Postbank is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2009. On January 1, 1909, its success story was launched with the establishment of 13 postal check offices and the introduction of giro transfer and check transactions by means of the former Reichspost national postal authority. With 14.2 million clients today, Postbank is Germany's largest retail bank. Dr. Wolfgang Klein, chairman of Postbank's management board, commented: "We're proud of our 100-year history in which Postbank has succeeded in becoming one of Germany‘s favorite commercial banks due to its reliability and customer proximity." The Bonn-based bank will be addressing its customers with 100 various promotions in the course of the anniversary year. "We intend to mark the occasion with our customers throughout the entire year and let them share in our birthday celebration ranging from savings offers with jubilee interest rates to cake and coffee at our branch locations," Klein said.

For the first time ever, the Reichspost authority's postal check offices enabled every owner of a postal check account to transfer money nationwide and to receive credits as well – which amounted to a bit of a revolution in the banking business at that time. Until then, financial institutes provided this service exclusively to business clients and financially strong customers. Upon the opening of nine postal check offices which were scattered throughout the Reich's territory as well as three in Bavaria and one in what was the Kingdom of Württemberg at the time, an unparalleled success story began in January 1909. After only one year of business, the Reichspost had already conducted 29 million transactions and opened 44,000 accounts by the end of 1909. In comparison: today, Postbank boasts roughly five million customer checking accounts and carries out approximately seven billion transactions each year. Klein commented: "We still feel bound by and committed to our history. Throughout its past, Postbank constantly played a pioneering role regarding the introduction of ambitious banking services for broad segments of the population." For example, as Germany's first large, nationwide-operating bank, Postbank introduced the no-fee checking account in 1998. "And we want to be gauged by that in the future as well," said Klein.

Postbank savings celebrates 70th anniversary

2009 also marks another Postbank anniversary: In 1939, the Reichspost authority expanded upon the postal checking account's success by establishing the postal savings bank service and by introducing what later became the extremely popular postal savings account. After World War II, the postal savings bank developed into the bank for the "man on the street." Above all, generations of families and students became familiar with the "little blue book" as a secure and convenient companion during travels in European countries outside of Germany. Today, 70 years later, the savings volume of Bonn-based Postbank has grown to over 90 million euros. Meanwhile, the good, old “postal savings passbook“ is now called a savings card and, while yielding favorable interest, accompanies clients on their travels in 190 countries.

Over the decades, the range of services has been expanded gradually:
1950 Introduction of automatic funds transfer
1951 Money transfers to foreign countries
1955 The age of automation begins
1969 The option of withdrawing cash at post office locations (postal cash check procedure)
1969 Employment of electronic data storage media
1983 Money transfers by means of interactive videotex (Btx) for Postbank customers

Even though Postbank and its services boast a long history, it was not until Germany's first phase of postal reform that the company became an independent institute in 1989. When the German Federal Postal Authority was split to form three independent operations, the "Deutsche Bundespost Postbank" (German Federal Post Postbank) was established. In 1990, the East German postal bank operations of the German Democratic Republic were integrated with those in West Germany. It was not until the second phase of Germany's postal reform was completed that Postbank received a banking license upon its incorporation as a joint-stock company on January 1, 1995. For the first time, this enabled the bank to expand its range of services considerably – for example, with regard to personal loans, construction financing and investment funds. For this reason, most of the Postbank services to which customers now are accustomed are fairly new: it was not until 1991 that Postbank introduced overdraft limits as well as the "Postbank Card." Since 1993, Postbank customers have been able to conduct their banking business by phone, and since 1998 by means of online banking via the Internet. With 14.2 million active clients, roughly 21,000 employees and total assets amounting to 219 billion euros, the Postbank Group is one of Germany's largest financial service providers today.

Further milestones in Postbank's history:
1999 Deutsche Post purchases 100% of Postbank's shares from the Federal Republic of Germany
2000 Postbank acquires DSL Bank
2004 Initial public offering
2006 Acquisition of BHW – a provider of terminating deposits and mortgage loans
2006 Acquisition of the 850 largest branch locations from Deutsche Post
2006 Inclusion in the DAX stock market index
2008 Deutsche Post announces the sale of 29.75% of its Postbank shares to Deutsche Bank

Klein commented: "Today's Postbank is a young bank with a century-old history of which we are proud. In principle, however, nothing has changed with regard to Postbank's philosophy in the course of the past century. Without interruption, it has advanced its down-to-earth tradition and is dedicated above all to its retail banking clients in Germany. At the same time, as a matter of tradition, we also have a sense of dedication to our corporate clients and business customers. We intend to maintain this business model because it reflects a success story with regard to our customers, our shareholders and our employees."