Work, Save and Prosper

The articles of association of the erste Oesterreichische Spar-Casse date back to 1819. They state: No one, regardless of age, gender, status or nationality, is excluded from the benefits which the savings bank will offer to every depositor. The notion of being a bank for everyone was a revolutionary one at the time. And this was not to remain the only pioneering deed of the Erste. This book tells the story of the Erste Group and considers a number of issues which are just as relevant today as they were in the past - social insurance and individual responsibility, dealing with financial crises, the future of banking and the development of Central Europe.