Friedrich Alfred Krupp

For the founder of the company, see Friedrich Krupp

Friedrich Krupp.

Friedrich Alfred Krupp, 1900.

Via Krupp on Capri

Friedrich Alfred Krupp (17 February 1854 – 22 November 1902) was a German steel manufacturer of the company Krupp.

Biography

Krupp was born in Essen, Germany. His father was Alfred Krupp. In 1887, Friedrich took over the leadership of his father's company. He married Margarethe Krupp (born Freiin von Ende). They had two daughters: Bertha and Barbara (married Tilo Freiherr von Wilmowsky).

Krupp increased and diversified the output of the Krupp Works, which he extended by the incorporation with them of other enterprises. A member of the Prussian Upper House and Council of State, he also sat in the Reichstag from 1893 to 1898.

Krupp loved the Italian island of Capri, where he often lived for some months in each year. He stayed at the hotel Quisisana and had two yachts, Maya and Puritan. His hobby was Oceanography. He met Felix Anton Dohrn and Ignazio Cerio on Capri.

On 15 November 1902 the Social Democratic magazine Vorwärts claimed in an article that Friedrich Alfred Krupp was homosexual,^[1] that he had a number of liaisons with local boys and men and that his fondest attachment was to Adolfo Schiano, an 18-year-old barber and amateur musician.^[2] A week later, on 22 November 1902, Krupp committed suicide.^[3]

In a speech at Krupp's burial, Emperor Wilhelm II attacked the Social Democratic politicians, insisting that they had lied about Krupp's sexual orientation.^[3] Krupp's heirs began a suit against Vorwärts, but soon abandoned the action.

Literature

• A. Sper, Capri und die Homosexuellen: eine psychologische Studie, Orania Verlag, Berlin s.d. ma 1903.
• Julius Meisbach, Friedrich Alfred Krupp - wie er lebte und starb, Verlag K.A.Stauff & Cie., Köln ca. 1903.
• Guido Podrecca, La tavola rotonda in Germania, Mantegazza, Roma 1919, pp. 102–109.
• Norman Douglas, Looking back: an autobiographical excursion, Harcourt, Brace and Company, New York 1933. Chapter about Dottor Salvatore Lo Bianco.
• Roger Peyrefitte, Les amours singulières, Paris 1949; L' exilé de Capri, Flammarion, Paris 1959.
• Edwin Cerio: Capri. Ein kleines Welttheater im Mittelmeer, München, 1954, pages 135-143.
• Willi Boelcke, Krupp und die Hohenzollern in Dokumenten, 1850-1918, Athenaion, Frankfurt 1970, pp. 158–162.
• William Manchester, The Arms of Krupp, 1587-1968, Little & Brown, Boston 1968.
• Humbert Kesel, Capri. Biographie einer Insel. Prestel Verlag, München 1971, pp. 264–268, ISBN 3-7913-0007-5.
• Angelo Cerino, I Krupp e la guerra come industria, Cremonese, Roma 1974, pp. 59–61.
• James Money, Capri. La storia e i suoi protagonisti [1986], Rusconi, Milano 1993, pp. 82–85, 91-96, 240-241.
• Carlo Knight, Krupp a Capri - Uno scandalo d'altri tempi (e uno dei nostri), Civita, Napoli 1989.
• Robert Aldrich, The seduction of the Mediterranean. Writing, art and the homosexual fantasy, Routledge, London and New York 1993, pp. 127–128;
• Tito Fiorani, Le dimore del mito, La Conchiglia, Capri 1996, pp. 99–106.
• Carlo Knight: Die Capri-Utopie von Krupp - L'utopia caprese di Krupp. 2002, Capri, La Conchiglia Edizioni.
• Enrico Oliari, L'omo delinquente. Scandali e delitti gay dall'Unità a Giolitti, Prospettiva editrice, Roma 2006.
• Michael Epkenhans, Ralf Stremmel (Hrsg.): Friedrich Alfred Krupp. Ein Unternehmer im Kaiserreich. Beck, München 2010, ISBN 978-3-406-60670-0.
•  "Krupp, Friedrich Alfred". New International Encyclopedia. 1905. 

References

• Who’s Who in Gay and Lesbian History from Antiquity to World War II. Routledge; London. 2002. ISBN 0-415-15983-0. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Friedrich Alfred Krupp.

• Biography at thyssenkrupp.com (German)
• Lo scandalo Krupp (Capri, 1902) e la stampa. Indice 1902-1903. Transcription from the Italian newspapers which caused the scandal to arise.