This is a list of German companies by employees in 1907. The largest 127 companies of the German Empire in 1907 accounted for 7.8 percent of all employees in the German Empire; excluding railways and state-owned enterprises the share was only 3.6 percent. This compares to corresponding percentage shares of 8.2 respectively 4.6 for the United Kingdom at the same time. The largest German companies were predominantly in the heavy industries (mining, coal, iron, iron ore, steel and metals), accounting for 38.7 percent of all employees and the transport and communication sector (railways, postal service, shipping), accounting for 45.4 percent of all employees. State-owned enterprises such as the state railways companies, the postal administration, the Prussian state mines, military workshops and the Imperial shipyards are dominant among the very largest companies.[1]
The list is based on Wardley (1999), who compiled data from three different sources: the work of Kocka and Siegrist (1979) and Fiedler (1999) on German companies in 1907, and the work of Kunz (1990) on Prussian state-owned enterprises in 1913. Given the shortage of historical employment data some employment numbers are only estimates and some companies might be missing from this list. Employment numbers are including all subsidiaries as long as the parent company is the majority shareholder, that is, holds more than 50 percent of the stock. Employee numbers are not including those employed in foreign subsidiaries. The only two companies in 1907 with large foreign subsidiaries were Siemens with 19.9 percent of the workforce employed abroad (8,542 employees) and Mannesmann with 34 percent of the workforce employed abroad (2,680 employees). With the de Wendel'sche Berg-und Hüttenwerke the list also includes the German subsidiary of the French de Wendel group. Originally this establishment was located in France, but became part of the German empire with the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine in 1871.[2]
| Rank | Company | Employees | Industry | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Preußische Staatseisenbahnen | 486,318 | Railway | Fiedler |
| 2. | Deutsche Reichspost | 277,116 | Postal administration | Fiedler |
| 3. | Preußische Berg-, Hütten-und Salinenverwaltung (English: Prussian state mines) | 180,000 (1913 data) | Mining | Kunz |
| 4. | Friedrich Krupp | 64,354 | Mining and steel | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 5. | Bayerische Staatseisenbahn | 55,295 | Railway | Fiedler |
| 6. | Sächsische Staatseisenbahn | 40,000 | Railway | Fiedler |
| 7. | Siemens (Siemens & Halske and Siemens-Schuckert) | 34,324 | Electrical engineering | Fiedler |
| 8. | Elsass-Lothringen Reichseisenbahn | 32,545 | Railway | Fiedler |
| 9. | Phoenix AG für Bergbau und Hüttenbetrieb | 32,000 | Mining and steel | Fiedler |
| 10. | Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-AG | 31,261 | Mining and steel | Fiedler |
| 11. | Allgemeine Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft | 30,667 | Electrical engineering | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 12. | Preußische Rüstungswerkstätten (English: Prussian military workshops) | 30,000(1913 data) | Mechanical engineering | Kunz |
| 13. | Kaiserliche Werften | 27,000(1913 data) | Shipbuilding | Kunz |
| 14. | Harpener Bergbau | 26,317 | Mining | Fiedler |
| 15. | Badische Staatseisenbahnen | 25,709 | Railway | Fiedler |
| 16. | Norddeutscher Lloyd | 25,000 | Shipping | Fiedler |
| 17. | Vereinigte Königs- und Laurahütte | 24,885 | Mining and metals | Fiedler |
| 18. | Gutehoffnungshütte | 21,657 | Mining and steel | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 19. | Mansfeld'sche Kupferschiefer-bauende Gewerkschaft | 21,283 | Mining and metals | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 20. | Württembergische Staatseisenbahnen | 20,234 | Railway | Fiedler |
| 21. | Bergwerksgesellschaft Hibernia | 19,109 | Mining | Fiedler |
| 22. | Gewerkschaft Deutscher Kaiser | 18,931 | Mining and steel | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 23. | Gebrüder Stumm GmbH | 17,000 | Steel | Fiedler |
| 24. | Hamburg-Amerika Linie | 17,000 | Shipping | Fiedler |
| 25. | von Giesche Erben Bergwerksgesellschaft | 13,291 | Mining | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 26. | de Wendel'sche Berg-und Hüttenwerke | 12,500 | Mining and steel | Fiedler |
| 27. | Hohenlohe-Werke | 12,367 | Mining and steel | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 28. | Kattowitzer AG für Bergbau und Hüttenbetrieb | 12,218 | Mining and steel | Fiedler |
| 29. | Bochumer Verein | 12,173 | Mining and steel | Fiedler |
| 30. | Felten & Guilleaume | 11,848 | Electrical engineering | Fiedler |
| 31. | Dortmunder Union | 11,605 | Mining and steel | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 32. | Oberschlesische Eisenbahnbedarf | 11,500 | Mining and steel | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 33. | Deutsch-Luxemburgische Bergwerks- und Hütten-AG | 11,038 | Mining and steel | Fiedler |
| 34. | Ludwig Loewe & Company | 11,000 | Mechanical engineering | Fiedler |
| 35. | Vereinigte Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg | 10,908 | Mechanical engineering | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 36. | Große Berliner Straßenbahn | 10,391 | Public transport | Fiedler |
| 37. | Borsig | 10,000 | Rail vehicles | Fiedler |
| 38. | Elsässische Maschinenbau-Gesellschaft Grafenstaden | 10,000 | Mechanical engineering | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 39. | Schichau-Werke | 10,000 | Shipbuilding | Fiedler |
| 40. | Schlesische AG für Bergbau und Zinkhütten | 10,000 | Mining and metals | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 41. | Eschweiler Bergwerksverein | 9,648 | Mining and steel | Fiedler |
| 42. | Oberschlesische Eisenindustrie | 9,500 | Metals | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 43. | Rheinische Stahlwerke | 9,435 | Mining and steel | Fiedler |
| 44. | Rheinpreußen Gewerkschaft | 9,277 | Mining | Fiedler |
| 45. | Hoesch Eisen-und Stahlwerk | 9,183 | Mining and steel | Fiedler |
| 46. | Gräflich Henckel von Donnersmarckische Verwaltung | 9,122 | Metals | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 47. | Badische Anilin-& Soda-Fabrik | 8,877 | Chemicals | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 48. | Fürstlich Pless'sche Kohlenbergwerke | 8,560 | Mining | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 49. | Donnersmarckhütte | 8,000 | Mining and steel | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 50. | Henschel | 8,000 | Rail vehicles | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 51. | Norddeutsche Wollkämmerei | 8,000 | Textiles | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 52. | Röchling'sche Eisen-und Stahlwerke | 8,000 | Steel | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 53. | Villeroy & Boch | 8,000 | Ceramics | Fiedler |
| 54. | Farbenfabriken Bayer | 7,811 | Chemicals | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 55. | Mathias Stinnes | 7,700 | Mining | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 56. | Bismarckhütte | 7,505 | Steel | Fiedler |
| 57. | Georgs-Marien-Bergwerks- und Hüttenverein | 7,296 | Mining and steel | Fiedler |
| 58. | Rombacher Hüttenwerke | 7,120 | Steel | Fiedler |
| 59. | Schalker Gruben- und Hüttenverein | 7,091 | Steel | Fiedler |
| 60. | Stettiner Maschinenbau Vulkan | 6,748 | Shipyard | Fiedler |
| 61. | Ewald bei Herten Gewerkschaft | 6,500 | Mining | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 62. | Kaiserliche Werft Kiel | 6,500 | Shipbuilding | Fiedler |
| 63. | Thyssen & Co. | 6,489 | Mechanical engineering | Fiedler |
| 64. | Arenbergische AG für Bergwerk und Hüttenbetrieb | 6,292 | Steel | Fiedler |
| 65. | Consolidation Bergwerks AG | 6,000 | Mining | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 66. | Hoechster Farbwerke | 6,000 | Chemicals | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 67. | Zollverein Gewerkschaft | 5,958 | Mining | Fiedler |
| 68. | Gerresheimer Glashüttenwerk | 5,800 | Glass | Fiedler |
| 69. | Preußische Bergwerksdirektion Recklinghausen | 5,745 | Mining | Fiedler |
| 70. | Concordia Bergbau | 5,741 | Mining | Fiedler |
| 71. | Constantin der Große Verein Gewerkschaft | 5,583 | Mining | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 72. | Leop. Engelhardt & Biermann Cigarettenfabrik | 5,523 | Tobacco | Fiedler |
| 73. | Ilseder Hütte | 5,400 | Steel | Fiedler |
| 74. | Deutsch-Österreichische Mannesmannröhren-Werke AG | 5,200 | Steel | Fiedler |
| 75. | Continental-Caoutchouc-Companie | 5,185 | Rubber | Fiedler |
| 76. | König Ludwig Gewerkschaft | 5,157 | Mining | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 77. | Graf von Ballestremische Güterverwaltung | 5,000 | Mining | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 78. | Gräflich Schaffgotschische Werke GmbH | 5,000 | Mining | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 79. | Mülheimer Bergwerksverein | 4,933 | Mining | Fiedler |
| 80. | Julius Pintsch AG | 4,918 | Mechanical Engineering | Fiedler |
| 81. | Essener Steinkohlenbergwerke | 4,840 | Mining | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 82. | Eisenhüttenwerke Thale | 4,795 | Steel | Fiedler |
| 83. | Lothringer Hüttenverein Aumetz-Friede | 4,700 | Steel | Fiedler |
| 84. | Blohm + Voss | 4,630 | Shipbuilding | Fiedler |
| 85. | Breslauer AG für Eisenbau-Wagenbau | 4,600 | Rail vehicles | Fiedler |
| 86. | Gewerkschaft des Steinkohlenbergwerks Neumühl | 4,600 | Mining | Fiedler |
| 87. | Strassen-Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft Hamburg | 4,500 | Public Transport | Fiedler |
| 88. | Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik | 4,500 | Metalware | Fiedler |
| 89. | Deutsche Bank | 4,439 | Banking | Fiedler |
| 90. | Buderus'sche Eisenwerke | 4,400 | Steel | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 91. | Vereinigte Gummiwaaren-Fabrik | 4,320 | Rubber | Fiedler |
| 92. | Oberschlesische Kokswerke & Chemische Fabrik | 4,259 | Coal products and chemicals | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 93. | Graf Bismarck Gewerkschaft | 4,234 | Mining | Fiedler |
| 94. | Riebeck'sche Montanwerke | 4,104 | Chemicals | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 95. | Friedrich der Große Gewerkschaft | 4,076 | Mining | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 96. | Aktien-Gesellschaft Weser | 4,059 | Shipbuilding | Fiedler |
| 97. | AG für Bergbau-, Blei-und Zinkfabrikation | 4,025 | Metals | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 98. | Bergmann Elektricitäts-Werke | 4,000 | Electrical engineering | Fiedler |
| 99. | Chemische Fabrik Griesheim-Elektron | 4,000 | Chemicals | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 100. | Deutsche Gasglühlicht (Auer-Gesellschaft) | 4,000 | Electrical engineering | Fiedler |
| 101. | Luxemburger Bergwerk und Saarbrückener Eisenhütte | 4,000 | Steel | Fiedler |
| 102. | Rheinische Metallwaren-und Maschinenfabrik | 4,000 | Mechanical engineering | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 103. | Sächsische Maschinenfabrik | 4,000 | Mechanical engineering | Fiedler |
| 104. | Königsborn AG für Bergbau | 3,927 | Mining | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 105. | Lauchhammer AG | 3,774 | Steel | Fiedler |
| 106. | Saar-und Mosel Bergwerks Gesellschaft | 3,758 | Mining | Fiedler |
| 107. | Hannoversche Maschinenbau AG | 3,744 | Mechanical engineering | Fiedler |
| 108. | Dortmunder Steinkohlebergwerk Louise Tiefbau | 3,724 | Mining | Fiedler |
| 109. | Orenstein & Koppel | 3,700 | Mechanical engineering | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 110. | Bergwerksgesellschaft Dahlbusch | 3,600 | Mining | Fiedler |
| 111. | Maschinenfabrik Gritzner | 3,595 | Mechanical engineering | Fiedler |
| 112. | Gasmotorenfabrik Deutz | 3,470 | Mechanical engineering | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 113. | Maschinenbauanstalt Humboldt | 3,470 | Mechanical engineering | Fiedler |
| 114. | Essener Bergwerksverein König Wilhelm | 3,277 | Mining | Fiedler |
| 115. | Zeche Königin Elisabeth | 3,150 | Mining | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 116. | Berlin Anhaltische Maschinenbau | 3,117 | Mechanical engineering | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 117. | Deutsche Reichsbank | 3,084 | Banking | Fiedler |
| 118. | Adlerwerke vormals Heinrich Kleyer | 3,000 | Mechanical engineering | Fiedler |
| 119. | Berliner Maschinenbau Schwartzkopff | 3,000 | Rail vehicles | Fiedler |
| 120. | Kammgarnspinnerei Stöhr | 3,000 | Textiles | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 121. | Gewerkschaft Lothringen | 3,000 | Mining | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 122. | Gewerkschaft Mont Cenis | 2,978 | Mining | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 123. | Saar- und Mosel-Bergwerks-Gesellschaft | 2,933 | Mining | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 124. | Gebrüder Körting | 2,800 | Mechanical engineering | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 125. | Gewerkschaft Vereinigte Helene & Amalie | 2,598 | Mining | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 126. | Gebrüder Stollwerck | 2,500 | Food | Kocka & Siegrist |
| 127. | Portland-Cement-Fabrik AG Heidelberg | 2,500 | Cement | Kocka & Siegrist |
. Jürgen Kocka. Hannes Siegrist . Die hundert größten deutschen Industrieunternehmen im späten 19. und frühen 20. Jahrhundert: Expansion, Diversifikation und Integration im internationalen Vergleich. Horn, Norbert and Jürgen Kocka. Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht. Göttingen. 1979. Recht und Entwicklung der Großunternehmen 1820 - 1920. 55 - 122. 3-525-35992-6. German.