Rothschilds

The Vienna branch of the Rothschild banking consortium was established by Salomon Rothschild in 1815, after the end of the Napoleonic Wars. His brother Carl established the Naples branch only a few years after him. The biggest struggle that the Rothschilds faced during these early years was acceptance. Anti-Semitism kept them out of the elite social circles, necessary realms of connection making, and thus hindered business. This was especially felt in Vienna and Naples. Salomon wasn’…

…to build, with immense amounts of money, a lavish new office in the Renngasse. The House continued to grow after the 1850’s, expanding their markets and investments. However, it no longer enjoyed the unchallenged position it held previously. Joint stock banks and deposit banks proved a strong threat to the Rothschild system. The weaker Naples branch was dissolved in 1861. The Vienna branch, survived the competition however, and remained until the German invasion of Austria in 1938.