About Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach
Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach was born into an industrialist family in 1907 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, in the course of the Nuremberg Krupp Trial, he was sentenced to twelve years in prison and the confiscation of his assets for "plundering" territories occupied by Germany and crimes in connection with forced labor. The court acquitted the defendant on the charges of "preparation of a war of aggression" and "conspiracy against peace". As part of a general review of the Nuremberg verdicts, John Jay McCloy, the US High Commissioner for Germany, pardoned the convicted man in 1951 and lifted the confiscation of his assets.
In 1953, Alfried Krupp took over the management of the Krupp company again. In 1967, shortly before his death, he decreed that his private and company assets be transferred to a charitable foundation. The Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation began its work in 1968 and uses the income it receives from its stake in the company, which now stands at 20.93 percent, 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 addressed in the context of the Nuremberg Krupp Trial and in later academic studies. However, there has not yet been a comprehensive study of his relationship to National Socialism. What did the National Socialist past mean for his work at the top of the company? Did he reflect on his responsibility? Did he reflect on his actions at the time the foundation was established? A biographical approach to Alfried Krupp that also addresses these questions is still lacking.
In February 2022, the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation initiated an independent academic research project under the direction of Prof. Dr. Eckart Conze to find out more about the relationship between Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach and National Socialism. The Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation sees it as its responsibility and task to once again examine the biography of its founder from the perspective of current issues as well as new research perspectives.
Research project "Alfried Krupp and National socialism" (in german)
In 2000, the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation, together with the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the University of Greifswald, established a new foundation to support the Wissenschaftskolleg: the Alfried Krupp Kolleg Greifswald Foundation. The Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation contributed a substantial part of the foundation's capital in the form of land and buildings and their furnishings worth € 15.3 million. The financial capital of € 4.1 million comes in equal parts from the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the University of Greifswald. In addition, there are annual grants from all donors and permanently secured personnel funds from the University of Greifswald.