Rheinmetall Publishes Stories from 125 Years of Company History

German technology group Rheinmetall, celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2014, released a collection of narratives detailing the company's extensive history. Founded in Düsseldorf in 1889, Rheinmetall is one of Germany's oldest publicly traded companies, with a history closely mirroring broader political and social developments in Germany.

Historian Dr. Christian Leitzbach conducted extensive research, uncovering unique and lesser-known episodes from Rheinmetall's past. The published stories delve into various periods of the company's evolution, highlighting events outside the typical historical accounts.

These accounts include anecdotes such as the company's unusual efforts to secure a major ammunition order from Turkey before World War I and the recollections of a former conscript laborer who found solace in painting during his captivity. The narratives aim to provide a human perspective on the company's journey.

Further stories detail a trip made by employees of Chinese car manufacturer FAW in the early 1990s to learn about carburetor production at the Pierburg plant. The collection is chronologically organized according to distinct formative periods of Rheinmetall's history and features illustrations by graphic artist Dirk Oberländer.