He helped to shape the original internal markets of the European Coal and Steel Community, and was a philanthropist known for his celebration of the arts, sciences, and nature.

In the following months the Freikorps was ordered to put down Bolshevik insurrections, including in Halle, Magdeburg, Brunswick, Gotha, Erfurt and Eisenach.

Specializing in agricultural products, particularly grain, and his company grew globally with trade to the United States, Canada, and Soviet Union.

During the 1950s, he opened branch offices in the original six members of the European Coal and Steel Community, helping shape the internal markets of the infant trade zone.

From 1926 Toepfer began to support youth development projects guided by the idea of national renewal after years of demoralization following the defeat of World War I.

Founded in 1931, the Alfred Toepfer Foundation became a primary vehicle of his philanthropy promoting the concept of European unity as well as the arts, sciences, and nature conservation.

[2] However, he financially supported individuals, objectives, and organisations within the National Socialist system through his businesses and foundations,[2] moving currency through exchanges in New York City, Amsterdam, London, and Liechtenstein while avoiding regulations.

His extensive real estate portfolio throughout Germany and surrounding countries served to host leading Nazis, including Rudolf Hess, Paul Minke, Odilo Globocnik, Friedrich Rainer, Franz Hueber, Werner Best, Werner Lorenz, Franz Wehofsich, Konrad Henlein, and Hans Friedrich Blunck, while serving as cadres and bases for operations.

His brother Ernst Toepfer was a U.S. citizen, and operated the New York branch of Alfred's business while being involved with pro-Nazi organisations in the country.

Toepfer had contacts with French separatists such as Hermann Bickler and Olier Mordrel, whom he already knew from before the war, and would serve to help undermine resistance groups.

Toepfer, a captain by July 1942, joined the economics unit with the military commanders in France, which would employ his market expertise using him as an agent.

"[2] Toepfer aided Hartmann Lauterbacher's escape to Argentina through a letter of recommendation in 1950, and financed the legal defence of Werner Lorenz at his tribunal.

He offered employment to Hermann Bickler to help him escape the death penalty, and Edmund Veesenmayer and Hans-Joachim Riecke worked at his companies well into the 1970s.

[5] Toepfer once said “after the terrible World Wars with the enormous sacrifices of human life and material loss, I am committed to European unity, the promotion of peace, general welfare and to cultural development.”