Krupp

You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in German. (May 2024) Click [show] for important translation instructions. View a machine-translated version of the German article. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Consider adding a topic to this template: there are already 2,145 articles in the main category, and specifying|topic= will aid in categorization. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing German Wikipedia article at [[:de:Friedrich Krupp AG]]; see its history for attribution. You may also add the template {{Translated|de|Friedrich Krupp AG}} to the talk page. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation.

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Krupp" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (June 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp

Formerly	Fried. Krupp AG (1903-1968, 1992) Friedrich Krupp GmbH (1968–1991)
Company type	Aktiengesellschaft
Industry	Conglomerate
Predecessor	Hoesch AG
Founded	1811; 213 years ago (1811) in Essen, Germany
Founder	Friedrich Krupp
Defunct	1999
Fate	Merged with Thyssen AG
Successor	ThyssenKrupp
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Steel, stainless products, automotive technologies, plant technologies, elevator systems, marine systems, shipbuilding, firearms
Owner	Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation

Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp (formerly Fried. Krupp AG and Friedrich Krupp GmbH) trading as Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century as well as Germany's premier weapons manufacturer during both world wars. It produced battleships, U-boats, tanks, howitzers, guns, utilities, and hundreds of other commodities. The company also produced steel used to build railroads in the United States and to cap the Chrysler Building.

After the Nazis seized power in Germany, Krupp supported the regime and was one of many German businesses that profited from slave labor during World War II. Upon the war's end, the head of the company, Alfried Krupp, was tried and convicted as a war criminal for employing prisoners of war, foreign civilians and concentration camp inmates under inhumane conditions in support of the Nazi war effort.^[1] Despite being sentenced to imprisonment for twelve years, he served just three and was pardoned (but not acquitted) by John J. McCloy.^[2] As a result of this pardon, all of Krupp's holdings were restored.^[2]

In the years following the Third Reich's collapse, Krupp rose once again to become one of the wealthiest companies in Europe. However, this growth did not last indefinitely. In 1967, an economic recession resulted in significant financial losses for the business. In 1992, the company went public for the first time upon merging with Hoesch AG. In 1999, it merged with Thyssen AG to form the industrial conglomerate ThyssenKrupp AG.

Controversy has not eluded the Krupp company. Being a major weapons supplier to multiple sides throughout various conflicts, it was sometimes blamed for the wars themselves or the degree of carnage that ensued.^[3][4]