Post WWI Belgian Royals at Carnegie Steel Mill Factory Photo

Item Details

Albert I & Elisabeth embarked on a 51 day visit to the United States late in 1919 as a reminder of the country’s alliance and fundraising tour for reconstruction. Known as the soldier king and nurse queen, the royals were known for their humanitarian work and specifically asked first to see a steel mill floor while in Pittsburgh; then asked to see the workers amenities.

 

The floor at Duquesne Works ran continuously for over a year and a half, with armed guards patrolling the grounds to ensure it’s smooth operation for the war effort. Much of that efficiency was due to the man seen here touring the king and queen, A.N. (Ambrose Newton) Diehl.

 

As a chemical engineer, Diehl was responsible for dozens of patents retroactively called the “Duquesne Revolution” that set new industry standards for gas management systems and blast furnaces. And by this time was Assistant General Superintendent of Duquesne Works (ultimately rising to VP of Carnegie’s parent company U.S. Steel).

 

NYT article documents the visit as October 23, 1919 and speculates that the other attendants were a mix of the Belgian touring party and Duquesne Works officials. This was presumably a very limited release photograph with little record in archive.

 

Significant damage to margins (interferes with edges of photo but not subject) and mount to 16.25 x 20” board as original. Obvious glue residue.

 

Early Military Industrial Complex, factory and government intertwined, evidence. Historically important.