English Translation

A. D i e S p a r k a s s e n . I. The situation in the creation of the Protectorate. When the Protectorates of Bohemia and Moravia were established in March 1939, a strong activity was shown from the beginning, namely the private banks of the old Reichsgebiet and the Ostmark, around which with the Czech institutes partly. For decades there has been a need to deepen business relations, to maintain a stronger involvement in them and to secure a decisive influence. The German cooperatives were also keen to bring the various groups of cooperatives in the Protectorate closer to the Reich and to strengthen the position of the already important cooperative sector. Of course, the Deutsche Reichsbank also soon took decisive influence on the design of the monetary and credit system in general. On the other hand, a closer contact between the Reichsdeutsche Sparkassenorganisation and the Protectorate Savings Banks took place relatively late. When I put these remarks at the beginning of my report, I am doing so in the context of an internal discussion, because, out of these circumstances, there are a number of difficulties that are now and probably also in the future opposed to the activation of savings bank work in the Protectorate. In any event, it cannot be forgotten that cooperatives in particular are seeking to achieve or maintain an undeniable advantage vis-à-vis savings banks in particular, based on their strong support for the people of the Czech Republic at the time. They point out that they did not accept Jews as members; above all, they also held personal, good contact with the competent authorities at a very early stage. Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to begin by saying that the interest expressed by President Dr Heintze and President Dr Gugelmeier in their participation and their speeches on the Sparkassentag, which was held in Prague on May 2, 194l, has already been expressed.