Plaque honours Slovenia's first bank
A plaque was unveiled in Ljubljana to honour the first banking institution in Slovenia's history. Kranjska Hranilnica or Krainische Sparkasse was established in 1820 as only the second savings bank in the entire Austrian Empire. The bank operated until the end of World War II, leaving a strong mark on the Slovenian economy.
The plaque is located in front of what is now the north wing of Slovenia's parliament. Facing the Tomšič Street, the building was constructed by the bank in 1880 and used as its headquarters.
Historian Žarko Lazarević said Kranjska Hranilnica was ahead of its time. "It was ahead of the needs of the time and ahead of its mentality."
It provided loans to people, raised awareness about savings, and facilitated the transfer of know-how, said Lazarević. Its view of the future was very broad, he added.
Culture Minister Asta Vrečko highlighted the bank's effect on culture, saying it provided grants to many Slovenian artists during World War II. "There is no progress without cooperation between banking and culture."
She also underlined the importance of corporate art collecting, adding that this role had been preserved by several state-owned companies whose roots reach back to Kranjska Hranilnica, including the bank NLB.
NLB CEO Blaž Brodnjak said that a sovereign nation cannot exist without a "cultural identity and financial backbone". He noted NLB had helped created the Banking Museum, and announced new patronages to preserve cultural heritage and support art.
Parliamentary Speaker Urška Klakočar Zupančič meanwhile said the event was one of many that commemorate the emergence of Slovenia. She underlined the importance of trust and integrity that allowed Kranjska Hranilnica to function.