Commerzbank's History Commerzbank's History

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1946 to 1969

1947/48The military governments in the Allied zone decentralise the big banks, and the former Commerzbank now consists of nine branch groups with no clear legal status, supervised by official administrators.
1949In Berlin, Bankhaus Holbeck KG, the forerunner of Berliner Commerzbank AG, starts operating.
1951Commerzbank branch group acquires stake in ADIG Allgemeine Deutsche Investment Gesellschaft mbH, Munich.
1952Legislation passed on 29 March on areas in which banks were allowed to establish branches permits establishment of three successor bodies:
  • Bankverein Westdeutschland AG (as of 1956 Commerzbank-Bankverein AG), Düsseldorf
  • Commerz- und Disconto-Bank AG, Hamburg
  • Commerz- und Credit-Bank AG, Frankfurt am Main
The Commerzbank group is active in establishing the export credit company Ausfuhr-Kredit AG (AKA), now the AKA Ausfuhrkredit-Gesellschaft mbH.
1952/55First post-war foreign representative offices opened in Amsterdam, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro.
1956The Bank für Teilzahlungskredit (BTK) GmbH is founded as a subsidiary in Düsseldorf.
1958Düsseldorf branch of the three post-war institutions takes over the other two on 30 June to form Commerzbank AG. On 31 December, the bank's balance-sheet total amounts to DM5.6bn, and its equity capital DM253 million.
1959The big banks step up retail business and offer small-scale loans to the public in general, initially up to DM2,000 for a maximum period of 24 months.
1962Commerzbank is listed on the London Stock Exchange, the bank's first listing abroad.
1964A 15% stake acquired in the holding company Société Financière pour les Pays d'Outre Mer (SFOM), which is active in Africa.
1965Commerzbank has over a million customers.
Employee shares offered for the first time.
1967First group accounts drawn up, with a balance-sheet total of DM13.9bn and equity capital of DM605m.
Commerzbank is one of the founder members of the International Commercial Bank Ltd. in London, it opens a representative office in New York and acquires a share in Korea Exchange Bank, Seoul.
1967/68Opens 175 domestic outlets, a record number.
1968In agreement with the rest of the banking sector, Commerzbank introduces a cheque guarantee card, and the euro-cheque is born.
Stakes acquired in Rifbank in Beirut and Banco de Investimento do Brasil in Rio de Janeiro.
1969Commerz- und Industrie-Leasing GmbH (CIL) and Commerzbank Fonds-Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH (Cofo) founded in Düsseldorf (industrial leasing and fund management companies).
Commerzbank International S.A. (CISAL) established in Luxembourg.
Co-founder of the Commercial Bank of Dubai.

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