William Manchester – 1968

I lost my notes on this book and grabbed Andrew’s from Good Reads. These are just for my reference and I didn’t write them but do find them useful.

At first they made tool and dye for other factories, rollers for metal, and cutlery among other metal wares. Alfred Krupp was the first to flirt with gunsmithing and cannons as a trade. Alfred took over the Krupp works, a small impoverished factory and a run down cottage, owned and operated by his unlucky father, at the age of 14. From this he built the largest armaments firms in the world. How did he do this? By giving away free samples of his guns to monarchs and military attaches of course, and by selling lucrative contracts to monarchs throughout the world. He used a tougher steel which allowed cannons to fire longer distances and larger ordinance without warping or breaking. He disrupted the established bronze cannon in the Prussian military and served them Krupp steel, used to dominate both the Hapsburgs and France and the crucible arms of German unification.

The rise of the Krupp’s is closely tied into the rise of Germany. Germany dominated Europe in the 19th century by building concentrated,, vertically integrated factories to churn out railway tracks, cars, guns, cannons and industrial machinery. Krupp factories were the principle birthplaces of these economic and engines. The Krupp’s cooperated with the Prussian and German elite, as well as foreign powers. The Krupp household ended up operating as an informal embassy, and Krupp agents in foreign capitals were trusted with classified diplomatic cables, and the confidence of foreign leaders. The Krupp firm and family became an extension of the state in this period, and the Krupp’s heavily exploited this. They sold guns to all comers, arming European, Asian and American powers to the teeth. An arms race was profitable, but more so than war at times. Krupp guns needed to be upgraded to stay at the forefront of warfare in times of peace, but during war, accidents and incidents led to questions on Krupp technical supremacy and opened the door to purchase armaments from competing firms due to immediate need.

Krupp factories massed produced massive cannons during WWI, and were closely intertwined with the Nazi regime in WWII. Krupp steel armored Germany’s navy during the naval rivalry with Britain pre-WWI. Their artillery pieces rained death down on the trenches during WWI. In WWII, Krupp metal went into planes, tanks and ships, and Krupp factories ended up being a key instrument in the Final Solution, with Krupp factories requiring massive labour quotas – filled by slave labour. Krupp factories were closely associated with the Dora concentration camp, and the Krupp family had close ties and correspondence with the Hohenzollern, Weimar, and Nazi regimes, gaining state subsidies, internal political support and external influence. The Krupp’s were able to hold their own even against the Emperor and Fuhrer, demanding support in exchange for favourable procurement contracts, and using their influence to crush rival firms and influence politicians and bureaucrats.

The downfall of the Krupp family came about due to their influence in the Nazi regime. Their stranglehold over German politics was quickly disrupted under American occupation, and they were moved from private ownership to public (shareholder) ownership – something the Krupp’s had always feared.

A few other notes from Good reads:

In 1943 Alfried Krupp took over from his father, Gustav who was suffering more and more from dementia. Alfried started to use slave labour (referred to as Stucke – livestock). Thousands were used in Krupp factories spread across the Nazi Empire. They were ill-fed, ill-clothed, and many were beaten. There was also child labour. It should also be emphasized that, for example in the town of Essen, the slaves had to walk openly and daily through the streets to and from work guarded by Krupp employees using whips.

For this Alfried Krupp was sentenced at a Nuremburg trial (not “the Nuremberg Trial of Goring, Keitel, Von Ribbentrop…) to 12 years imprisonment. He was lucky to get away with this; and luckier still to have his sentence commuted in 1951 after-which Alfried returned to the helm at Krupp. The author explains that part of the reason for this was the intensifying Cold War and the Allies wanted Germany on their side. Not all of this was received well by other countries.

Made the world’s most technologically advanced weapons (from cannons to submarines to anti-aircraft guns); provided arms to generations of German leaders, including the Kaiser and Hitler; operated private concentration camps during the Nazi era; survived conviction at Nuremberg; and wielded enormous influence on the course of world events. William Manchester’s account of the rise and fall of the Krupp dynasty is history as it should be written, alive with all its terrifying power.

Alfred was instrumental in making the Krupp family and company famous due to the superior steel cannons he made. It made Germany a military power to be reckoned with in Europe. It was also during his tenure that workers at Krupp were treated as valued employees. Essen, where the main Krupp plants were located, became a company town – with company subsidized housing, schools, and hospitals. Being employed by Krupp guaranteed you a life-long job (provided you towed the line and didn’t stray into socialism and unionism). The workers became dedicated to their company and to Germany – this devotion grew in intensity during the First World War. The Krupp company came to see itself as an instrumental part of the German Army and war effort, of German nationalism and pride.