Leven op krediet. Anton Kröller (1862-1941)

Anton Kröller (1862-1941) has largely been overlooked in Dutch corporate history. He is mostly remembered as founder of Dutch National Park ‘De Hoge Veluwe’ and as supplier of the funds for Helene Kröller-Müller’s world famous modern art collection. However, Anton Kröller, son of a modest contractor from Rotterdam, was one of the most powerful and controversial businessmen of his time. Supported by a buoyant capital market he transformed family company Wm.H. Müller & Co into a multinational operation with grain interests in Russia, Rumania and Argentina, and iron ore mines in Algeria, Sweden, Spain and France. Kröller’s trading and transport activities had a major impact on the development of Rotterdam as bulk transit port for Germany. Before and during World War I Anton Kröller was an important supplier of iron ore and grain to both Germany and the United Kingdom. During the war he also became the primary negotiator for the Dutch government on the distribution of Dutch agricultural production between neighboring warring countries. Kröller however never forgot to look after his own interests. Exceptional war profits allowed him to commission the construction by architect H.P. Berlage of the famous hunting lodge Sint Hubertus on his increasing estate on the Veluwe. After World War I Müller & Co ended up in financial distress, which brought the Rotterdamsche Bank on the brink of bankruptcy. It appeared that Kröller had misrepresented the true financial condition of his company for years. The financial scandal that followed resembles those of current times, with greedy bankers, naïve investors, and securities regulation lagging behind. Other from today however, Anton Kröller was never prosecuted.