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From the second half of the 19th century the BEB belonged among the most important banks active in Bohemia. At first the bank was nationally German, after the foundation of Czechoslovakia its directorate was mixed, German-Czech, and important posts were held by German-speaking Jews. After the occupation of Bohemia by the Nazi Germany it was taken over by the Dresdner Bank. The BEB helped it to enter Czech economy within the framework of the concept of its Germanization, prepared by the occupational bodies. At the beginning of this process was the “Aryanization” of Jewish assets. The Department of Aryanization was founded within the framework of the BEB, which served as a means of sale of lucrative Jewish companies (e.g. malt-houses or textile factories) mainly to Germans and mainly to the clients of the Dresdner Bank. The BEB received a 4% provision for this service. The BEB also provided “Aryanization” credits within the framework of the Volksdeutsche Wirtschaftshilfe which were used mainly by Czech Germans who could not afford purchasing medium and small Jewish enterprises. Large income came from the participation in the administration of confiscated real properties and lands formerly belonging to Jews who managed to emigrate. Another large source of income was represented by the acquisition and sale of Jewish stocks and bonds (in the value of approx. 69 million Crowns), while some companies’ securities remained in the ownership of the bank (in the value of approx. 34 million Crowns). The BEB cooperated with the occupational bodies, the Gestapo and SS, and under the leadership of the Dresdner Bank its efforts to maximize its “Aryanization” profits were successful.