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EnglishThe future has a history
Metzler Bank celebrates its 350th birthday in 2024. The desire to remain independent and the courage to embrace change are two constants that have characterized the bank throughout its long history. Come with us on a journey through the centuries.
Metzler Bank turns 350.
With Franz von Metzler, a family member joins the executive board again
Metzler establishes a Digital Assets Office as a competence center for all topics related to the digital world.
Metzler’s legal status is altered from a private stock company (KGaA = Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien) to a stock corporation. All shares remain in family ownership.
Metzler acquires its first crypto bond.
Friedrich von Metzler receives the German Founder’s Award for his life’s work.
Metzler strengthens its presence in Asia by opening an office in Beijing, China.
Sylvia von Metzler becomes Chair of the Städelscher Museums-Verein.
Friedrich von Metzler becomes an honorary citizen of the city of Frankfurt/Main.
Metzler expands its asset management business to Japan by opening an office in Tokyo.
Friedrich von Metzler establishes the Albert and Barbara von Metzler Foundation to bundle the social commitments of the Metzler family and the bank.
Under the chairmanship of Friedrich von Metzler, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange becomes the Deutsche Börse AG.
Metzler Bank endows the Christoph von Metzler Guest Professorship to promote international finance at Goethe University in Frankfurt/Main.
Metzler establishes itself on the M&A/corporate finance market.
Metzler’s legal status is altered to a private stock company (KGaA = Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien) and business units are transferred to independent entities operating under the umbrella of a holding company.
Metzler establishes a real estate company in the USA, Metzler North America Corp.
Friedrich and Christoph von Metzler join top management and transform Metzler into an investment bank.
Albert von Metzler is elected Chairman of the Board of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Albert von Metzler is released from captivity as a prisoner of war and rejoins the bank’s management.
Under the management of Dr. Gustav von Metzler and Hugo von Metzler, the bank resumes business activities.
The bank’s head office at Grosse Gallusstrasse 18 is almost completely destroyed, rebuilt after the war, and serves as the company's headquarters until 2014.
The bank survives the turmoil of the First World War, the economic crisis and the Third Reich by scaling back its banking business substantially.
The King of Prussia bestows a hereditary peerage on the Metzler family.
Wilhelm Peter Metzler becomes a co-founder of the “Mitteldeutsche Kunstgewerbeverein” (the Central German Arts & Crafts Association) which forms the core of today’s Museum of Applied Arts in Frankfurt/Main.
Metzler focuses its business on asset management and transaction banking for its clients.
Emma Metzler successfully urges her pen pal Otto von Bismarck to have Prussia pay contributions to the city of Frankfurt/Main.
Securities trading and custody business become more important than lending.
Councilor of Commerce Friedrich Metzler becomes a founding member of the "Senckenbergische Naturforschende Gesellschaft" (the Senckenberg Nature Research Society).
Johann Wilhelm Metzler is appointed as an advisor to Städel Art Institute, marking the beginning of Metzler’s deep bond with this Frankfurt museum.
Metzler withdraws from government bonds due to low profitability.
Trading in government bonds (for the states of Bavaria and Prussia) flourishes and Metzler issues its first bonds.
Metzler enters the fast-growing, profitable bond business.
Friedrich Metzler, Christina Barbara's nephew, becomes a member of the Executive Board at the age of 22. Metzler becomes a private bank under his leadership.
The company “Benjamin Metzler seel. Sohn und Consorten” adds the additional designation “Bankers” to its name.
Christina Barbara Metzler becomes the first woman to head the company, which she runs successfully for 14 years
Johann Jeremias Metzler is elected to the Board of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Johann Jeremias Metzler calls himself a “marchand banquier” for the first time, i.e. a tradesman who also deals in bills of exchange.
Metzler starts trading in bills of exchange.
Benjamin Metzler establishes a trading house for cloth in Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
Book publication: Metzler Bank during the Nazi era
In connection with its 350-year anniversary, Metzler Bank has delved into its own history to reappraise its role in the events under national socialism of the Nazi era in Germany. For years, the bank’s management assumed that own resources would not suffice for a comprehensive reappraisal. However, when the bank moved to its Untermainanlage location in Frankfurt in 2014, previously unknown documents from the Nazi era were found. With them, independent historical research became possible in order to explore the bank's role under national socialism, assess the bank’s behavior toward Jewish clients, and place the facts in historical context. Historian Dr. Andrea Schneider-Braunberger was subsequently granted unrestricted access to the bank’s archives and has now published her research findings in a book. The book was published by Carl Hanser Verlag in Munich (ISBN 978-3-446-27498-3) and is available only in German.
In the podcast series "Finance & History" published by the European Association for Banking and History e. V. (eabh), Carmen Hofmann spoke with Dr. Schneider Braunberger about the challenges and opportunities for companies striving to come to terms with their own corporate history and about her book.
Metzler history in video
Our historian Berenike Seib recently received a phone call from someone who introduced himself as a collector of historical pieces. He told her about an upcoming auction where something was to be auctioned off that had to do with Metzler Bank.
What was it? See for yourself:
Berenike Seib takes you through 350 years of Metzler history. Who was Benjamin Metzler, the man that founded the company in 1674? What can be found in the Metzler archives? Why is the company name, B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co., so long? Find out in our short videos and look forward to more to come.
History and stories
History is more than a chronological overview. It’s about events and places - but above all, it’s about people and their values, desires, talents, and relationships to one another. Read our short stories about the people, events and places in Metzler history.
