Bratislavská všeobecná banka, Bratislava

Bratislavská všeobecná banka (Bratislava General Bank), joint stock company in Bratislava, was established in 1869 under the name Všeobecná sporiteľňa prešporského II. okresu (General Savings Bank of the 2nd district of Pressburg), joint stock company. The name was changed to Bratislavská všeobecná banka, joint stock company, at a general meeting in 1909. In 1921 Bratislavská všeobecná banka merged with Bratislavská banka in Bratislava. On account of this merger, the bank was renamed to Bratislavská všeobecná banka, joint stock company. At the same time, the bank’s share capital was increased from 2 million to 12 million Czechoslovak crowns (Kč). The company held a state authorisation enabling it to establish branches, sub-branches and representations.

The main objective of the bank was conducting all types of bank business and currency exchange business. It accepted deposits bearing interest on savings books, cheques and current accounts, perform loan transactions – mainly loans on current accounts – discounting and re-discounting of bills, etc. Its authorised activities included purchase and sales of securities for its own account or under delegation and all types of price exchange transactions, accepting deposits, renting safe-deposit boxes, performing sales on consignment, and wholesale trade in goods and raw materials for the account of enterprises which had business contacts with the bank.

The company's main bodies determined in the statutes of Bratislavská všeobecná banka were the general meeting and the management - the board of directors, executive committee, supervisory board and directorate.

Bratislavská všeobecná banka operated without serious problems for 70 years, it did lively business with foreign partners, for example with Hungary, and in the Czechoslovak Republic its shares were also owned by Česká eskomptná banka. The bank had branches almost in whole Slovakia. In 1939, the Ministry of Finance issued a decree ordering the merger of Bratislavská všeobecná banka and Slovenská banka in Bratislava. It was a forced merger. However, it seems it was never accomplished as the bank operated independently even in 1940. In 1941 it enters into liquidation based on Regulation of the Ministry of Finance No 27.360/41-VI/16 and Act No 11/1941 Coll. The liquidation was conferred on Sedliacka banka, which was liquidated by Slovenská všeobecná úverná banka with effect from 1 September 1949. Bratislavská všeobecná banka was removed from the Companies Register on 12 July 1950. 

Bratislavská všeobecná banka had its seat at 9 Michalská Street. The preserved documents of the bank relate to its activities in the years 1921 - 1950, mainly its administration, records of provided loans and accounts. Among the most important documents are those relating to the administration of Považský cukrovar (sugar factory) in Trenčianska Teplá and the Pallehner company, as well as lists of loans and other documents illustrating the economic situation in certain parts of Slovakia. 

The preserved documents were deposited in the corporate archives of Štátna banka československá, Regional Institute for Slovakia in Bratislava, in a former monastery at Marianka. In 1975 - 1977 they were moved to a new utility building of the archives located at 27 Krajná Street in Bratislava and later, in 2003, they were transferred to the premises of Národná banka Slovenska at 8 Cukrová Street in Bratislava.