The Bavarian State Bank () was a German government-owned bank, initially founded in 1780 and merged into

Bayerische Vereinsbank The ''Bayerische Vereinsbank'' () was a German bank founded in 1869 in Munich. It developed into one of the largest regional banks in Germany, before merging in 1998 with Bayerische Hypotheken- und Wechsel-Bank (also known as Hypo-Bank) to form ...

in 1971.

Overview

In 1780, Margrave Alexander of Brandenburg-Ansbach, inspired by the example of the Prussian Royal Bank in

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

, founded the ''Hochfürstlich-Brandenburg-Anspach-Bayreuthische Hofbanco'' () in

Ansbach Ansbach ( , ; ) is a city in the Germany, German state of Bavaria. It is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk, administrative region of Mittelfranken, Middle Franconia. Ansbach is southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the river Fränk ...

, using a small amount of 15,000 guilders as operating capital. The margrave resorted to this plan for economic reasons, as he wanted to avoid the fees charged by the foreign banks and access the aid funds provided by England for his soldier trade. The

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

between

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

and

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

had led England to conclude contracts with German counts and request troops from them in exchange for aid funds. In 1792, the

Principality of Ansbach The Principality or Margraviate of (Brandenburg) Ansbach ( or ) was a principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Franconian city of Ansbach. The ruling Hohenzollern princes of the land were known as margraves, as their ancestors were ...

was taken over by Prussia and the bank was renamed . In 1806, Ansbach became part of Bavaria and the bank became , then as its seat was relocated to

Nuremberg Nuremberg (, ; ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the Franconia#Towns and cities, largest city in Franconia, the List of cities in Bavaria by population, second-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Bav ...

in 1807. It opened operations in

Würzburg Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is, after Nuremberg and Fürth, the Franconia#Towns and cities, third-largest city in Franconia located in the north of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. It sp ...

in 1835, then in

Augsburg Augsburg ( , ; ; ) is a city in the Bavaria, Bavarian part of Swabia, Germany, around west of the Bavarian capital Munich. It is a College town, university town and the regional seat of the Swabia (administrative region), Swabia with a well ...

and Munich in 1875, the latter known as the Royal Subsidiary Bank (). The end of the monarchy in Bavaria in 1918 saw the renaming of the bank to Bavarian State Bank. It was eventually acquired by the Vereinsbank in 1971. In late 2023, a luxury

Rosewood Rosewood is any of a number of richly hued hardwoods, often brownish with darker veining, but found in other colours. It is hard, tough, strong, and dense. True rosewoods come from trees of the genus '' Dalbergia'', but other woods are often ca ...

hotel opened in the former building of the State Bank in Munich, including the adjacent 18th-century which the bank had purchased in 1898. File:Zeichnung - Nürnberg - Lorenzer Platz - Wilder - 1837.jpg, Former ''Heilsbronner Hof'' on Lorenzer Platz in Nuremberg, seat of the Royal Bank from 1807 (pictured in 1837) File:Nuernberg-Ehemalige-Koenigliche-Bayerische-Staatsbank-Bankgasse-9-ZI-1103-01-01-363130.jpg, Building erected for the Royal Bank on the same location in the later 19th century File:Heimatministerium.jpg, Bavarian State Bank head office on the same location, designed after World War II by

Sep Ruf Sep Ruf (full name Franz Joseph Ruf; 9 March 1908, in Munich – 29 July 1982, in Munich) was a German architect and designer strongly associated with the Bauhaus group. He was one of the representatives of modern architecture in Germany af ...

and repurposed in the 2010s for the File:Würzburg, Hofstraße 13, 001.jpg, Royal Bank branch in Würzburg, Hofstrasse 13 File:Bankgebäude in München, Architekten Alb. Schmidt, Kgl. Professor München, Tafel 30, Kick Jahrgang II.jpg, Building of the Royal Subsidiary Bank (later State Bank) in Munich, in 1898 File:Mueprannerstr2022018c85.jpg, Palais Neuhaus-Preysing, purchased by the bank as headquarters extension in 1898 File:Bahnhofstraße 11 Augsburg pano.jpg, Bavarian Royal Bank subsidiary building in Augsburg, inaugurated 1899

Leadership

* 1780–1792: Wilhelm Friedrich von Benkendorff * 1792–1806:

Karl August von Hardenberg Karl August Fürst von Hardenberg (31 May 1750, in Essenrode- Lehre – 26 November 1822, in Genoa) was a Prussian statesman and Chief Minister of Prussia. While during his late career he acquiesced to reactionary policies, earlier in his care ...

* 1806–1819: Johann Georg von Kracker * 1819–1839: Johann Georg Eberhard Faber * 1839–1845: Johann Philipp Siess * 1845–1851: Christian Friedrich Heinrich Lentz * 1851–1861: Johann Gottfried Christian von Mayer * 1861–1862: * 1862–1878: Christian von Pfeufer * 1878–1898: Ferdinand von Landgraf * 1898–1909: * 1909–1915: * 1915–1919: Franz von Coluzzi * 1919–1928: * 1928–1934: * 1934–1942: * 1942–1945: * 1945–1954: * 1954–1964: Alfred Jamin * 1964–1971: Rudolf Eberhard

References

Defunct banks of Germany Banks established in 1780 18th-century establishments in Bavaria 1780 establishments in the Holy Roman Empire {{bank-stub

Overview

Leadership

See also

References