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        1881-1951
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        1918
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        1951-1978
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        1978-1986
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        1986-1992
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        1992-2000
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        2000
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        2005
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        Postbank
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        To stimulate workers to save money,

        the Dutch government established the 'Rijkspostspaarbank’ state postal savings bank in 1881. Between 1881 and 1931 the number of savings accounts increased from 23,000 to almost 2.2 million. After World War II, legal restrictions stood in the way for expansion. Competition forced the Rijkspostspaarbank to expand its activities.

         

        In 1918, the 'Postcheque- en Girodienst’ (postal cheque and payment service) was established as a service also provided by the government, and as part of the Dutch postal services. Its most important task was to provide giro transfers for families and small companies via the post office. This service rapidly gained ground, both in number of accounts and in funds entrusted. Like the Rijkspostspaarbank, the Postcheque- en Girodienst had to face the competition from retail banks, but was unable to keep up due to legal restrictions. Cooperation and, eventually, a merger with the Rijkspost-

        spaarbank were necessary.


        The Dutch government had also urged both services to integrate as a result of which a new corporation was established in 1977: the 'Postgiro/Rijkspostspaarbank’. This company merged with the Amsterdam Municipal Giro services in 1979. In 1986, these services were privatised and transformed into 'Postbank N.V’. Postbank has remained active in the Netherlands with 7.5 million private account holders, it is one of the largest financial-services providers in the Netherlands. Postbank is leading when it comes to the development and introduction of new products and services. In the seventies, it had already developed the home-banking concept. Currently, Postbank is a strong direct bank through the internet and telephone services.


        The Rijkspostspaarbank had the lion in her logo since 1881, like most government services did in those days (J’ai maintendrai). The logo modernised in the following years,

        in 1979, after the integration with the Postcheque- en Girodienst, with the stylized initials in her logo, the lion became a drawn, brown, sitting, comic character.


        The lion matured with the privatization in 1986, lay down and turned blue (Postbank blue). Today the lion is still blue, but there’s only his head.