"Excuse me, gentlemen, please wait here for a moment! Mr. von Sackendorf will be with you shortly!"
It was a sunny autumn day, and our protagonist, Zhang Hainuo, along with Hessen, found themselves in a modern yet distinctly European cultural ambiance in a reception room. However, what interested them was not the decor but the vast floor-to-ceiling windows on the north side of the meeting room. From here, they could overlook the main shipbuilding area of the Weser Shipyard, the premier shipyard in Bremen.
In late October, Germany's weather had gradually cooled down. For the shipyard workers who needed to labor outdoors, this weather was comfortable as they didn't have to endure scorching heat or freezing cold. However, Zhang Hainuo couldn't see the bustling figures of the past. There were huge shipyards and complete shipbuilding facilities, with several unfinished ships still parked on some of the shipyards. But their construction had completely stopped now!
The reason was simple: a "rainbow" had shocked the world and infuriated the Allied governments who intended to seize the powerful warships for themselves. They decided to extradite the remaining main warships of the German navy as war booty, leaving Germany with only six old battleships and some small vessels. However, this was not enough to appease their anger. Under the leadership of the British and French governments, the Allied Powers established a supervisory committee to oversee the dismantling and sale of equipment from major German factories and shipyards, as a harsh punishment for the German sailors' act of scuttling their own ships.
This news had just arrived from Paris a few days ago. Although Zhang Hainuo, like most Germans, felt angry about this, they had no power to resist under the current circumstances. After much consideration, Zhang Hainuo felt that instead of letting these valuable equipment be sold as scrap iron, it would be better to buy them and transport them back to Brazil as much as possible. At this moment, the "Brazilian nationality" of Schneider Shipyard had quite an advantage!
The Weser Shipyard in Bremen was established in 1843 and was one of the oldest shipyards in Germany. As one of the largest shipyards in Germany during World War I, it constructed battleships like the Nassau-class battleship SMS Westfalen, the Helgoland-class battleship SMS Thüringen, the König-class battleship SMS Kronprinz, and numerous light cruisers and submarines. During the war, the German Navy built 373 submarines, of which 81 came from this shipyard, including the UB-9 to UB-15 series, UC-I class, UB class, UC-II class, and UB-III class submarines. They even built three submarines each for the Swedish and Austro-Hungarian navies.
Compared to the bustling activity during the war, the shipbuilding area now seemed desolate.
After arriving at the Weser Shipyard, Zhang Hainuo learned from the German staff here that although the Allied Supervisory Committee had not yet sent commissioners to take over the equipment, the German government had issued a notice requiring all factories and shipyards to cooperate with the committee's work and not to sell machinery and equipment privately.
Ten minutes later, accompanied by two attendants, Mr. von Sackendorf, dressed in a black tailcoat, wearing a monocle, and holding a small cigar in his mouth, arrived in the meeting room. He was around 40 years old, with broad shoulders but not a sturdy physique. His slightly curled black hair was styled in the manner of Abraham Lincoln, but his once dignified face now appeared very dull.
"Apologies for keeping you waiting!"
Casually finding a seat, Sackendorf gestured for Zhang Hainuo and Hessen to sit opposite him. The long conference table, which could accommodate 20 people, now only had three occupants, giving it an empty feel.
"Pleased to meet you! Allow me to introduce myself, I am Neumann von Sackendorf, the operational manager of the Weser Shipyard and also one of the three major shareholders of the shipyard! I heard that you gentlemen are interested in cooperating with our shipyard. I don't mean to hide anything; the machines of this shipyard are soon to be seized by the British and French! Apologies, if you wish to purchase equipment, you may have to wait a while longer to buy them from them!"
Sackendorf did not seem to want to conceal the predicament facing the shipyard. His tone was casual, making it difficult to imagine that he was an operator about to lose the main equipment of his factory.
Zhang Hainuo and Hessen did not come here to listen to such depressing words. Hessen said:
"I am Lezno, and this is Mr. Linke. We have jointly invested in a shipyard in Brazil. Since we are just starting, we are currently in dire need of professional engineers and technicians for shipyard construction!"
Sackendorf said sarcastically, "Congratulations! At present, the equipment of major shipyards in Germany has been seized. Engineers and shipbuilders are all out of work. You can easily recruit a large group of them at the dock!"
This situation was well known to Zhang Hainuo and his party. However, they were not shipbuilding professionals. The quality of people recruited through advertisements varied, and even if some were impostors, it was difficult to make the right judgment. Therefore, these openly recruited people could only serve as supplements and could not become the backbone of shipyard construction and operation. In contrast, shipyards like Weser, although facing difficulties due to the seizure of machinery by the Allied Powers, had a large number of systematic and professional talents!
"I think Mr. Sackendorf may have misunderstood our intentions!" Hessen explained, "The British and French are seizing these equipment to dismantle and sell them as compensation for Germany's actions in the war, right? We will buy these equipment from the British and French. However, regarding shipbuilding engineers and technicians, we still hope to have mutually beneficial long-term cooperation with your shipyard!"
Sackendorf seemed to have some doubts, "So, your intention is to transport all the equipment of this shipyard to Brazil and then hire our professional technicians to build docks and install equipment for you. But what benefits does this bring to our Weser Shipyard?"
At this point, it was Zhang Hainuo's turn to speak:
"Mr. Sackendorf, I want to clarify first that we intend to conduct this transaction with your shipyard in the form of a joint venture! Please forgive my bluntness, but if the British and French auction off these machines, can your shipyard still retain senior engineers and skilled shipbuilders? After several years, when the Treaty of Versailles expires, if your shipyard wants to make a comeback, it will have to recruit engineers and shipbuilders again!"
Sackendorf, smoking alone, pondered for a moment, but his face showed another kind of concern.
"Are you two German-Brazilians?" he asked.
"No, we are Austrians, to be precise, Austrian supporters of Germany!"
Zhang Hainuo couldn't reveal his true identity to this shipyard operator, but Germans apparently had no animosity towards Austrians at the moment—their current resentment was directed towards the "unsportsmanlike" victorious countries like England, France, and the USA, as well as the despicable politicians who "usurped" national power.
"In that case, is your shipyard planning to retain technical talents for our shipyard?" Sackendorf still seemed puzzled—this sounded good, but it was crucial for the fate of the Weser Shipyard, so he had to be extremely cautious.
Seeing the hesitation, Hessen followed the script they had discussed earlier, "Of course, we can sign a formal cooperation agreement with the Weser Shipyard to hire engineers, technicians, and shipbuilders from your shipyard to go to Brazil for assistance in building the shipyard. As a return for providing technical assistance, we will pay your shipyard an annual labor fee of $50,000. Furthermore, some of the machinery and equipment can be returned to your shipyard at a discounted price when appropriate!"
Sackendorf neither agreed nor disagreed but continued to smoke pensively.
"The shipbuilding technology of the British is too conservative, and as far as I know, the Americans are too focused on speed and lack a rigorous attitude! Compared to them, German equipment and technology are much more practical!" Zhang Hainuo praised, "Mr. Sackendorf, you see, the six shipyards with the best reputation and strength in Germany are your shipyard and Germania in Kiel, Vulkan in Hamburg, Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, Kaiserliche Werft in Kiel, and the Imperial Shipyard in Wilhelmshaven. Our funds are limited, so we can only choose one of these six shipyards as a long-term partner! After our shipyard is established, we can further benefit both sides by producing components in Germany and assembling ship bodies in Brazil!"
Listening to these words, Sackendorf's eyes brightened suddenly. He thought for a moment, but another concern appeared on his face.
"Indeed, the situation facing the six shipyards just mentioned, including our Weser Shipyard, is extremely grim! However..." Sackendorf's face showed a smile, but it was not the end of the matter. "I don't hide it from you, the shareholders of our shipyard have been discussing overnight these days. If the British and French publicly auction off these shipbuilding machines, we will ask our Dutch allies to buy some machines to temporarily store them. As for engineers, we can send them to Dutch shipyards to work for a period of time, and as for shipbuilders, even if we lay them off now, most of them will still stay in Bremen. After this difficult period passes, we can advertise for workers again!"
This was indeed a cunning businessman, Zhang Hainuo thought. He was not refusing the offer but was expecting to gain a better negotiating position and make further demands on the price. As for his mention of Dutch allies, it was probably a ruse.
"Of course, Mr. Sackendorf's suggestion is excellent! But from what I know, the shipbuilding market in Europe has shrunk significantly after the war, and there will not be many orders in the next ten years! Even the Dutch shipyards you mentioned are probably facing challenges with insufficient orders and excess personnel!"
Zhang Hainuo bluntly pointed out these undeniable facts, then changed the subject:
"Currently, we only have a medium-sized ocean freighter on hand, which is not enough for importing equipment from Europe and conducting maritime trade. Additionally, we intend to engage in maritime trade between Europe and the Americas, so we still need at least three large ocean freighters! If Mr. Sackendorf is willing, we can allocate these orders to the Wiesel Shipyard. Surely, your shipyard will greatly benefit from these orders in the future!"
Sackendorf raised an eyebrow slightly. The order for three large ocean freighters would be eagerly sought after by any shipyard in Europe nowadays. Even if he acted only as an intermediary, he could earn a substantial profit through commissions. However, he didn't immediately agree but instead looked expectantly at Hessen and Zhang Hainuo.
Zhang Hainuo maintained this atmosphere for half a minute and exchanged glances with Hessen before saying:
"Mr. Sackendorf, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but may I ask if your shipyard has experience building oil tankers?"
"Oil tankers? Haha, certainly! Wiesel is one of the oldest shipyards in German history. How could we not have built oil tankers!"
Sackendorf's laughter didn't imply mockery of their lack of knowledge. After the laughter subsided, he made a serious proposal:
"As long as you trust us, we can immediately sign a long-term cooperation agreement! We will send specialized technical personnel from Wiesel to assist you in building shipyards in Brazil. You can confidently entrust us with the orders for ocean freighters and oil tankers. We offer competitive prices and quality assurance. How about it?"
Zhang Hainuo and Hessen exchanged smiles. Zhang Hainuo, as the spokesperson, continued the compliments:
"Mr. Sackendorf, Wiesel Shipyard's reputation is well-known throughout Europe. We have no doubt about that! However, the scale of this cooperation agreement is enormous, and we are not in a hurry to make a decision! Business is all about interests, and a deal can only be reached when both parties are satisfied. Isn't that right, Mr. Sackendorf?"
The proposal was politely declined, and Sackendorf put away his smile. However, he didn't show any signs of difficulty. He made a gesture, and his attendant immediately took out an exquisite wooden box and presented it to him. Inside were neatly arranged small cigars of finger thickness.
"These are premium cigars produced by the Brazilian Royal Cigar Manufacturer Danaman. Would you like one?"
Hessen and Zhang Hainuo did not refuse. In negotiations like this, when the other party offers fine cigars to share, it indicates an intention to continue the negotiation.
As both of them began to puff on their cigars, Sackendorf suddenly wore a puzzled smile and said:
"Since you are investing in a shipyard in Brazil, obtaining such cigars should not be difficult. Brazilian goods are currently very popular among the upper class in Germany!"
Zhang Hainuo understood his implication. With elegance, he said, cigarette in hand, "As long as Mr. Sackendorf enjoys them, we will prepare a batch of fine Brazilian goods for you on each of our ships sailing from Brazil to Germany in the future!"
Sackendorf neither accepted nor refused but instead lowered his head to ponder for a few minutes before making a new proposal:
"Here's the deal: if you order ships from us, we can offer you a ten percent discount on the market price! As for personnel and equipment, we will send specialized technical personnel to Brazil to assist you in building shipyards. Regarding labor costs, for a dry dock capable of building ten-thousand-ton cargo ships, we will only charge... $30,000!"
Before returning to Germany, Zhang Hainuo had learned from Schneider and von Baen about the approximate costs of investing in shipyard facilities in Brazil: a dry dock capable of building five-thousand-ton cargo ships would cost $30,000 to $40,000, while one for eight-thousand-ton ships would cost about $80,000. Although no shipyard in Brazil currently had a dry dock capable of building ten-thousand-ton ships, based on this proportion, $150,000 was a reasonable estimate. Purchasing German shipyard machinery from England and France would likely be below market price, and the equipment for a large dry dock might not even cost $100,000. Even with the $30,000 labor fee demanded by Wiesel, it would still be well within their budget.
"Mr. Sackendorf, is this your sincerity?" Hessen neither expressed dissatisfaction with any specific price nor displayed enthusiasm, just calmly asked.
Sackendorf didn't panic. His merchant nature prompted him to argue, "Since it's assistance provided by our Wiesel Shipyard, naturally, it will be top-notch in Europe! Such conditions, I'm afraid there won't be anything more favorable in all of Europe!"
"Mr. Sackendorf, let me reveal something: in the next three years, we plan to invest in two ten-thousand-ton dry docks, one eight-thousand-ton dock, and two five-thousand-ton docks, plus several docks below two thousand tons. The total value of such a large purchase, Mr. Sackendorf should be well aware of. The reason we didn't invite cooperation from the six largest shipyards in Germany is not only to avoid cutthroat competition but also because we have full confidence in the reputation and strength of your shipyard!"
Zhang Hainuo's casual compliment once again pleased the German shipyard owner and shareholder in front of him. He spent a few minutes reconsidering the matter before finally gritting his teeth and saying:
"Ten-thousand-ton dry dock for $25,000, eight-thousand-ton for $20,000, and five-thousand-ton for $15,000. As for docks below two thousand tons, our shipyard won't charge anything!"
This offer exceeded their expectations. However, Zhang Hainuo knew that at present, these German shipyards were in urgent need of funds. Therefore, this wasn't Sackendorf's final bottom line.
"All right, that's settled. But there's one more thing I must address," Sackendorf said without hesitation.
"Please go ahead," Zhang Hainuo responded.
"The exchange rate of the mark to the dollar has been rising steadily recently, and the trend for the future is quite apparent. If we settle our transactions in dollars, Mr. Sackendorf stands to gain substantial additional profits!"
This statement struck at the heart of Sackendorf's concerns. The reason he was willing to continuously lower prices was that all their discussions had been in dollars. No matter how much the mark depreciated in the future, as long as these transactions were settled in dollars, Wiesel Shipyard would be guaranteed profits!
After a moment of silence, Sackendorf's expression suddenly relaxed. He looked at the cigars in his hand and said, "I wonder what Mr. Linke means..."
"In fact, our plan for investing in this shipyard primarily focuses on building civilian freighters. However, as the scale gradually expands, we also intend to venture into the military sector!" Zhang Hainuo carefully observed the reaction of the other party while speaking.
Sackendorf was momentarily stunned but quickly regained his composure. He calmly said, "Mr. Linke and Mr. Lesno certainly have keen insight! In the shipbuilding industry, military vessels indeed offer the highest profits! However, if I may be frank, military vessels require much higher technical standards than ordinary civilian ships. Without a certain level of technical expertise and talent accumulation, venturing into this area could pose considerable risks!"
"That's for sure!" Zhang Hainuo agreed. Although not an expert, he understood that there were significant differences in the construction of military vessels compared to civilian ones. A boiler for a regular freighter could be sourced from various shipyards or boiler manufacturers without much difference between German, British, or American products. However, the equipment on military vessels was predetermined during the design phase. While similar specifications could sometimes be substituted during construction, extreme caution was required, as any mistake could seriously affect the vessel's performance.
The simplest example was naval guns. Without reserved modification space beforehand, engineers of any country would be reluctant to make such a risky move after the hull was completed.
"So we only plan to build small ships like coastal defense gunboats, torpedo boats, minesweepers, and patrol vessels! In fact, the financial resources of South American countries are limited, and their navies can only focus on light vessels. They can't engage in large-scale warfare, but they are sufficient for combating smuggling and piracy! Currently, the Brazilian Navy orders ships under 500 tons from domestic shipyards, while destroyers and above are ordered from the UK and the US. What we are considering is these orders under 500 tons. Even if we can secure five or six such orders every year, it will still significantly improve the shipyard's revenue. Mr. Sekendorf, what do you think?"
"Um, yes!"
Sekendorf seemed to be still pondering something, so his response was somewhat absent-minded.
Seeing this, Zhang Hainuo tentatively continued, "It's a pity that the Brazilian Navy hardly allocates budget for more than two destroyers a year now. Otherwise, I could introduce Mr. Sekendorf to some major orders!"
Sekendorf's expression showed a hint of disappointment. "Yes, it is indeed regrettable! During the war, we built a large number of excellent quality warships, which was widely recognized in the naval community. But now, with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, our machinery and equipment are also being dismantled. We probably won't have many opportunities to build large warships in the future!"
"Mr. Sekendorf, you're being a bit too pessimistic. As long as we retain the expertise in shipbuilding, isn't it possible that when Germany is free from the constraints of the Treaty of Versailles, we can purchase equipment and build military vessels again?"
Zhang Hainuo calculated that while building large warships was tempting, Schneider Shipyard did not have the capability or confidence for that. During World War I, the cost of building a battleship like the Elizabeth-class battleship would amount to tens of millions of dollars in today's currency. Not to mention whether Schneider Shipyard could come up with such funds, constructing such a battleship would undoubtedly attract strong attention from countries like the UK and the US, which contradicted Zhang Hainuo's original intentions.
Considering the continued development of the shipyard, Zhang Hainuo's plan involved aligning technical research with economics as much as possible: not only could cargo ships and light vessels be sold, but even submarines with relatively inferior performance could be sold to South American countries. The market was there; even if they didn't sell, shipyards in the UK and the US would still sell second-rate or even third-rate submarines to them. Although the total demand for submarines in South American countries might not yet reach double digits, the political influence was not negligible as a form of investment.
"Mr. Sekendorf, there's no need to be too pessimistic. Once our shipyard's influence in Brazil expands, we will certainly establish good relations with senior officials. Once the Brazilian government plans to order large warships, we will definitely advocate for our partners!"
Zhang Hainuo emphasized the term "partners," subtly suggesting a deeper collaboration. However, looking at the historical development, Brazil had just ordered the Minas Gerais-class and Rio de Janeiro-class battleships from the UK before World War I. Although the Rio de Janeiro-class, known as the "Temple of Multiple Turrets," was abandoned due to Brazil's internal financial crisis, the two battleships of the Minas Gerais-class—Minas Gerais and São Paulo—served until the 1950s. During this period, Brazil only built a few destroyers and even borrowed a batch of destroyers from the US before and after World War II. Therefore, Sekendorf basically had no chance of receiving major orders from the Brazilian government.
However, for this shipyard owner and major shareholder, who was endlessly eager for shipbuilding orders, unaware of the future developments, after much consideration, he finally promised:
"We can stipulate the transfer of equipment related to light military vessels in the cooperation agreement, including torpedo boats, minesweepers, coastal defense gunboats, and patrol vessels!"
Although submarines, which Zhang Hainuo desired most, were not included, he was well aware that haste makes waste. From a cautious perspective, their priority now was to establish a cooperative relationship with this German shipyard. As for submarines, as long as they established a long-term partnership with Weiser Shipyard, opportunities would not be difficult to find in the future.
After reaching a preliminary agreement, Sekendorf warmly hosted an internal dinner for Zhang Hainuo and Hessen, attended by senior management personnel of the shipyard. Obviously, this potential deal worth over a million dollars made everyone respectful towards these two "Austrian tycoons" and regarded them as the most popular figures of the shipyard for the year.
In the following days, both parties began negotiating the specific details of their cooperation. To demonstrate their strength, Sekendorf generously sent a five-member expert team to accompany them on a tour of the shipyard's design office, component production assembly line, and shipbuilding area, providing detailed explanations of the construction process of various ships. In Zhang Hainuo's eyes, although this large German shipyard had not achieved standardization, its complete shipbuilding facilities indicated a considerable annual shipbuilding capacity.
In comparison, Schneider Shipyard was almost blank in this regard. The only advantage was that the industrial land prices in Brazil were relatively cheap. The land area approved by the Salvador City Government this time amounted to 80 hectares. Moreover, Heydwood assured Zhang Hainuo that as long as the scale of the shipyard continued to expand, the vacant land nearby would be prioritized for them.
"Dr. Martin, can I ask you a somewhat personal question?"
Having just finished visiting Dry Dock No. 1, the oldest historical dry dock of Weiser Shipyard, Zhang Hainuo intentionally lagged behind with Dr. Martin Zilge, a member of the expert team who accompanied them throughout the visit, while Hessen walked ahead with the other attendees from the shipyard.
"Of course!"
Dr. Martin Zilge, a shipbuilding expert who had just turned fifty and had only a few strands of hair left, readily accepted the inquiry, demonstrating his sharp intellect.
Zhang Hainuo had already learned from other accompanying experts that Martin was recruited from a shipyard in Hamburg by Weiser Shipyard before the war. He was an expert in ship propulsion systems, particularly knowledgeable in diesel engines. He had participated in the design and construction of several batches of torpedo boats and submarines ordered by the German Navy during the war. With the end of the war, the German Navy canceled all previous orders, and Martin returned to civilian shipbuilding departments.
Upon hearing that he was a talent in diesel engines, Zhang Hainuo's eyes lit up. It was almost a crime to let such an expert be buried in the civilian department of steamships. Hence, he began contemplating how to poach this doctor.
"Many people believe that large ships are the realm of coal and heavy oil boilers, and diesel engines are only suitable for use on small vessels such as torpedo boats and submarines. Do you share this view?"
Martin apparently didn't anticipate that Zhang Hainuo's so-called "personal question" would be a topic he was deeply interested in. He effortlessly delved into numerous professional aspects without much thought. However, considering that the person in front of him was merely a businessman intending to collaborate with Weisel, he kept his response brief:
"In terms of current technology, diesel engines tend to have large volumes and produce severe vibrations during high-power operations, which can affect the accuracy of artillery. In fact, we once attempted to use diesel-powered engines on two newly built battleships during the war, but these attempts ultimately failed. However, the advantages of diesel engines in terms of fuel consumption are also evident. Ships using diesel engines can achieve much greater endurance than those using heavy oil and coal, even with the same fuel weight!"
Seeing Dr. Martin's serious expression, Zhang Hainuo decided to further relax his guard.
"Can't these two complement each other? Doctor, what I mean is, can't we install both heavy oil boilers and diesel engines on a warship intended for long-range operations? This way, we can use the diesel engines for cruising and switch to heavy oil boilers for combat, ensuring both endurance and providing a certain maximum speed!"
Martin pondered for a moment. "In theory, that's feasible, but it depends on reducing the volume of high-power diesel engines to a certain extent, a feat not achievable with current diesel engine technology. Perhaps in 10 years, the technology might progress to that point, but it might also take 30 years!"
"So, Dr. Martin, are you planning to dedicate yourself to research in this area in the future?"
Martin hesitated for a moment, then shook his head helplessly. "As you've seen, the cargo ships newly built by shipyards currently use traditional coal-fired boilers because they are cheaper than heavy oil boilers and diesel engines! During the war, in order to support the construction of torpedo boats and torpedo ships, the shipyards organized a diesel engine research department. However, once the war ended, everyone was reassigned to their original positions! Besides, it won't be long before the machinery here is dismantled by the British, and the shipyard will become an empty shell!"
"What a pity!"
Zhang Hainuo shook his head sympathetically. But if it weren't for this situation, he would have little room to recruit talent from the shipyard in this area.
Over the next few days, Zhang Hainuo occasionally engaged Martin in conversation, mostly related to the development of diesel engines. Although Zhang Hainuo wasn't an expert in this field, he still had some understanding of the future development of naval propulsion systems, which was enough to pique the interest of Martin, a diesel engine expert. Eventually, he quietly informed Martin that he was planning to establish a dedicated diesel engine research department at the shipyard in Brazil and actively introduce talent and technology from Germany.
Martin didn't say much, and Zhang Hainuo didn't immediately extend an invitation to him. Instead, he casually mentioned the stable political situation and low consumption levels in Brazil, where the economy and industry were rapidly developing. He also mentioned that more and more German immigrants were moving to Brazil nowadays. After mentioning that Schneider Shipyard had already obtained several permanent residency quotas from the Brazilian government and that experts like Martin could quickly arrange immigration procedures for their entire families, Zhang Hainuo was delighted to see Martin beginning to waver!
Just before the supervisory commissioners sent by the Allied Powers arrived, Zhang Hainuo and Weisel Shipyard finally reached a comprehensive cooperation agreement in various aspects. With the multimillion-dollar project within reach, the executives of Secken Dorf naturally wouldn't refuse Zhang Hainuo's small additional condition: allowing Dr. Martin to work at Schneider Shipyard as a "technical expert" for an extended period.
Two weeks later, supervisory commissioners sent by England and France arrived to seal the factory equipment, oversee demolition, and conduct auctions. After inspecting the factory's machinery, they immediately announced plans for demolition and auction: equipment from over ten German shipyards, including Weisel Shipyard, as well as German arms factories represented by Krupp, would be dismantled. The auctions were open to all foreign companies and would be conducted on-site as the dismantling progressed.
In the eyes of the public, such actions by England and France were shamelessly audacious, akin to a band of robbers breaking into someone's home, dismantling their belongings, and shamelessly auctioning them off on the spot. Such absurdity could probably only be carried out by the British and the French!
Although Zhang Hainuo also held disdain for the Allied Powers, this undoubtedly provided Schneider Shipyard with an excellent opportunity to enhance its strength. Apart from shipbuilding equipment, Zhang Hainuo also instructed Hessen to explore the possibility of purchasing Krupp's arms production lines from the Thyssen Industrial Zone. Unfortunately, the Allied Powers were cautious about military manufacturing equipment and preferred to sell these items as scrap rather than sell complete sets of machines, including critical equipment, to an unfamiliar Brazilian shipyard.
Ultimately, with the help of Secken Dorf and internal personnel from the shipyard, Zhang Hainuo managed to purchase more than a third of Weisel's machinery at a price far below market value. The rest was bought by shipyards from the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway.
As for the Bremen-Weisel Shipyard, after encountering this heavy blow, it did not sink. After the withdrawal of personnel from the Allied Supervisory Committee, they reorganized the shipyard. Shortly after, they used reserve funds and loans to purchase new equipment. With orders for three ocean freighters and three tankers from Brazilian Schneider Shipyard as an opportunity, they gradually restored their previous shipbuilding capabilities and resumed the construction of various types of military vessels by the late 1920s.
Similarly, after a period of silence, Krupp, which faced similar circumstances to Weisel, established new companies, set up new factories, bought new coal mines, and mainly sold its products to the Soviet Union. Later, at the request of the German General Staff, the Krupp family secretly participated in Germany's rearmament. In 1926, they produced the first batch of armored vehicles and resumed cannon production two years later.