ARCH-DESTROYER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 8 January 1944, Page 3

ARCH-DESTROYER

KRUPPS OF ESSEN NOW SPRAWLING IN THE DUST The register of the Merchants’ Guild of Essende refers, in 1587, to a new member, Arndt Krupe. He is the first known ancestor of the “House of Krupp,” and was a successful merchant with a property near Essen. His eldest son, Anton, married into the House of Krosen, arms manufacturers. Their huge profits appealing to him, he started a similar business, and in 1615 he obtained his first order. The Thirty Years’ War provided opportunities which he feverishly exploited. Then the arms industry virtually lapsed till 1802, when an order was given, in lieu of a subsidy, from the German Government. The general iron-works industry fluctuated; it owed subsequent prosperity to enormous coal and iron ore deposits in Essen. Two British inventions assisted, the steam engine and the use of coke in manufacture. The secret of another British invention —cast steel—was kept for fifty years. Friedrich Krupp, who died in 1826, sucked the brains of inventors to obtain the secret and he achieved partial success. To compete with Britain, he used British trade marks. NO PATRIOTISM OR HONOUR Under Alfred Krupp, the structure of the “House of Krupp” began to assume definite shape. He was himself no inventor, “It is less expensive to utilise other people’s inventions,” was his dictum. A business enthusiast, who never allowed patriotism or honour to interfere, he was given the title of “Ordnance King.” When the FrancoGerman was was imminent he endeavoured to sell guns to France. "Nothing doing,” was the answer. Germany’s victory provided a wonderful advertisement for Krupp. War, then, paid handsome dividends to arms manufacturers. Buildings and employees grew apace. Krupp successfully competed for the world market, his agents were everywhere; he wooed royalty and powerful officials with princely gifts. Fritz Krupp, according to a writer in the Melbourne “Age,” took charge in 1887. The armour plate era was beginning. A business sidelight here emerges; if the guns can pierce the armour, fortify the armour; then, the gun being insufficient, strengthen the gun. Armaments soon became obsolete. Outmoded stock was palmed on to distant countries. When Rear-Admiral Tirpitz was appointed Secretary of the Admiralty in 1897 Krupp seized the opportunity to advocate increased naval power. Under pressure the Reichstag voted 5,000,000.000 marks for naval expansion. The lust of conquest grew with the capacity to wage war. Still unsatisfied. Krupp captured the world’s armour plate market. Britain and France used the armour plate for their navies. At the battle of Jutland the irony of the situation came home to Germany; it was the man behind the armour plate who decided the issue. But the Kaiser wired Krupp “. . . The battle is, therefore, also a day of triumph for the Krupp works.” WHY GUNS? Krupp and Creusot (France) fell out over orders from Turkey, and French feeling swung towards England. Until August, 1914. Creusot had exported twenty-two thousand guns, Krupp thirty thousand. Why guns if there are no wars? The very existence of these armed camps was instrumental in starting the Great War. An inquiry held (1919) affirmed: "That the order to spare the industrial establishments in the Briey region from bombing emanated from our military authorities.” The statement is amplified: “This prohibition appears to have been due to an agreement between the opposing parties.” Neither Briey (German) nor Bruay (French) was attacked. By incessant intrigue and assiduous cultivation of influential persons, coupled with keen business instinct unalloyed by finer considerations, Krupp"s became the greatest of monopolies. Its sinister influence on commercial life cannot be computed. What did Krupp make out of the Great War? They admit to 432,000,000 1 marks. Krupp was partly dismantled m 1919, but 1933 found it standing “ready” and swearing allegiance to Hitler. Profits for 1935 are shown as 232.000,000 marks. To-day Krupp, the mighty arch-destroyer, iies sprawling in the dust.