Friedrich Alfred . In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 13, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1982, p. 136.
  10. ^ Renate Koehne-Lindenlaub: Krupp, Friedrich Alfred . In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 13, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1982, p. 136.
  11. ^ Renate Koehne-Lindenlaub: Krupp, Friedrich Alfred . In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 13, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1982 p. 256 f.
  12. ^ Lothar Gall: Krupp. The rise of an industrial empire . Berlin 2000, p. 267.
  13. ^ Lothar Gall: Krupp. The rise of an industrial empire . Berlin 2000, pp. 258-262.
  14. ^ Lothar Gall: Krupp. The rise of an industrial empire . Berlin 2000, p. 262 f.
  15. ^ Lothar Gall: Krupp. The rise of an industrial empire . Berlin 2000, pp. 264-266.
  16. ^ Lothar Gall: Krupp. The rise of an industrial empire . Berlin 2000, p. 253.
  17. ^ Lothar Gall: Krupp. The rise of an industrial empire . Berlin 2000, pp. 277-280.
  18. ^ Renate Koehne-Lindenlaub: Krupp, Friedrich Alfred. In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 13, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1982, p. 137.
  19. ^ Lothar Gall: Krupp. The rise of an industrial empire . Berlin 2000, pp. 268-270.
  20. ^ Lothar Gall: Krupp. The rise of an industrial empire . Berlin 2000, pp. 271-274.
  21. ^ Letter of honorary citizenship of the city of Essen dated November 6, 1896 in the Krupp Historical Archive
  22. ^ Dieter Richter : Friedrich Alfred Krupp on Capri . In: Michael Epkenhans , Ralf Stremmel (Ed.): Friedrich Alfred Krupp. An entrepreneur in the empire. Beck, Munich 2010, ISBN 978-3-406-60670-0 , pp. 166-168
  23. ↑ Norman Douglas : Review. A journey into my past . Pp. 198-199
  24. ^ Diana Maria Friz: Margarethe Krupp . dtv Munich 2008, ISBN 978-3-423-24703-0 , p. 342
  25. ^ A b Dieter Richter : Friedrich Alfred Krupp on Capri . In: Michael Epkenhans , Ralf Stremmel (Ed.): Friedrich Alfred Krupp. An entrepreneur in the empire. Beck, Munich 2010, ISBN 978-3-406-60670-0 , pp. 169-174
  26. ^ Diana Maria Friz: Margarethe Krupp . dtv Munich 2008, ISBN 978-3-423-24703-0 , p. 361.
  27. ↑ Angelika Schaser : Margarethe Krupp: Draft of a life in the center of the Krupp saga . In: M. Epkenhans, R. Stremmel: Friedrich Alfred Krupp. An entrepreneur in the empire , Munich 2010, p. 195.
personal data
SURNAME Krupp, Friedrich Alfred
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Krupp, Friedrich
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German industrialist and politician, MdR
DATE OF BIRTH February 17, 1854
PLACE OF BIRTH eat
DATE OF DEATH November 22, 1902
Place of death eat