Alexander Schoeller Adolph Salomonsohn
Disconto-Gesellschaft was owned by whom from 1884 to 1911?
Disconto-Gesellschaft The Disconto-Gesellschaft ( full name : Direktion der Disconto-Gesellschaft ) , with headquarters in Berlin , was founded in 1851 . It was , until its 1929 merger into Deutsche Bank , one of the largest German banking organizations . History . It was founded in 1851 as a “credit partnership,” and in 1856 was changed into a limited liability , joint-stock company under the name of “Direktion der Disconto-Gesellschaft,” with a capital of 30,000,000 marks . Its founder was David Hansemann , later Prussian Minister of Finance . Since 1857 also his son Adolph von Hansemann worked in the bank of his father . Its purpose and earliest activities were in the fostering of current account business and the underwriting of German state and local loans and railway shares . In 1890 , a branch was opened in London , from which time dated the institutions activities in overseas matters . In 1901 , on the liquidation of the house of M . A . Rothschild & Sons of Frankfurt am Main , a branch was established in that city , connection being made with the Rothschild Syndicate , with which it has since been largely identified . The interests formed with this group made the Disconto-Gesellschaft a prominent factor in the underwriting of many important national and railway loans , notably the state loans of Russia , Romania , China and Japan . In addition , in connection with other interests , it was instrumental in the financing of the Kamerun Railroad Company and the Great Venezuela Railway , both speculative enterprises , and the latter eventually of great financial annoyance . As a national factor , the Disconto-Gesellschaft lent its greatest support to industry through the promotion and financing of enterprises for the development of Germanys natural resources : the mining of coal and metals , smelting , iron and steel , potash , shipbuilding , electrical development , railways , fire and life insurance , etc . It assisted in the underwriting of the 10,000,000 thaler ( 30,000,000 marks ) 5 per cent loan for the Krupp Works , in 1874 — the first instance in Germany of the issue of fractional form bonds secured by blanket mortgage and providing for common representation of the holders of these bonds . Beginning in 1881 , Disconto-Gesellschaft established or participated in the establishment of 15 important banking institutions , having 87 branches , scattered throughout Europe , Asia , South Pacific , South America and Africa ; and through communities of interest , it had banking connections in Hamburg , Leipzig , Bremen , Mannheim and Geestmunde , these latter having 51 branches and numerous other agencies throughout the German Empire . In 1914 it absorbed the A . Schaaffhausenscher Bankverein , this latter still retaining its name and clientele . Close relations were established with other important financial and industrial institutions , its directorate having ( 1908 ) representation on the boards of 92 corporations . The capital for the same year was 170,000,000 marks ; surplus , 57,592,611 marks ; and annual dividend , 8 per cent . The total capital power of the Disconto-Gesellschaft group amounted to 564,747,329 marks , of which 437,786,200 marks represented capital and 126,981,129 marks surplus . Notable associates . - David Hansemann ( 1851–1864 ) - Karl Mathy ( 1855–1857 ) - Adolph von Hansemann ( 1857–1903 ) - Adolph Salomonsohn ( 1869–1888 ) - Alexander Schoeller ( 1884–1911 ) - Arthur Salomonsohn ( 1895–1929 ) - Paul David Fischer , ( 1902–1920 ) - Georg Solmssen ( 1911–1929 ) - Hermann Fischer ( 1914–1919 ) References . - This source in turn cites : - Riesser , J. , Die deutsche Grossbanken und ihre Konzentration ( 1909 ) - Germanys Economic Forces ( 1913 ) - Report on Co-operation in American Export Trade ( Washington , D.C. , 1916 )