Deutsche Bank - Reconstruction

Reconstruction

1946 - 1957

In 1945, after 75 years in business, Deutsche Bank stood on the verge of ruin.

Deutsche Bank Cologne branch in 1945

The postwar period proved to be the toughest in its history. The occupying forces either nationalized all banks - as happened in the Soviet zone, for example - or allowed them to remain in operation on a very modest scale at regional level. In 1947-48, Deutsche Bank was broken up into ten banks, thereby briefly reviving at least the names of banks that had disappeared in mergers many years before. Banking under the name "Deutsche Bank" was henceforth forbidden.

Postwar logos of Deutsche Bank's successor institutions

It soon became clear that this state of affairs could not be sustained. Following the formation of the Federal Republic ("West Germany", as it was commonly called), the bank was able to regroup in two stages, chiefly thanks to the efforts of Hermann Josef Abs. In 1952 an interim solution was reached, with Rheinisch-Westfälische Bank being set up in Düsseldorf, Süddeutsche Bank in Frankfurt and Munich, and Norddeutsche Bank in Hamburg. In 1957 the three merged to form Deutsche Bank once again.

1946-47
The American military government (OMGUS) investigates Deutsche Bank

1947-48
In the Western zones of occupation, Deutsche Bank is split into ten autonomous institutions

1949
In Berlin, Berliner Disconto Bank AG is established as successor institution to Deutsche Bank

1952
The ten successor institutions are combined to form three joint-stock companies: Norddeutsche Bank AG, Hamburg, Rheinisch-Westfälische Bank AG, Düsseldorf, and Süddeutsche Bank AG, Munich and Frankfurt

1957
Merger of the three institutions to form Deutsche Bank AG, a joint-stock company having its registered office in Frankfurt

Corporate Social Responsibility

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History of our Logo

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