Adolf Weber's Munich School of Economics and Its Influence on the Early Bundesbank: The Example of Bernhard Benning

This article analyses the early years of the history of the Bundesbank from a history of economic thought perspective. The study uses the example of Bernhard Benning, who headed the Economics Department of the Reichs-Kredit-Gesellschaft, one of the major banks owned by the German Reich during the National Socialist era. After the war Benning was appointed a member of the board of directors of the Deutsche Bundesbank for twenty-two years. As a student of Adolf Weber and his Munich school of economics, Benning's views were shaped by classical liberal rather than ordoliberal ideas. His legitimacy in postwar Germany stemmed from his public opposition to war financing and warnings about inflation during the Donner-Benning Debate of 1942–43. In this tradition, the early Bundesbank was Weberian rather than ordoliberal, so, for instance, fixed exchange rates were favored, and a strong business and investment perspective was adopted

Die europäische Sustainable Finance-Regulierung und der deutsche Mittelstand

The European Sustainable Finance regulation is primarily focused on capital markets, requiring companies to disclose extensive data. However, these regulations pose challenges for German SMEs, which rely heavily on bank financing. A survey showed that 60% of SMEs invest in sustainability, but external financing remains limited. The EU's approach may need adjustments, such as creating a voluntary sustainability reporting standard for SMEs and developing a streamlined approach for green loans

Disintermediation? Herkunft und Zukunft des bank-basierten Finanzsystems

The question of the optimal design of financial systems, whether more bank-based or more market-based, has a long history. Four phases of the discussion can be distinguished: Before World War I, in the rivalry between Germany and England, the debate begins. Across the spectrum, from the liberal Adolf Weber to the Marxist Rudolf Hilferding and the eclectic Joseph Schumpeter, comparisons were made, and the heterogenous authors arrived at similar assessments. During the Cold War, in contrast to the Soviet-Russian model, Alexander Gerschenkron’s depiction with the advantages of backwardness became influential. After the 1990s and in line with the Varieties of Capitalism approach, the discussion led by Ross Levine resulted in a consensus where different financial systems were embedded in their broader institutional context. The current discussion attempts to prove the superiority of capital markets, pointing to the American system as example

Karl Helfferich and Rudolf Hilferding on Georg Friedrich Knapp’s State Theory of Money: Monetary Theories during the Hyperinflation of 1923

The monetary ideas of Georg Friedrich Knapp have recently resurfaced in the context of the Modern Monetary Theory whose representatives see themselves in his tradition. The historical debate on Knapp's "State Theory of Money," which divided opinion when it was first published in 1905 as well as during the period of German inflation that peaked in 1923, is therefore of particular interest. Knapp describes money largely from a legal perspective, labelling it a "creature of the legal order". The principle "Mark = Mark" reflects his nominalistic approach. However, he opposed monetary state financing, and favoured balanced governmental budgets. One of his students, Karl Helfferich, was the most influential monetary theorist in the German Reich during the first decades of the 20th century. In defining Knapp's view as an ultimate ideal that might be realised at some point, and his own metallist approach as a practical necessity, he tries to reconcile his teacher's nominalistic theory on the one hand with his own gold currency-principles on the other.The monetary theory of the Marxist Rudolf Hilferding was eclectic, but he moved closer to a nominalistic approach after studying Knapp's theory. During inflation, Helfferich, a representative of the Balance of Payments Theory, and Hilferding, more of the Quantity Theory of Money, also held opposing views in the public debate on the monetary reforms required. The relationship between the three authors was highly complex. While Helfferich and Knapp were personally close, they were far apart in their theories although Helfferich tried to conceal this fact. Hilferding and Helfferich, meanwhile, held similar views on some practical points, such as the necessity of a gold-based currency, but clashed vehemently on a personal level.English Translation of “Karl Helfferich und Rudolf Hilferding über Georg Friedrich Knapps 'Staatliche Theorie des Geldes': Geldtheorien zur Zeit der Hyperinflation von 1923”, IBF Paper Series 04-19, Frankfurt, 2020, http://hdl.handle.net/10419/215928

Inflation Trauma? Die Hyperinflation von 1923 in Bildern und Theorien

Vor 100 Jahren mündete die Große Inflation, die bereits 1914 mit dem Ersten Weltkrieg ihren Anfang nahm, in der Hyperinflation von 1923. Bis heute herrscht in der deutschen Bevölkerung und Politik eine Inflationsaversion. Anlässlich dieses Jubiläums und der zuletzt stark gestiegenen Inflation in Deutschland werden die möglichen Ursachen und die damit verbundenen unterschiedlichen theoretischen Erklärungsansätze zur Großen Inflation diskutiert. Zudem waren die Auswirkungen auf die jeweiligen Bevölkerungsgruppen und den Staat ganz unterschiedlich. Schließlich stellt sich die Frage, wie die Hyperinflation überwunden werden konnte und ob auch heute noch ein ähnliches Szenario in Deutschland denkbar ist.The inflation of 1923 was not a new experience; the feeling of uncertain monetary conditions had been deeply rooted in Ger-many since the early modern period. If there is a German trauma of inflation, it goes back to the Kipper and Wipper period at the begin-ning of the 30 Years War. Memories of the horrors of inflation were handed down into the 20th century, e.g., in the 18th, century by J. H. G. Justi and especially influential in the 19th century by Gustav Freytag. Only in the Federal Republic of Germany did a strong focus on the year 1923 set in. Based on this traditional historical experience, contemporaries explained inflation in 1923 by deviations from the metal standard and inflation was morally wrong. Its cause was seen in the lack of adherence to civic virtues. This normative level is closely linked to the economic discussion of inflation

Die europäische Sustainable Finance-Regulierung und der deutsche Mittelstand

The European Sustainable Finance regulation is primarily focused on capital markets, requiring companies to disclose extensive data. However, these regulations pose challenges for German SMEs, which rely heavily on bank financing. A survey showed that 60% of SMEs invest in sustainability, but external financing remains limited. The EU's approach may need adjustments, such as creating a voluntary sustainability reporting standard for SMEs and developing a streamlined approach for green loans

Karl Helfferich und Rudolf Hilferding über Georg Friedrich Knapps "Staatliche Theorie des Geldes": Geldtheorien zur Zeit der Hyperinflation von 1923

The monetary ideas of Georg Friedrich Knapp have recently resurfaced in the context of the Modern Monetary Theory whose representatives see themselves in his tradition. The historical debate on Knapp's "State Theory of Money," which divided opinion when it was first published in 1905 as well as during the period of German inflation that peaked in 1923, is therefore of particular interest. Knapp describes money largely from a legal perspective, labelling it a "creature of the legal order". The principle "Mark = Mark" reflects his nominalistic approach. However, he opposed monetary state financing, and favoured balanced governmental budgets. One of his students, Karl Helfferich, was the most influential monetary theorist in the German Reich during the first decades of the 20th century. In defining Knapp's view as an ultimate ideal that might be realised at some point, and his own metallist approach as a practical necessity, he tries to reconcile his teacher's nominalistic theory on the one hand with his own gold currency-principles on the other.The monetary theory of the Marxist Rudolf Hilferding was eclectic, but he moved closer to a nominalistic approach after studying Knapp's theory. During inflation, Helfferich, a representative of the Balance of Payments Theory, and Hilferding, more of the Quantity Theory of Money, also held opposing views in the public debate on the monetary reforms required. The relationship between the three authors was highly complex. While Helfferich and Knapp were personally close, they were far apart in their theories although Helfferich tried to conceal this fact. Hilferding and Helfferich, meanwhile, held similar views on some practical points, such as the necessity of a gold-based currency, but clashed vehemently on a personal level. (The English version of this paper is available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/216102

Der digitale Euro aus einer historischen Perspektive

The introduction of a digital currency is part of the continuous evolution of the financial system, which has always been driven bytechnological innovations. For the first time in many years, Western central banks are exposed to potential currency competition. But a dig-ital euro also has the potential to affect the two-tier structure of the grown financial system. The ECB should not engage in an interest ratecompetition with commercial banks and the digital currency should remain non-interest-bearing. Instead of imposing holding limits, noticeperiods could also be used to reduce the risk of bank runs. The ECB should limit itself and implement a hybrid digital central bank currency