Krupp Foundation takes research project on the position of Alfried Krupp to National Socialism into second phase
A multidisciplinary team of authors commences more in-depth research with kick-off workshop
The Society for Business History assumes editorship of the multi-perspective publication
Essen, 13. Dezember 2024 – The reappraisal project initiated by the Krupp Foundation in 2022 on the position of its founder Alfried Krupp to National Socialism continues: The second phase of the project has commenced, and is dedicated to in-depth research based on the results and identified sources of the first section of the project. The multidisciplinary team of eight authors discussed relevant issues as part of an initial workshop, and will focus on various main topics in the coming months to obtain as multifaceted an impression as possible of Alfried Krupp from the 1920s until his death in 1967. The goal is to produce an anthology of contributions based on multiple perspectives, also in English, to be published by the Society for Business History. A digital application is to be developed concurrently with this with the aim of conveying the topic as barrier-free and location-independent as possible, with the particular intention of reaching young target groups.
Team of authors and project
The team consists of authors with different areas of expertise in the fields of history, economic history, legal history, educational science and sociology, and is made up of Professor Dr. Manfred Grieger, Georg August University Göttingen, Professor Dr. Heiko Kleve, Witten-Herdecke University, Associate Professor Dr. Christian Marx, University of Trier/Institute for Contemporary History, Professor Dr. Louis Pahlow, Goethe University Frankfurt, Professor Dr. Eva-Maria Roelevink, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Martina Rupp, Marburg, Professor Dr. Joachim Scholtyseck, University of Bonn and Professor Dr. Dieter Ziegler, Ruhr University Bochum.
The various expertises of the authors enable a highly detailed formulation of different aspects of the life of Alfried Krupp with regard to his position on National Socialism. In their contributions, the experts take up and incorporate the existing source material as well as latest research findings to analyse and pursue various issues such as: what was the influence of his family environment on the decisions of Alfried Krupp? How did he evaluate the war? What were his scopes for action? How was he personally involved in decisions on armaments production and forced labour, and what level of personal responsibility did he bear? Why did Alfried Krupp support former fellow Landsberg prisoners in the 1950s? What image of National Socialism did he represent? How did he view his own role in the Nazi era? These and further issues will guide the detailed research.
Society for Business History
The anthology of contributions is to be published by the Society for Business History (Gesellschaft für Unternehmensgeschichte), an established academic organisation dedicated to the advancement of research into corporate history. To promote academic exchange in Germany and worldwide, the Society for Business History organises international conferences, lecture events, symposia and working groups and publishes its specialist journal “Zeitschrift für Unternehmensgeschichte” (Journal for Business History). The society has supervised corporate history studies through to publication for over 25 years, and has supported companies and foundations such as Sartorius, Miele, Hertie, the Zeppelin Foundation and the Carl Zeiss Foundation. As part of this it has gained extensive experience in reappraisal projects in connection with National Socialism.
Project chronology
In 2022, the Krupp Foundation initiated a research project in order to identify sources that could shed light on Alfried Krupp’s position on National Socialism. The source research directed by Professor Dr. Eckart Conze, Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at Philipps University Marburg and an expert on the history and impact of National Socialism, created an overview of existing project-relevant documents in national and international archives, including the Krupp Historical Archive. The project covered the period since the 1920s, and included both the position of Alfried Krupp (1907-1967) within the Weimar Republic as well as Krupp’s dealings with the Nazi past in the period of the Federal Republic. The view should go beyond the entrepreneurial activities of Alfried Krupp to consider other dimensions, for example his political positions and private statements.
The results of the research project led by Professor Conze were presented in 2023 and published on the website of the Foundation: selected contextual and in-depth research of the sources provided further insight into, among other factors, the position of Alfried Krupp to National Socialism. These concerned for example Alfried Krupp’s memberships in Nazi organisations as well as the so-called ‘Landsberghilfe’, an informal support network for Krupp’s fellow prisoners in the US American war crimes prison Landsberg, as well as aspects of ‘forced labour’. A group of renowned historians, invited by the Krupp Foundation to discuss the results of the source project, also considered it worthy to continue the project. The Foundation, on this basis, decided to continue the source research with a second project phase of in-depth analysis and research.
About Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach
Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach was born in 1907 into an industrialist family as the eldest son of Bertha and Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach. He was prepared early on for his leadership role which he assumed in 1943 as sole owner of the company. In 1945 he was arrested by US troops and placed under arrest. In 1948 he was sentenced to prison along with confiscation of his assets in the course of the Nuremberg Krupp Trial, and pardoned in 1951. He assumed management of the Krupp company again in 1953. In 1967, shortly before his death, he ordered that his private and company assets be transferred to a charitable foundation. The Foundation commenced its work in 1968 and uses the income it receives from its corporate shareholding, which now consists of 20.93%, to promote science, education, art and culture, health and sport.
Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach’s entrepreneurial activities under National Socialism have already been focused on within the context of the Nuremberg Krupp Trial and in later academic studies. To date however, there has not been a comprehensive study of his relationship to National Socialism. What did the National Socialist past mean for his work at the helm of the company? Did he reflect on his responsibility? Did he consider his actions at the time of the Foundation’s establishment? An approach to Alfried Krupp that also addresses these issues is still lacking.
About the Krupp Foundation
The non-profit Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation has been promoting people and projects in art and culture, education, science, health and sport since 1968, to date committing € 695 million for this purpose. The founder was Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach as the last sole owner of the Fried. Krupp company, whose assets were transferred to the foundation he established. As the largest shareholder of today’s thyssenkrupp AG, the Foundation uses the income it receives from its shareholding exclusively for charitable purposes. With its work, it sets accents in the development of science and higher education and also aims to contribute to international understanding and improve the education of young generations. The Foundation has been working to reappraise the history of the Krupp company and family for decades – among other activities it has initiated academic projects and publications carried out by renowned historians such as Lothar Gall and Harold James. At the Foundation’s headquarters, an exhibition in Villa Hügel provides information about the role of the Krupp company in the ‘Third Reich’ and about the person of Alfried Krupp. An app informs about the history of Krupp under National Socialism among other topics. The Krupp Historical Archive, which holds extensive material on Alfried Krupp, is accessible to all interested parties and supports scientific and other projects.
Further information and download of research project results:
www.krupp-stiftung.de/en/alfried-krupp/
Contact
Barbara Wolf
Head of Communications, Strategic Development and Transformation
Mobile: +49 (0)162 49 51 225
E-mail: wolf@krupp-stiftung.de