Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach (1870-1950)


Figure 1.--Gustav and Bertha had eight children: Alfried (1907-67), Claus (1910-1940), Irmgard (1912-1998), Berthold (1913-87), Harald (1916-85), Waldtraut (1920-2005) and Eckbert (1922-45). This family portrait looks to havebeen taken about 1926-27. Presumably the younger boys were involved in the Hitler Youth, but we do not yet have details. Only Alfried as the eldest son took the surname Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach. The others used their fater's surname von Bohlen und Halbach. The family paid a price for their support of the NAZIs. Claus and Eckbert were killed while in active service during World War II. Harald was arrested by Soviet authorities and spent 10 years in the Gulag. 4

Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach led the Krupp family and indistrial complex during much of the first half of the 20th century. He was not a Krupp son, but married into the family. He married Krupp heiress, Bertha Krupp. Gustav very quickly emersed himself into the family business. Gustav led the Krupp complex during World War I. He shifted production almost entirely to producing artillery. The compsany wwas adversely ffected by the the loss of its overseas markets. The Allied naval blockade made it impossible tto export and the War created a vast demand for artillery. The Allies after the Armistice named Gustav as one of the German industrialists to be tried as a war criminal. The charges were specious, basically that he supplied arms to the German Army. On that basis, industrial concerns in Allied countries were also guilty. Germany was not occupied after the War and these trials never occurred. Adolf Hitler and the NAZIs seized power in Germany (1933). Hitler launvched on a massive armament program. The Krupp complex was key to German rearmament. Krupp arms were vital in German military victories duruing the early years of World war II. And Krupp factories began using slave labor from the occupied countrides.

Parents

Gustav Bohlen und Halbach's father was a Prussian diplomat,

Childhood

Gustav Bohlen und Halbach was born in The Hague, Netherlands (1870). Given his subsequent history, it was a ironic place for one of the great arms manufactuers to be born.

Education

Gustav studied law before obtaining a post in the German Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Bertha Krupp (1886-1957)

Bertha Krupp was the eldest daughter of Friedrich Krupp who ean the masive Krupp industrial complex, the most prestigious German industrial dynaty. Bertha was born in Essen, one of the major cities of the Ruhr and in part thsnks to Krupp--the industrial hearland of Germany. Her mother was Margarethe von Enden. Her sister Barbara (the future Barbara Freifrau von Wilmowsky) was born (1887). The fact that the Krupps did not prodyce a male heir was aonsiderable cocern, both within the family and because of the importance of the company, to the Government as well. The vast Krupp coal, steel and armaments empire was an important part of the German economy and a major supplier to the German military. When her father died, while se was still a teenager, she was legally sole proprietor of the Krupp industrial complex (1902). Although the husband chosen gor her by the Kaiser, Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach, actually managed the company. Apparently Hitler did not like the idea of awoman having even legal control over the Krupp complex. When Gustav becan=me ill, he had Bertha transfer ownership of the company to her son, Alfried.

Marriage (1906)

Gustav was not a Krupp son, but married into the family. Friedrich Krupp died under misterious circumstances (1902). It is widely believed that he committed suicide. He had been exposed by newspapers as involved in pedastry, procuring Italian boys on Capri for himself and friends. As a result, control of the Krupp complex was inherited by his eldest daughter Berha (1886–1957). The German Government assumed tht woman, especially a young woman like Bertha, could not properly run the huge enterprise which was vital to the German military and economy. Kaiser Wilhelm II personally intervened to find a husband for the young Krupp heiress. Bertha at the time was very young, only about 16 years of age. We are not sure just how the Kaiser's match making went or what Bertha thought of the whole process. Gustav Bohlen und Halbach came from a well-regarded Prussian family and was a familiar figure at the Kaiser's court. The Kaiser eventually chose the middle-aged Gustav von Bohlen und Halbach (1904). He was at the time working as a diplomat. The couple married (1906). Barbara received a substabtial cash settlement. Bertha became sole owner of the Krupp complex. The Kaiser gave Gustav the permission to add the Krupp surname to his name. Gustav very quickly emersed himself into the family business. He was appointed Managing Director (1909).

Family

Gustav and Bertha had eight children: Alfried (1907-67), Claus (1910-1940), Irmgard (1912-1998), Berthold (1913-87), Harald (1916-85), Waldtraut (1920-2005) and Eckbert (1922-5). Presumably the younger boys were involved in the Hitler Youth, but we do not yet have details. Only Alfried as the eldest son took the surname Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach. The others used their fater's surname von Bohlen und Halbach. The family paid a price for their support of the NAZIs. Claus and Eckbert were killed while in active service during World War II. Harald was arrested by Soviet authorities and spent 10 years in the Gulag.

World War I (1914-18)

Gustav led the Krupp complex during World War I. He shifted production almost entirely to producing artillery. The compsany wwas adversely ffected by the the loss of its overseas markets. The Allied naval blockade made it impossible to export and the War created a vast demand for artillery. And Krupp made a major contribution. One of the most impprtant was the 98-ton mortars that played a role important in the seigev battles like Liège and Verdun. The German troops called these mortars "Dicke Bertha" (fat Bertha). The Allies used the term Big Bertha for long range German artillery, especilly the massive railroad caznnon that were used to shell Paris. These were the most notorious cannons of the War. They were used to bombard Paris from a range of about 75 miles (120 km). This was not a military weapon as at that distance there was no way to acquire targets. The only thing it could be used for was to shell a city, meaning civilins. Krupp also produced submarines. They were built at the Krupp Kiel shipyards. The Allies after the Armistice named Gustav as one of the German industrialists to be tried as a war criminal. The charges were specious, basically that he supplied arms to the German Army. On that basis, industrial concerns in Allied countries were also guilty. Germany was not occupied after the War and these trials never occurred. One strange transaction after the War was a payment from Vickers, Ltd., a British manufacturer of artillery shells. Vickers had leased a Krupp fuse patent before the War (1902). Of course payments ceased after the outbreak of War. After the war, however, Vickers paid a settlement to Krupp. The payment was calculated on the number of German caualties resulting from British artillery.

Weimar Republic (1919-33)

The Versailles Peace Traty (1919) ending World war I placed severe limitations on the German military. Gustav soon after the Versailles Treaty was signed began to participate in violations of the Treaty to evade arms limitations. Germany was devetated by the War and in no position to finance a major armaments program even if was not prohibed by the Treaty. Krupp was able to use the Vickers payments as well as subsidies secretly provided by Weimar officials. As he later explained, he was determined that Krupp should be ready “again to work for the German armed forces at the appointed hour without loss of time or experience.” There were several secret projects. Submarine pens were built in the Netherlands whic was not covered by the Treaty. Reseearch on new improved artillery was carried out in Sweden. He was chosen to head the Reichsverband der Deutschen Industrie (RDI-Reich Association of Industry) (1931). This position gave him great power and influence.

The NAZIs

Adolf Hitler and the NAZIs seized power in Germany (1933). German industrialists fearful of the Communists and Socilits played an important gole in financing the NAZI Party and bringing Hitler anhd the NAZIs to power. The role of Gustav Krupp in this is less clear. Some historiands clim he played an important role. [Manchester] This was widely believed at the end of the War. One historian maintains thst Gutav Krupp was not closely tied to the rise of the NAZIs and resisted close ties in the early years of the NAZI dictarorship. An overelince on Government military conteracys almost bnkrupted the firm after Wirld War I. This made Gustav cautious. [James] Other historians are more critical. was one of the German industrialists that supported Hitler. After Hindenburh appointed Hitler Chancellor, Krupp hrlped finance the NAZI's “terror election” (1933). This help consolidate the NAZI hold on Germany. Krupp used his position as chairman of the RDI to expell all Jewish members. We are unsure to what extent Krupp employed Jewish workers and what actions were taken against these workers. Once firmly established in power, large corportations had no choice but ti do business with the NAZIs. Some charge tht Gustav Krupp became the most prominant NAZI advocate among German industrialists. Gustav became increasingly involved in the NAZI Government. Hitler appointed him as Chief Administrator of Mines with responsibility for the production of iron and metal. Thisxwas an agency within the Ministry for the Economy. He formaly joined the NAZI Party (1940).

NAZI Rearmament Program

Hitler launvched on a massive rearmament program. The Krupp complex was key to German rearmament and Krupp and his compny benefitted enormously from the government contrcts. .

World War II (1939-45)

Krupp arms were vital in German military victories duruing the early years of World war II. And Krupp factories began using slave labor from the occupied countrides. The NAZis offered Krupp facilities in occupied Eastern Europe. They were provided access to forced and slave labor during the war. Krupp used large number of forced/slave workers. Precice data does not exist because Alfred had company records destroyed at the end of the War. Available sources estimate that about 0.1 million slave and forced laboeers and POWs were used during the War. One sourcesuggests that 76,000 forced/slave people worked in Krupp plns as well as 21,000 POWs (mostly French, Russian, and Yugoslav). [Batty, p. 216.] Another source reports, " Acting in concert with the huge Krupp conglomerate, camp authorities established a plant owned by Weichsel Union Metallwerke close to the main camp [Auschwitz]. It employed hundreds of prisoners, including men from Auschwitz I and women from Birkenau. In the last phase of the camp's existence, women workers from this plant were transferreed to separate living quarters near the main camp." [Gutman, p. 18.] These poople labored for Krupp under often horific conditions. No one knows how many of these workers were Jews. Many people died or were seriously injured. I am unsure to what extent Krupp was a ware of the conditions these individuals worked under or even bothered to learn about. One historian claims that Krrupp officials questioned the terrible conditions, but the Company did little or nothing to assist them. [James] It was the slave labor that largely caused Krup and Krup officials to be tried at Nuremberg. [James] The Krupp corporation paid a fee to the SS for the services of these workers. Justice Jackson denounced both Gustav and his entire family, "Four generations of the Krup family have owbned and operated the great armament and munitions plants which have v=beenthe chief source of Germany;s war supplies. For iover 130 years this famikly hs been thefocus, the symbol, and the beneficuary of the most sinisterforces engaged in meanacing the peace of Europe."

Declining Health

Gustav began to suffer from old age during the War. He suffered a heart attack (1941). He was becoming senile. At this point Hitler like the Kaiser before him intervened. He issued the "Lex Krupp". It required that the ownership of the Krupp empire which was deemed vital to the war effort to pass from Bertha to their son Alfried. Gustav resigned from his position of President of the Board of Directors (1943). Gustav's health was futherv impaired by a car accident (1944). Bertha took Gustav to a family estate in the Austrian Tyrol to convalese. They remained there away from the Allied bombing until the end of the War. He suffered several additional heart attacks.

War Crimes Trial

After the War, Gustav Krupp was a primary target for the war crimes trials. Unlike World War I, there were solid grounds for trying him. He was indited on several grounds. No. Count 1) Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach was accused of using his position and influence to assist the NAZI rise to power and the consolidation of their power in Germany. Counts No 1 and 2) , Krupp was also accused of promoting preparations for war. This involved participating in economic and military planning and in preparing the NAZI plot aimed at pursuing aggresive wars. Count 3) Krupp was also accused of having authorised, directed and taken part in acts constituting war crimes. Count 4) Krupp was also accussed of crimes against humanity, in particular concerning the arbitrary employment and exploitation of human beings as manpower in undertaking wars of aggression. Despite ample evidence against him, Allied authorites decided to try Alfried and not his father. Gustav was deemed too ill and senile to stand the rigors of a trial or even to understand the proceedings at the International Military Tribunal and at the subsequent Krupp Trial held in Nuremberg (1947). Gustav Krupp died in 1950.

Alfred

Gustav's son Alfred took over the management of the Krupp complex (1943). The Allies instead of trting Gustav, tried his son Alfred. Alfred could not be blamed for hellping the NAZIs seize power and even evading the Versailles Treaty was a streach because of his age at the time. He was the manager of Krupp enterprises (1943-45) and at this time the firm used large numbers of forced and slave laborers. U.S. prosecutiors charged that he "actively sought to employ concentration-camp inmates and for that purpose built factories near the camps of Markstaedt and Auschwitz." [Time, 1960.]

Krupp Firectors

In addition to Akfred, ten other Krupp directors were also convicted for war crimes.

Release

After the trial and his conviction, Alfried retained the services of American attorney, Earl Carroll, to work for his release, Carol used three arguments. First, that Alfred held a rather junior position at the Krupp firm. Second, that under American law assets could only be forfeited if they had been acquired illegally. And this was not the case, at least with the pre-War assetts. Third, that Krupp was a victim of discrimination. His were the only assets among the Nuremberg defendants whose assetts were confiscated. The arguments were weak, especially the first one. But Cold war politics seems to have prevailed over the facts of the case and Alfred was released. After his release and the Krupp industrial complex returned to him, Alfred agreed in 1960 to pay up to $2.4 million to former Jewish slave laborers. The company returned to d=focus on heavy industry.

Sources

Batty, Peter. The House of Krupp (Dorsett Press: New York, 1966).

Gutman, Yisrael. "Auschwitz an overview," in Gutman and Berenbaum, (USHMM, 1994).

James, Harold. Krupp: A History of the Legendary German Firm.

Manchester, William. The Arms of Krupp (Prentice Hall, 1968).

Krupp & the Jews," Time (January 4, 1960).





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Created: 8:57 PM 7/25/2008
Last updated: 7:33 PM 7/4/2012