Kilian von Steiner
Encyclopedia
Kilian von Steiner was a German
bank
er and industrialist
.
Born in Laupheim
as the eighth child of Jewish merchant
Viktor Steiner and his wife Sophie, Kilian Steiner spent his youth in the small Upper Swabia
n town. The family on his father's side had been residents in Laupheim since approximately 1750.
He attended secondary school
in Ulm
and Stuttgart
, after which he went on to go to university to study history
, philosophy
and law
at the universities of Tübingen and Heidelberg
. After graduating in 1859, he settled as a solicitor in Heilbronn
where he met and became a life-long friend of economist
Gustav Schmoller
.
Together with political friends, one of whom was Gustav Siegle, Steiner was one of the founding members of the National Liberal Party
in 1865, a party committed to the so-called Kleindeutsche Lösung (Lesser German Solution) and to the unifying policy of Otto von Bismarck
.
Steiner was among the most prominent members of economic life in 19th century Germany. He was involved in the founding of several banks inside and outside of the kingdom of Württemberg
.
In 1869 he was one of the co-founders of the Württembergische Vereinsbank, one of the forerunners of the Deutsche Bank
. He was also one of the founders of BASF
in 1873, WMF
in Geislingen an der Steige
in 1880 and the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft
in Untertürkheim in 1890. During this period, Kilian Steiner was also instrumental in the foundation of several lesser well-known industrial ventures.
In 1876 Kilian von Steiner was awarded a doctorate
in law.
Steiner was also a prominent patron of the arts and, through his efforts and financial contributions, ensured the founding of the Schiller National Museum
in Marbach
and the Swabian Schiller Federation in 1890.
In 1891, Steiner became honorary citizen of Bad Niedernau
.
He bought Großlaupheim Castle together with all its lands from his siblings in 1894 and had the castle's interior modernised so that it could be inhabited with all the conveniences of the time. The castle became a focal point for meetings with his friends from the spheres of literature, economics and the arts.
By receiving the Order of the Crown
from king William II of Württemberg
in 1895 Steiner was ennobled. Shortly afterwards he retired from public life.
Kilian von Steiner died in Stuttgart in 1903.
In 1987 a bust of Kilian von Steiner was unveiled in the rose garden at Castle Großlaupheim. In the same year the local vocational school was named after Kilian von Steiner.
A special room dedicated to Kilian von Steiner was opened in the Museum of the History of Christians and Jews in Laupheim in 1998.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
er and industrialist
Business magnate
A business magnate, sometimes referred to as a capitalist, czar, mogul, tycoon, baron, oligarch, or industrialist, is an informal term used to refer to an entrepreneur who has reached prominence and derived a notable amount of wealth from a particular industry .-Etymology:The word magnate itself...
.
Born in Laupheim
Laupheim
Laupheim is a city in southern Germany in the state of Baden Württemberg. Laupheim was first mentioned in 778 and gained its city rights in 1869. One of the main trading routes, from Ulm to Ravensburg and then on towards Lake Constance ran through Laupheim...
as the eighth child of Jewish merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
Viktor Steiner and his wife Sophie, Kilian Steiner spent his youth in the small Upper Swabia
Upper Swabia
Upper Swabia is a region in Germany in the federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. The name refers to the area between the Swabian Alb, Lake Constance and the Lech...
n town. The family on his father's side had been residents in Laupheim since approximately 1750.
He attended secondary school
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
in Ulm
Ulm
Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and...
and Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, after which he went on to go to university to study history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at the universities of Tübingen and Heidelberg
Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg
The Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg is a public research university located in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386, it is the oldest university in Germany and was the third university established in the Holy Roman Empire. Heidelberg has been a coeducational institution...
. After graduating in 1859, he settled as a solicitor in Heilbronn
Heilbronn
Heilbronn is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is completely surrounded by Heilbronn County and with approximately 123.000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state....
where he met and became a life-long friend of economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
Gustav Schmoller
Gustav von Schmoller
Gustav von Schmoller was the leader of the "younger" German historical school of economics.-Life:Schmoller was born in Heilbronn. His father was a Württemberg civil servant. Young Schmoller studied Staatswissenschaften at the University of Tübingen...
.
Together with political friends, one of whom was Gustav Siegle, Steiner was one of the founding members of the National Liberal Party
National Liberal Party (Germany)
The National Liberal Party was a German political party which flourished between 1867 and 1918. It was formed by Prussian liberals who put aside their differences with Bismarck over domestic policy due to their support for his highly successful foreign policy, which resulted in the unification of...
in 1865, a party committed to the so-called Kleindeutsche Lösung (Lesser German Solution) and to the unifying policy of Otto von Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
.
Steiner was among the most prominent members of economic life in 19th century Germany. He was involved in the founding of several banks inside and outside of the kingdom of Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
.
In 1869 he was one of the co-founders of the Württembergische Vereinsbank, one of the forerunners of the Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank AG is a global financial service company with its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. It employs more than 100,000 people in over 70 countries, and has a large presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific and the emerging markets...
. He was also one of the founders of BASF
BASF
BASF SE is the largest chemical company in the world and is headquartered in Germany. BASF originally stood for Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik . Today, the four letters are a registered trademark and the company is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange, and Zurich Stock...
in 1873, WMF
Württembergische Metallwaren Fabrik
WMF is a tableware manufacturer, founded in 1853 in Geislingen an der Steige, Germany, by the miller Daniel Straub and the brothers Schweizer.-History:...
in Geislingen an der Steige
Geislingen an der Steige
Geislingen an der Steige is a town in the district of Göppingen in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany.-History:Although the area had settlements since the Bronze Age, Geislingen was founded by the counts of Helfenstein as a transit collection station on the important commercial route between the...
in 1880 and the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft
Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft
Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft was a German engine and later automobile manufacturer, in operation from 1890 until 1926. Founded by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, it was based first in Cannstatt...
in Untertürkheim in 1890. During this period, Kilian Steiner was also instrumental in the foundation of several lesser well-known industrial ventures.
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in law.
Steiner was also a prominent patron of the arts and, through his efforts and financial contributions, ensured the founding of the Schiller National Museum
Friedrich Schiller
Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life , Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe...
in Marbach
Marbach am Neckar
Marbach am Neckar is a town on the river Neckar in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The nearest larger cities are Ludwigsburg and Stuttgart ....
and the Swabian Schiller Federation in 1890.
In 1891, Steiner became honorary citizen of Bad Niedernau
Rottenburg am Neckar
Rottenburg am Neckar is a medium-sized town in the administrative district of Tübingen in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It rests about 50 km southwest of the provincial capital Stuttgart and about 12 km southwest of the district town Tübingen...
.
He bought Großlaupheim Castle together with all its lands from his siblings in 1894 and had the castle's interior modernised so that it could be inhabited with all the conveniences of the time. The castle became a focal point for meetings with his friends from the spheres of literature, economics and the arts.
By receiving the Order of the Crown
Order of the Crown (Württemberg)
The Order of the Württemberg Crown was an order of chivalry in Württemberg.-History:First established in 1702 as the St.-Hubertus-Jagdorden , in 1807 it was renamed the "Ritterorden vom Goldenen Adler" by Frederick I, and on 23 September 1818 renewed and restructured by William I as the "Order of...
from king William II of Württemberg
William II of Württemberg
William II was the fourth King of Württemberg, from 6 October 1891 until the abolition of the kingdom on 30 November 1918...
in 1895 Steiner was ennobled. Shortly afterwards he retired from public life.
Kilian von Steiner died in Stuttgart in 1903.
In 1987 a bust of Kilian von Steiner was unveiled in the rose garden at Castle Großlaupheim. In the same year the local vocational school was named after Kilian von Steiner.
A special room dedicated to Kilian von Steiner was opened in the Museum of the History of Christians and Jews in Laupheim in 1998.