Why was Nazi Germany short of Tungsten?

[phylo_roadking]

There may have been an active decision that sources via Franco's Spain were safer/more to be relied upon after war began than from halfway round the world - especially if the Allies managed to reconstitute the Economic Blockade. Otherwise Nazi Germany would have had to spend out a lot to stockpile Chinese materiel prior to the start of the war...

[T. A. Gardner]

While this resurrects an old thread, I thought it was valuable to add this:

The biggest bottleneck in German tungsten products, and tungsten carbide in particular was that Krupp held a monopoly on its manufacture through their subsidiary, Hartzmetallzentralle. Krupp only produced three grades, and no company in Germany was allowed to purchase more than one of the three except Krupp themselves.

Thus, the supply of tungsten carbide for everything outside of products made by Krupp was severely restricted even if there was no shortage of raw material available. That the Nazi government allowed Krupp to retain their monopoly was the single biggest problem with using tungsten in manufacturing in Germany.

[Carl Schwamberger]

Is there any evidence of anyone working around this restriction by manufacture of tungsten alloyed products in areas outside nazi control? ie: Machine tool or arms component factories in Spain, Italy, Switzerland... Spain had its own production of the raw Wolfram (as did Portugal) Was Krupp able to extend its control into Spanish industry as well?

[ljadw]

A good source is
''Preparing for the Next Blockade:Non-ferrous metals and the Strategic Economic Policy of the Third Reich'' (by Jonas Scherner )
Scherner refutes the general assumption that Germany was short on non-ferrous metals and that it could not sustain a long war .

[ewest89]

Wolfram was imported from Spain. Though it was neutral during the war, Spanish volunteers joined the German Army and Air Force.

[ljadw]

Against the USSR only .

[ljadw]

Wolfram was imported from Spain. Though it was neutral during the war, Spanish volunteers joined the German Army and Air Force.

Spain sold also wolfram to the Allies .

[ewest89]

Wolfram was imported from Spain. Though it was neutral during the war, Spanish volunteers joined the German Army and Air Force.

Spain sold also wolfram to the Allies .

That was not the question.

[ljadw]

The question ''why was Nazi Germany short of Tungsten '' is a loaded question , as there are no proofs for the claim that Germany (why always Nazi Germany ?) was short of Tungsten .
Besides : wolfram was imported not only from Spain .

[Peasant]

Found this snippet of info relevant to the topic:


Source: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA951103.pdf