In the Wilhelmine era (1871-1918) the Krupp steel company developed into Germany's largest industrial establishment and most famous armaments manufacturer. While the firm further cultivated its reputation as 'Cannon Kings', it claimed to be a leader in an entirely different area: the provision of housing. Extensively marketed through company publications, displays at international exhibitions and its Besucherpolitik (visitor policy), Krupp's housing developments in Essen generated considerable domestic and international interest. During a period when the housing question increasingly entered the political realm, high-profile individuals such as Kurt Eisner, Hannes Meyer and Alfred von Tirpitz all passionately expressed their views on Krupp's housing developments. This article assesses their historically neglected first-hand observations against the quantitative and qualitative housing achievements of the steel giant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
