MTL - The War Court and Lap Pillow, Austria’s Mandate of Heaven-v3 Chapter 58 The grievances between Krupp and Austria
Bismarck raised his teacup, smiled and did not answer.
There are legends that Bismarck participated in the Prussian mission as a private soldier, and made a big speech at the Vienna Peace Conference (1839, Turkey-Egypt War), claiming to surpass Metternich.
Many people took it as a joke, or as a self-marketing tactic by the farmer, but Alfred Krupp believed that this young man had this energy.
He has seen countless people in his life, whether they are arrogant Viennese purchasers, greedy British officials, or even those self-righteous Frenchmen, they are not even qualified to carry shoes in front of this young man in front of him.
At this moment, Alfred Krupp seemed to suddenly think of something again, so he continued.
"You say the Austrians are poaching talent? What kind of talent is that?"
Bismarck listened, nodded, took a sip of tea and said.
"Aren't you?"
Alfred Krupp smiled after hearing this, and sighed in his heart that he had seen the right person, so he also took a sip of tea.
"The Austrians did offer me an olive branch and were willing to spend money."
In fact, Franz's idea of recruiting Krupp is purely taken for granted. To be precise, it is the inherent impression. Originally, the idea of building an arsenal in the Tyrol area was brewing in his mind, and he happened to think of this famous artillery king in later generations.
So he slapped his head and decided to let people buy guns and artillery. Obviously, this is difficult for Krupp, who has been making farm tools and tableware.
He who had never done any investigation had no idea that the entire workforce of Krupp Steel was only 67 people at this time, and the people in charge of soliciting work and purchasing visits even asked for 3,000 rifled guns and 20 cannons at a time. Thinking that this was an act of deliberate provocation and humiliation, the first meeting between the two parties ended in an atmosphere of discord.
When Franz learned the truth, he regretted secretly and immediately changed his strategy. He planned to recruit him to his banner with the promise of "the person in charge of the steel project", but he was severely rejected by the other party in the name of patriotism.
This has to mention the unreliable negative impression left by the Austrians on Alfred Krupp. When he first took over his father's business, there were only 5 smelters and 2 blacksmiths under his command, and the business of the factory could barely keep up with everyone.
Krupp's economic situation is very bad. All his properties include a semi-closed factory, a house worth 750 thalers, a cow, and a few pigs.
Alfred Krupp wrote in his diary:
"If even one of the cauldrons was broken, or overturned, we would go bankrupt and even sleep on the streets. I had to be a secretary, a letter writer, a cashier, a craftsman, a smelter, a coker, and a night watchman...and all I did was Let the family have a full meal...”
So Alfred Krupp has developed an extraordinary talent for sales since he was a child. When he travels, he always brings some homemade tableware with him, because a professional purchaser can see important information about materials and workmanship from these simple tools.
However, once in Vienna, he hit a wall. Almost all the buyers he met there thought his kitchen utensils were not exquisite enough, so they would not place an order for farm tools to his factory.
Unwilling to fail, Alfred Krupp gritted his teeth and found an engraver to carve exquisite patterns for his tableware.
When he met the buyers again, they scolded them in a mocking countryman's tone: "It's not tableware at all, but a fragile work of art!"
Obviously, the other party who thinks highly of himself doesn't take himself, a poor boy from Yin, into his eyes at all. In the end Alfred Krupp could only leave Vienna in dismay.
Then, in 1840, he got another opportunity to cooperate with the Imperial Mint in Vienna. The Imperial Mint needed a new rolling mill, and after negotiation between the two parties, the price was set at 20,000 florins.
Historically, due to its own poor economic situation, such things as defaulting on payment have happened from time to time even in the heart of the empire. Although the economic situation has improved in this life, the old problems of the Austrian officials have not been eradicated.
In all fairness, 20,000 florins may not hurt the Austrian Empire, which is thriving at this time, but it is an unacceptable loss for Krupp, who is anxiously waiting for the payment.
If the matter only ended here, it might not leave an unforgettable memory on Alfred, but the goddess of luck suddenly made a joke; just when a special person in Vienna was about to pay for the goods, the rolling machine broke down. Lost.
The enraged mint official then demanded Krupp's damages and even threatened to put him in prison.
Desperate, Alfred's family had to chip in and pay 100,000 florins to the Austrian Imperial Mint to redeem it.
After everything returned to normal, Alfred Krupp finally received the belated payment from the Austrians, but what he got was 20,000 Austrian expected banknotes.
This transaction almost removed the Krupp Steel Company from the world, so since then his hatred for the country of Austria has become stronger and stronger.
However, these series of accidents were not planned by Franz at all. After all, he was not insidious enough to harm a legitimate steel merchant.
And if he had to do it, Franz would do it more thoroughly, so that he would never have a chance to stand up.
"Not only you, but also many professors, soldiers, and businessmen in the German Confederation have been invited, and there is even a high school student named Helmholtz. The Austrians offered him a scholarship of 2,000 florins a year, And took his family to Vienna."
This kind of groundless solicitation quickly aroused Bismarck's interest. After investigation, he discovered a terrible fact, that is, those recruited by Austria will make some amazing achievements shortly after arriving in Austria. It made him more confident in his judgment.
"A scholarship of 2,000 florins? Every year?" Alfred Krupp seemed a little unbelievable~www.novelbuddy.com~The 2,000 florins at that time was definitely a huge sum of money, equivalent to a soldier's salary for 20 years , 700,000-800,000 in later generations.
"That's right, five times that of the University of Berlin."
In fact, the so-called scholarships in most universities during this period were nothing more than the reduction of some tuition and miscellaneous fees, as well as a little living allowance, usually no more than five pounds per year.
For particularly outstanding students, the school will provide or introduce jobs to help him. For example: The famous Sir Newton completed his studies at Cambridge University through work-study programs.
"Then how is he now? Helmholtz? I haven't heard any rumors about this person."
"I haven't heard of any amazing discoveries or deeds he made, but he was invited by the Royal Society of Vienna as a student. Even if there is, we have no way of knowing. You should know how much you want to join this society. Disaster."
After hearing this, Alfred Krupp couldn't help but gasped.
