135 Years of Rheinmetall: From WWI Artillery to Zeitenwende
Rheinmetall AG was founded in 1889 in Düsseldorf. With 135+ years of history, it is one of Germany’s oldest defence industry companies — living through two world wars, the Cold War and Europe’s post-2022 security transformation.
Timeline
| 1889 | Founded in Düsseldorf |
| 1914-1918 | WWI — guns and ammunition for the German Army |
| 1935-1945 | WWII — Panzer IV gun, 8.8cm Flak, Tiger II gun |
| 1956 | Led West German rearmament |
| 1979 | Rh 120 entered service on Leopard 2 |
| 2000s | Boxer, Puma, Lynx development |
| 2022 | Zeitenwende — rapid growth begins |
| 2023 | Expal acquisition, Hungary factory opened |
WWII Connection
Rheinmetall designed the Panzer IV’s short and long-barrel guns, the iconic 8.8cm Flak (the war’s most feared anti-tank weapon) and the Tiger II turret gun. After de-nazification, the company resumed weapons production for the Bundeswehr.
Sources
- Rheinmetall AG — Corporate History
- Ian Hogg — German Weapons of WWII
