Albert Vögler | |
---|---|
Born |
Albert Vögler 8 February 1877 Essen |
Died | 14 April 1945 Herdecke |
(aged 68)
Cause of death | Suicide |
Occupation | Industrialist, politician |
Employer | Dortmunder Steel Works, Deutsch-Luxemburgische Bergwerks- und Hütten-AG mining company, Vereinigte Stahlwerke AG |
Political party | German People's Party (member, co-founder) |
Board member of | Dortmunder Chamber of Commerce, Rheinisch Westfäli coal syndicate |
Albert Vögler (8 February 1877 – 14 April 1945) was a German politician, industrialist and entrepreneur. He was a co-founder of the German People's Party, and an important executive in the munitions industry during the Second World War.
Vögler was born to Karl and Berta Vögler in Essen. He studied mechanics and engineering at high school before graduating from the university of Karlsruhe in 1901 with a degree in mechanical engineering. Between 1901 and 1910 he worked as a senior engineer at the Dortmunder Steel Works, and then became a member of the executive committee in the Deutsch-Luxemburgische Bergwerks- und Hütten-AG mining company. Upon the death in 1924 of the founder, Hugo Stinnes, Vögler became manager.
In 1918, with Gustav Stresemann, he was involved in the founding of the German People's Party (DVP) in the Weimar Republic. He criticised the policies of Joseph Wirth who signed agreements with France in accordance with Germany's submission to the French occupation of the Ruhr in 1923. In 1924 he left the DVP.
Between 1925 and 1927 he was a member of the Dortmunder Chamber of Commerce and president of the Rheinisch Westfäli coal syndicate. In 1926 he founded the Vereinigte Stahlwerke AG and was its chairman until 1935. In 1927 he also became an honorary board member of his old university in Karlsruhe.
As a business man, Vögler feared the rise of communism in Germany. Records of donations from Vögler to the Nazi Party from as early as 1931 exist. Vögler met Adolf Hitler on 11 September 1931. From 1932 Vögler openly funded the Nazi party.