Ferdinand Schroeter
Ferdinand Schroeter (14 March 1883 – 5 July 1959) was a Dutch industrialist and machinist who founded Schroeter Traktoren in 1902. He remained head of the company until his death and represented the main Schroeter faction during the Middenvader commissions of 1949 and 1959. Schroeter and his wife, Johanna Berendsen, were killed at their farmhouse in Stolwijk on 5 July 1959.
Ferdinand Schroeter | |
|---|---|
| Born | 14 March 1883 |
| Died | 5 July 1959 (aged 76) |
| Occupations |
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| Era | |
| Known for | Founding Schroeter Traktoren |
| Spouses |
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| Children | Merginus Schroeter |
| Family | Schroeter family |
Early life
editSchroeter was born on 14 March 1883 in Stolwijk. He worked with farm machinery from an early age and became a machinist while continuing agricultural work. His interest in mechanical systems led him to begin designing machinery for farm use.
In 1902, aged 19, Schroeter founded Schroeter Traktoren in Stolwijk. The company's first tractor was the Schedelmerg, a one-cylinder diesel model intended for smaller farms.[1]
Career
editSchroeter initially ran Schroeter Traktoren from Stolwijk. He worked directly on machinery and continued developing tractors as the company began producing other types of vehicles. As the business grew, he moved its main factory to Rotterdam in 1912. Schroeter did not move with the company and continued living at his farm in Stolwijk, travelling to Rotterdam for work.
After the First World War, he expanded production as demand for agricultural machinery increased. Schroeter Traktoren also began developing heavier vehicles and military designs during the interwar period.[2]
During the Second World War, Schroeter personally initiated the SlaPa.I project. He wanted the company to build a super-heavy tank armed with a 50 cm cannon and took a direct interest in its development. The weight of the gun required the designers to replace the original suspension design before the vehicle could be completed.[3]
After the war, disagreements over Schroeter Traktoren divided the Schroeter family. The first Middenvader Commissie was held in 1949 in an attempt to settle the dispute. The company subsequently split, with Schroeter-Traktoren West operating from Rotterdam-West. Ferdinand opposed the division and tried to prevent the rivalry between the two sides from escalating.[4]
A second Middenvader Commissie was held in 1959. Ferdinand again argued against dismantling Schroeter Traktoren and opposed proposals to remove the family's farming assets from Schroeter ownership. He argued that the company could remain intact without requiring the two sides of the family to agree on every part of its operation. The meeting ended after the Schroeters-West delegation walked out.[5][6]
Following the failed meeting, Ferdinand heard that his assassination was being discussed. He reduced unnecessary journeys to Rotterdam and spent more time at his farm, although he continued travelling when company business required it.
Personal life
editSchroeter married Anna Elisabeth Margarethe Hensiek in 1906. They had no children. Hensiek developed cancer in 1925 and died on 7 June 1927. Schroeter devoted much of his time to his work during the years after her death.
He met Johanna Berendsen in Rotterdam in 1932. They married on 6 October 1934, after which Johanna moved to his farm in Stolwijk. Their only child, Merginus Schroeter, was born in Rotterdam on 25 April 1939.
Ferdinand remained closely involved in Merginus's education despite spending much of his time at Schroeter Traktoren. As Merginus developed an interest in archaeology, Ferdinand paid for his education and did not expect him to enter the family company. Merginus occasionally accompanied his father during the family dispute but held no position at Schroeter Traktoren. At the 1959 Middenvader Commissie, he travelled with Ferdinand but remained outside the negotiations.
Death
editOn the evening of 5 July 1959, unidentified attackers entered Ferdinand's farmhouse in Stolwijk. Ferdinand was shot and killed in the main sitting room. Johanna encountered the attackers near an exterior door and was also killed. The available evidence indicated that Ferdinand had been the intended target and that Johanna was killed after encountering those responsible for the attack.
Merginus had planned to visit his parents the following morning. When he arrived at the farmhouse on 6 July, he found both of them dead.
No individual or group claimed responsibility for the killings. Suspicion centred on people associated with the Schroeters-West faction in Rotterdam-West, particularly because the attack followed the collapse of the second Middenvader Commissie and Ferdinand had been the main opponent of their proposals. People associated with that side of the dispute openly celebrated his death. Police investigated people connected to Rotterdam-West but did not obtain enough evidence to charge anyone. The identities and number of attackers were never established.
Ferdinand and Johanna were given a joint funeral in Stolwijk and were buried together at the municipal cemetery there.