The German Way: Life in Austria, Germany, Switzerland

GERMAN BANKS AND MONEY: PART 1: > PART 2

Top Banks in Austria, Germany, Switzerland

With all the financial turmoil in recent months and years, it has become increasingly difficult to keep up with the rankings of the world’s banks. Big European and German banks have not been immune to the world credit crisis precipitated by the 2007 U.S. mortgage disaster. Some once highly ranked German banks no longer exist! And everyone has been discovering how closely intertwined the US, European, Asian, and other world financial institutions really are.

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NOTE: The recent financial turmoil throughout the world did not spare Germany. Our German bank rankings were delayed in expectation of more calm conditions. As of 2010 (fiscal year 2009), we have resumed our annual rankings. Many banks, including several in Germany, did not survive the crisis that began in 2007. The German government was forced to bail out Hypo Real Estate. Dresdner Bank, once Germany’s second largest, was absorbed by Commerzbank in 2009.

2009
The top 15 financial institutions in GERMANY -
   Bank (headquarters city, assets in euros):

  1. Deutsche Bank (Frankfurt a.M., 1.5 billion)
  2. Commerzbank* (Frankfurt a.M., 844 million)
  3. Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (Stuttgart,
    412 million)
  4. KfW Bankgruppe (Frankfurt a.M., 400 million)
  5. DZ Bank (Frankfurt a.M., 489 million)
  6. Uni Creditbank** (Munich, 363 million)
  7. Hypo Real Estate*** (HRE, Munich, 359 million)
  8. BayernLB (Munich, 339 million)
  9. WestLB (Düsseldorf, 242 million)
  10. NORD/LB (Hanover, 239 million)
  11. Postbank (Bonn, 205 million)
  12. HSH Nordbank (Hamburg/Kiel, 175 million)
  13. Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen (Frankfurt a.M./Erfurt, 170 million)
  14. NRW Bank (Düsseldorf/Münster, 161 million)
  15. Landesbank Berlin Holding (Berlin, 144 million)

*In May 2009 Dresdner Bank, then Germany's second largest, was merged into Commerzbank and the Dresdner Bank name disappeared in 2010.
**Formerly Hypovereinsbank
***Hypo Real Estate had to be bailed out by the German government in 2009; it is now state-owned.
Rankings and figures are for fiscal year 2009.
Source: Süddeutsche Zeitung (12 Sept., 2010)

2003
The top 15 financial institutions in AUSTRIA (A), GERMANY (D), SWITZERLAND (CH) (with world rank for 2003):

According to The Wall Street Journal’s “Global Giants” listings of Sept. 27, 2004, Germany’s Allianz financial group was number three, and Switzerland’s USB ranked 4th on the list of the world’s top 100 banks and financial institutions. The first place in 2004 went to Japan's Mizuho Financial Group. Deutsche Bank placed number seven in the 2004 world rankings, while Bank Austria (merged with Creditanstalt in 1997), ranked 14th in 1997, is no longer in the Top 100 list. The American Citigroup, which has a strong presence in Germany, ranked 2nd in the world rankings. (Contrast these 2003 rankings with those from 1997 below!)

  1. Allianz D (3)
  2. UBS CH (4)
  3. Deutsche Bank D (7)
  4. Credit Suisse Group CH (18)
  5. Bayerische Hypo Bank D (25)
  6. Commerzbank D (29)
  7. Zurich Financial CH (45)
  8. Eurohypo D (54)
  9. Munich Reinsurance D (58)
10. DePfa Deutsche Pfandbriefbank D (65)
11. Bankgesellschaft Berlin D (72)
12. Hypo Real Estate Holding D (73)
13. Erste Bank A (81)
14. BHW Holding D (86)
15. Ergo-Versicherungsgruppe D (88)

Rankings are for fiscal year 2003.
Source: The Wall Street Journal (Sept. 27, 2004)

According to The Wall Street Journal’s “World Business Report” of Sept. 28, 1998, Switzerland’s USB ranked number one on the list of the world’s top 100 banks (4th in 2004). Deutsche Bank placed number three in the world rankings (7th in 2004), while Bank Austria came in a distant 67th. (Note: Bank Austria merged with Creditanstalt in 1997 and is now part of the HVB Group.)

1997
The top 15 banks in AUSTRIA (A), GERMANY (D), SWITZERLAND (CH) (with world rank for 1997):

  1. UBS CH (1)
  2. Deutsche Bank D (3)
  3. Credit Suisse Group CH (7)
  4. Dresdner Bank D (17)
  5. Westdeutsche Landesbank D (21)
  6. Commerzbank D (26)
  7. Bayerische Vereinsbank D (33)
  8. Bayerische Landesbank D (37)
  9. Bayerische Hypotheken D (45)
10. DG Bank D (46)
11. Bankgesellschaft Berlin D (48)
12. Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau D (56)
13. Norddeutsche Landesbank D (61)
14. Bank Austria A (67)
15. Südwestdeutsche Landesbank D (68)

Rankings are for 1997.
Source: The Wall Street Journal (Sept. 28, 1998)

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