thyssenkrupp came into being in 1999 when the corporations Thyssen and Krupp merged and today has become the second largest arms manufacturer in Germany with an annual income in 2016 of 1.92 billion US dollars on arms sales alone.₁ Already long before the merger, the two companies had long histories in the weapons trade.₂ For example, in 2018 it emerged that Krupp had sold the Ottoman Armed Forces cannons during period of the Armenian Genocide.₃ During WWI both companies supplied the German Army, with the mortar “Dicke Berta” produced by Krupp especially well known.₄ Later in the time of National Socialism Krupp in particular took part in the rearmament of Germany by providing the regime with e.g. railway guns.₅
 
Today, besides the company’s steel concerns, thyssenkrupp specializes in the production of weapons, especially warships. The subsidiary thyssenkrupp Marine System (TKMS) manufactures ships and submarines for the German Navy as well as for export,₆ and two of TKMS’s recent deals, the sale of submarines to Israel₇ and to Egypt,₈ have attracted particular public concern. Part of the criticism of the Israel deal was sparked by the boats’ ability to fire nuclear-armed cruise missiles, making these submarines a potential nuclear “second strike” weapon.₉ The sales to Egypt have also come in for criticism because of that country’s role in the conflict in Yemen, through its close alliance with Saudi Arabia and the Saudi-led coalition.₁₀
 
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