Robert de Wendel

Adrien Charles Joseph Robert de Wendel d'Hayange (9 May 1847 – 27 August 1903), often known as Robert de Wendel, was a French steelmaker, heir of a long line of Lorraine industrialists. He and his brother Henri ran several large steelworks in Lorraine. From 1898 until his accidental death in 1903 he was president of the Comité des forges, the French steelmakers' association. Early years The de Wendel family can be traced back to Jean Wendel of Bruges, who married Marie de Wanderve around 1600. His descendants in the male line mostly pursued military careers. Jean's descendant Jean-Martin Wendel (1665–1737) purchased the factories of Le Comte in Hayange, Lorraine, in 1704. This was the foundation of the family's industrial operations. He was ennobled as Jean-Martin de Wendel in 1727 by Leopold, Duke of Lorraine. He was followed by eight generations of steelmakers. Adrien Charles Joseph Robert de Wendel d'Hayange was born on 9 May 1847 in Souhey. He was the second son of Alexis Charles de Wendel d'Hayange (1809–1870) and Jeanne Marie de Pechpeyrou-Comminges de Guitaut. His father was a deputy for Moselle under Napoleon III. His elder brother was Paul François Henri de Wendel (1844–1906) and his younger sister was Marie Louise Caroline de Wendel (1851–1939).