The Czechoslovak Post-Office Savings Bank in the 1930s and in Times of Nazi Occupation

Československá Poštovní spořitelna ve 30. letech a v době okupace

Jan Hájek

Acta Oeconomica Pragensia, 2007, vol. 2007, issue 7, 129-147

Abstract: The Post-Office Savings Bank of Cisleithania started work on January, 1883 with branches almost in all post-offices of the country. As a result, it became overnight the most widely spread financial institution of Cisleithania, having clients even in the most remote places. Its scope of business can be divided into three fields: 1. Aggregation deposits, mainly from small savers; 2. Check and clearing operations; 3. Government stock trading. While the operations in point 1 and 3 were identical with the operations of the post-office savings banks in other countries, the introduction of check and clearing services was a relatively revolutionary step in the world which was later followed by other countries.Right after disintegration of Austria-Hungary and creation of Czechoslovakia a new institution was established, the Czechoslovak Post-Office Savings Bank (November 1918), which was converted in 1919 into new institution: Check Post Office. Due to the resistance of other financial institutions, mainly Czech commercial banks and Saving Banks, it was not allowed to provide the savings type of services. Only in the half of 1931 was saving operations included into trade activities of this institution and its name was changed into "old" Post-Office Saving Bank.As a result of the political changes of 1938 and 1939 vast area of Czechoslovak state were lost (border areas of Czech Lands, Slovakia and the Carpathian Russia), which reduced the scope of business of the Post-Office Savings Bank in the years 1939-1941. Another decline of account was due to the large number of associations, small businesses and other organizations closed by the Protectorate authorities (until 1943). As of 1942, on the contrary, the number and, in particular, the volume of deposits was dramatically increased. This, however, was no evidence of economic prosperity, but a consequence of wartime economy and, in particular, of inflation.

Keywords: Post-Office Savings Bank; Czechoslovakia - 1930-1944 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007
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DOI: 10.18267/j.aop.185

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