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Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
9 a.m. to 12 noon /
12:45 p.m. to 3 p.m.
In July, August and September the Archives are closed to the public.
The Archives will be closed to the public from December 16, 2025 to January 16, 2026.
Slovenská ľudová banka, Bratislava
Slovenská ľudová banka, účastinná spoločnosť (Slovak People’s Bank, joint-stock company) was founded in Malacky on 24 April 1922 at the general meeting of Malacká ľudová banka (Malacky People's Bank), whose liabilities it took over. The bank later relocated its headquarters to Bratislava. Slovenská ľudová banka defined its basic objectives as the provision of universal banking services to support and raise the level of trade, industry, agriculture and crafts with special regard for the needs of the Slovak people. It was authorised to accept deposits on savings books and current accounts up to twenty times its share capital and to provide loans for the purchase of real estate, goods, raw materials, securities and receivables. The bank could establish and organise commercial, economic and industrial undertakings but could own no more than 10% of their capital. It could also generate profits from the safekeeping of securities, foreign exchange, and valuables. It was forbidden to trade in any goods for its own account, except to secure its own receivables, to conclude or intermediary transactions with members of its supervisory board, or to conclude transactions involving profit-sharing with bank employees.
From its foundation until its ordered liquidation, the bank was headed by Jozef Bordáč, who had been a cofounder of Roľnícka a priemyselná banka (Agricultural and Industrial Bank) and a former director of the Americko-slovenská banka (American-Slovak Bank). The bank grew through mergers with other banks: Úverná banka in Pezinok in 1923, Galantská ľudová banka in Galanta in 1926, Galantský vidiecky úverný ústav in Galanta in 1928, Nemeckoľupčianska banka (Nemecká Ľupča Bank) and Skalická banka in 1930 and Trnavská ľudová banka (Trnava People´s Bank) in 1935. After these mergers, the share capital amounted to 3 million Czechoslovak crowns (Kč), with the individual shares having a nominal value of Kč 100. The bank had a total of 14 branches.
It entered a long-term decline after 1930. In 1940, Slovenská národná banka (Slovak National Bank), Bratislava carried out an audit which found that Slovenská ľudová banka had a loss-making position. It filed negligence charges against the managing director and several members of the board of directors and the supervisory board.
On 11 February 1941, the Ministry of Finance decided the bank should be liquidated. At the same time, an administration commission was established consisting of Arnošt Bella, an authorised signatory of Roľnícka vzájomná pokladnica (Farmer Mutual Treasury); Ján Kubačka, director of Ľudová banka (People´s Bank) Ružomberok; Pavol Kmeť; and Tomáš Cipciar, an auditor from Slovenská národná banka. The administration commission had the same rights and duties as the bank’s former management, against whom disciplinary proceedings had been instituted with immediate effect for breach of official duties. On 15 September 1941, the administration commission reported that out of the bank’s balance sheet total of 108 million Slovak crowns (Ks) as of 31 January 1940, sums amounting to Ks 52 million were invested in illiquid transactions. On 22 December 1941, the Ministry of Finance ordered the final liquidation of the bank, which it entrusted to Sedliacka banka (Farmer Bank), Bratislava.
In 1948, Decision No 1204/48-VI/18 of the Executive Authority for Finance of 30 January 1948 transferred oversight of the liquidation to Slovenská banka (Slovak Bank), national enterprise, Bratislava. Following the merger of Tatra banka (Tatra Bank), national enterprise, Martin, and Slovenská banka, national enterprise, Bratislava, the liquidator of the bank became Slovenská Tatra banka (Slovak Tatra Bank), national enterprise, Bratislava, pursuant to Decree No 9922/48-VI/18 of the Executive Authority for Finance dated 31 May 1948. The liquidation was not completed because in 1950, based on Section 18 of Act No 181/1948, the Ministry of Finance ordered by Decree No 265/1950 (OJ I) the merger of Slovenská ľudová banka, national enterprise in liquidation, Bratislava, with Slovenská všeobecná úverná banka (Slovak General Credit Bank), national enterprise in liquidation, Bratislava. The merger by universal succession without liquidation was effective from 1 January 1949. Bratislava District Court ordered the deletion of Slovenská ľudová banka and its branches from the Companies Register B with effect from the same date.
The archival fonds was deposited in the corporate archives of Štátna banka československá (State Bank of Czechoslovakia) in Marianka, from which it was transferred first to the archive at 27 Krajná Street in Bratislava in 1976 and then to the Národná banka Slovenska archives building at 8 Cukrová Street in Bratislava in 2003.
Last updated: Friday, December 12, 2025