August (1812-54) & Norbert Metz (1811–85)

The brothers Norbert and August Metz were entrepreneurs and politicians who developed the iron industry in Luxembourg from around the middle of the nineteenth century. By the 1860s, the southern part of Luxembourg was one of the main sources of iron in Europe.

They were the youngest of the nine children of Jean Metz and Anne-Marie-Justine Gérard. Their older brother Charles (1799-1853) became one of the leading politicians in Luxembourg and the first President of the Chamber of Deputies. They studied engineering and law in Paris. In 1838 they formed with Charles and Belgian investors the partnership Société Auguste Metz & Cie to run the Berbourg ironworks, which made pig iron using charcoal fuel. After 1842 they could export across the whole Zollverein customs union, and in 1845 they expanded production by building the Eich ironworks, which was the most modern iron smelter in Luxembourg. They took advantage of the region’s abundant oolitic ironstones (‘minette’), which were little used previously. Two years later they bought out their investors to make Metz & Cie a family company.

Although Norbert had interests in flour milling, tobacco manufacturing and construction, he was principally a politician. However, when August died in 1854, Norbert left politics to concentrate on the family’s ironworks. He took leases of three small ironworks. With new railways to transport coal he converted the furnaces from charcoal to coke fuel. In 1865 he opened an ironworks at Dommeldange with four blast furnaces, raising capital by establishing a joint-stock company. In 1870 he went into partnership with SA des Mines du Luxembourg et des Forges de Saarbruck, which was run by the Belgian/Luxembourgish industrialist Victor Tesch. The next year, they opened together a new smelting works at Esch-sur-Alzette. In 1879, Norbert’s son Emile (1835-1904) took a licence for the Gilchrist-Thomas process, which permitted effective steelmaking with the phosphoric ore available. They instituted the process at Eich and opened a new steelworks at Dudelange. Later, their works were merged into the steel company ARBED (Aciéries Réunies de Burbach-Eich-Dudelange).

Other members of the family managed the steelworks in successive generations, notably Norbert’s son Emile, August’s son Léon and Charles’ grandson Norbert.he brothers Norbert and August Metz were entrepreneurs and politicians who developed the iron industry in Luxembourg from around the middle of the nineteenth century. By the 1860s, the southern part of Luxembourg was one of the main sources of iron in Europe.

They were the youngest of the nine children of Jean Metz and Anne-Marie-Justine Gérard. Their older brother Charles (1799-1853) became one of the leading politicians in Luxembourg and the first President of the Chamber of Deputies. They studied engineering and law in Paris. In 1838 they formed with Charles and Belgian investors the partnership Société Auguste Metz & Cie to run the Berbourg ironworks, which made pig iron using charcoal fuel. After 1842 they could export across the whole Zollverein customs union, and in 1845 they expanded production by building the Eich ironworks, which was the most modern iron smelter in Luxembourg. They took advantage of the region’s abundant oolitic ironstones (‘minette’), which were little used previously. Two years later they bought out their investors to make Metz & Cie a family company.

Although Norbert had interests in flour milling, tobacco manufacturing and construction, he was principally a politician. However, when August died in 1854, Norbert left politics to concentrate on the family’s ironworks. He took leases of three small ironworks. With new railways to transport coal he converted the furnaces from charcoal to coke fuel. In 1865 he opened an ironworks at Dommeldange with four blast furnaces, raising capital by establishing a joint-stock company. In 1870 he went into partnership with SA des Mines du Luxembourg et des Forges de Saarbruck, which was run by the Belgian/Luxembourgish industrialist Victor Tesch. The next year, they opened together a new smelting works at Esch-sur-Alzette. In 1879, Norbert’s son Emile (1835-1904) took a licence for the Gilchrist-Thomas process, which permitted effective steelmaking with the phosphoric ore available. They instituted the process at Eich and opened a new steelworks at Dudelange. Later, their works were merged into the steel company ARBED (Aciéries Réunies de Burbach-Eich-Dudelange).

Other members of the family managed the steelworks in successive generations, notably Norbert’s son Emile, August’s son Léon and Charles’ grandson Norbert.