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

Notes

  1. Bernd-Ulrich Hergemöller, Mann für Mann, page 449
  2. Robert Aldrich, The Seduction of the Mediterranean, page 127
  3. 3.0 3.1 Willi Boelcke, Krupp und die Hohenzollern in Dokumenten 1850-1918. Frankfurt 1970. pages 158-162

References

External links

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