New Britain herald., 1928-08-24
GERMANY HAS ITS
own WALL Street
BurSsrasse Represents Center
Of Banking Activity
BY o. PAUL JACOB

ASSOCIATED Press Staff Writer.)
Berlin, Aug. 24.1R)-Burgstrasse
Is to Berlin what Wall Street is to
New York. Here as there the street
name signifies the center of the
countrys speculative banking ac-
tivity.
In the Burgstra sse fronting the
Spree stands a monumental edifice
symbolizing as the "Berliner
Boerse" the German bond and mon
ey market, but differing from the
corresponding institutions Of New
York and London in that it harbors
under one roof the stock. produce
and metal exchanges. The name
Burgstrasse is historical, dating
back to the days of the Grand Elec-
tor Of Brandenburg I640-16SS),
who had this thoroughfare laid out
a. a road leading to and from the
royal castle, or Burg" on the OPP
positc shore of the Spree. from
which the street derived it's name.
BY the statutes of the Berlin
Bourse such important side features
as the curb market, wireless tele-
graphic or other signals between
brokers within the exchange or to
and from the street, code language,
etc, are strictly prohibited. The
only apparent authorizations are:
An Sic" ITO you) and won linen
(From you), which, to be sure
when the Bourse is in full blast are
yelled, screeched, squeaked. bawled
and beloved by sellers and buyers
respectively In such profusion and
in so many keys are greatly to add
to the terrific pandemonium.
All business at the Berlin Bourse
10 still conducted under the con
servatively rigid regulations of the
former Imperial German law o.
1896 that was intended to put 6
and commodities in the alleged in,
terest of the community. The
Bourse comprises about 1000 mem
bers for the stock exchange anc
approximately 1000 for the produce
and metal exchanges, who are gov
cTu0u ny lIlt VI lll'
Bourse consisting of GO members.
By the amendment OF the Bours'
law of 1921 women are also emit
tied to become members. and quit
a feminine sprinkling has become
noticeable at the Berlin exchange.
At the Berlin Bourse membership
Is not purchasable as in America
brokers dealing at the exchang
merely paying yearly fee regu
lated according to the amount o
importance of their dealings, Fo
this purpose the members are di
vided into nine groups, paying fee
ranging between so marks and IA,
900 marks per annum. AS mem
bers of the quotation committee
approximately 100 brokers ar
elected jointly by the Bourse mem
bers and the chamber of commerc
from among their number AM
sworn in by the president of tn
province of Brandenburg. To Eles
are allotted the preferred shave
for negotiation. They have thei
seats in OVAL enclosures on the ex
change floor. The hours for officia
dealings are from II to o'clock
Saturdays from II to I, and hal
an hour earlier and one hour late
for unofficial dealings
An overcrowding of the exchang
floor during the initiation in 1872
induced the committee Of tn
Bourse to consider the feasibilit
OF limiting the number of members
according to the New York system
hut this plan was dropped and tn
expedient adopted of Temporarily
suspending the issue Of admission
cards. Business in shares not ad
mitted to the Bourse was likewis
stopped and entrance to the ante