Which bank is known as Germany's oldest private bank, founded in 1590?

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Berenberg Bank, founded in 1590, is known as Germany's oldest private bank.

The bank was established in Hamburg by the Flemish brothers Hans and Paul Berenberg, members of a merchant family that had moved to the city. It began within the trading environment of early modern Europe and later developed into a private bank serving wealthy individuals, companies, and institutional clients.

Berenberg is a private bank, not Germany's central bank. The Deutsche Bundesbank performs central-bank functions, while KfW is a state-owned promotional bank. The Berenberg name also appears in the bank's distinctive branding and reflects its long family and merchant-banking history.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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