Product Description

For the first time in Trade Paperback the massive, compelling book in which William Manchester brings to life Europe's richest, most powerful family, a 400-year dynasty that armed Germany in three major wars. Their cannon won the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. In 1871 they invented the first anti-aircraft gun to shoot down observation balloons. In WWI their mammoth weapons shelled Paris at a range of 81 miles. For 40 years they manufactured submarines, beginning with the U-1 that menaced Allied shipping. In 1940 their cannon actually shelled England from across the channel. The Krupps armed the forces of the Kaiser and financed Hitler's 'Terror Election' of 1933. Hitler honoured their loyalty by decreeing special tax exemptions that continued to bind a post-war West Germany. The Krupps even survived a Nuremberg conviction to become the dynamo behind the 'Common Market'.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #282007 in Books
• Published on: 2003-08-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 992 pages

Review
** 'A colorful, extremely readable account. To be the biographer of Krupp is to write the history of modern Germany.' - NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

About the Author
William Manchester is professor of History Emeritus at Wesleyan University. His biography of Winston Churchill, The Last Lion, is considered definitive.

Customer Reviews

Krupp - William Manchester
A surprisingly vivid and well written account of one of recent history's more fascinating and influential families. Obviously well researched and balanced, yet never falls into the trap of being dry or dull.

How the manufacturing family influenced the shape of Germany
This is an excellent description of a family, noted for their involvement with the steel industry and especially the manufacturer of arms. They struggle with Germany's economy and influence Germany's foreign policy covering about 400 years between 1587 and 1968.

It looks like a lengthy volume however it is over just as you are getting started. A side benefit is the technical information added helps you imagine what is like to design and sell the arms.

In some cases arms were almost given away for a cause. At other times they mercenarily sold arms to may conflicting countries on both sides. This story parallels other books on history and makes the world seem that it is made up of people not just historical facts. Speaking of historical facts, one of the things I like to do is to read books that become movies and movies that are novelized. This would have to be a mini-series.

Notice that in the book; interestingly enough William Manchester mentions that George Bernard Shaw actually based a play on the Krupp family, "Major Barbara" which consequently was made into a movie with windy Hiller in 1941.

Fantastic Business History
This is a fantastic history of the 'rise & fall' of the Krupp steel company.

The book runs to over 800 pages, and describes the development of the firm under each of the Krupp 'Kanonkoningen'. The close analysis of the use of enforced labour during WW2 is particularly insightful. A little more background and financial detail concerning the collapse of the firm would have been helpful.

Highly recommended to students of the steel industry, Germany in the 19th & 20th Century or business history in general.