The European Association for Banking and Financial History (eabh) e.V.
Accurate and accessible records of past activities are keys to understanding basic financial principles and developments within their historical context. This understanding is, in turn, an indispensable foundation for a sustainable global financial system. Based on this conviction, eabh encourages the proper preservation of historically relevant material and the circulation of high level historical research. eabh is a registered charity and relies on the annual subscriptions of its members.
Carmen Hofmann
Secretary General
Gabriella Massaglia
Consultant
Richard McBurney
Designer at Grand Creative
1987-02
Manfred Pohl, back then Chief Archivist at Deutsche Bank, realises that, in the prospect of a united Europe, co-operation between banking archivists and bank historians on a European level should be promoted and deepened.
During three meetings held respectively in Brussels, London and Madrid, the foundation of eabh takes further shape.
The European Association for Banking History (eabh) e. V. is founded in an inaugural meeting at the premises of Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt am Main. eabh is constituted by 22 banks and one institution from eleven different European countries.
Members of the first eabh Board of Management (Pictured clockwise)
Wilfried Guth – Chairperson of the Board of Patrons
Sir Evelyn de Rothschild – Chairperson
Herman van der Wee – Chairperson of the Academic Advisory Council
Pedro Martinez Mendez – Treasurer
Robert Lion – Member
Manfred Pohl – Deputy Chairperson
De Nederlandsche Bank’s President Wim Duisenberg opens the 1st eabh annual conference under the title ‘How to Write the History of a Bank’.
eabh releases the ‘Handbook on the History of European Banks’, a unique reference tool containing entries on about 150 of the largest and oldest European banks.
eabh releases the first issue of the ‘Financial History Review’ published by Cambridge University Press and edited by Youssef Cassis and Philip L. Cottrell.
Hilmar Kopper, Spokesman of the Board of Managing Directors of Deutsche Bank, is unanimously elected as Chairperson of eabh Board of Patrons.
The predecessor of the current ‘eabh Summer School for Archivists’ series, the successful course ‘Archives and Records Management in Banking’, is result of joint efforts of eabh and the Business Archives Council.
eabh releases the first issue of its ‘bulletin’, aiming to ‘provide a means in which the latest research, publications, archive collections, exhibitions and other activities of our member banks and outside bodies can be documented’.
Gabriel Tortella Casares, University of Alcalá, Madrid, is unanimously elected Chairperson of eabh Academic Advisory Council.
eabh celebrates its 10th anniversary with the symposium ‘Banking in the Mirror of Time’ at the kind invitation of Deutsche Bank. Internationally renowned scholars contribute to the success of the event.
Manfred Pohl is awarded with the European Culture Prize of the Pro-Europa -European Foundation for Culture for his work in the field of finance and banking history within the European Association for Banking History (eabh) e.V.
Upon Hilmar Kopper’s resignation Rolf-E. Breuer, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Bank, is unanimously elected as new Chairperson of eabh Board of Patrons, thus ensuring continuity on the Boards of the Association.
2004-19
Following the resignation of Sir Evelyn de Rothschild after 14 years chairmanship, Willem F. Duisenberg is officially elected as Chairperson of the eabh Board of Management.
The Association demonstrates its commitment to embracing financial history by changing its name to the European Association for Banking and Financial History (eabh) e.V. in the 15th General Members’ Meeting.
Gerald D. Feldman, Berkeley University, takes over the Chairmanship of eabh Academic Advisory Council from Philip L. Cottrell, thus widening the international dimension of the Association.
Following Wim Duisenberg’s passing away, Jean-Claude Trichet, President of the European Central Bank, is unanimously elected as his successor and new Chairperson of the eabh Board of Management.
eabh Chairperson Jean-Claude Trichet holds the opening speech ‘History and Identity as a Pre-requisite for a United Europe’ at the official inauguration of the new eabh premises.
Following Gerry Feldman’s passing away, Peter Hertner, University of Halle-Wittenberg, closes the occurring gap and becomes new Chairperson of eabh Academic Advisory Council.
After six years, Rolf-E. Breuer hands over chairmanship of eabh Board of Patrons to Malcolm Knight, Bank for International Settlements.
Following Peter Hertner’s retirement, Harold James, Princeton University, becomes the 6th Chairperson of eabh Academic Council.
After Jean-Claude Trichet’s retirement from ECB and eabh, Hugo Bänziger, Lombard Odier, one of the Association’s founding members, becomes Chairperson of eabh.
eabh transfers its documents to the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) in Florence. This material includes eabh founding history, workshop material, board meeting protocols, publication material and photographs.
The General Members' Meeting elects eabh Founder and Deputy Chairperson Manfred Pohl as Honorary Chairperson for life.
Kindly invited by the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) eabh celebrated 25 years of European cooperation, financial history and archival work in Florence, Italy.
Vol 1 (2016) and Vol II (2017) of the eabh bulletin special edition: Architecture & Finance are published. With a stronger focus and the up-dated design the new editorial team brings the publication to the next level and reaches a wider audience.
eabh holds its first ever conference in the United States of America. In cooperation with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis the Association turns truly international.
Pierre de Longuemar, Association pour l’Histoire de BNP Paribas is elected honorary member of the eabh for his life time of engagement for historical research in finance.
With Banco de Moçambique eabh goes global and welcomes the first member institution from the African continent.