Gertrude Enderle-Burcel, Dieter Stiefel, Alice Teichova (Hrsg.): Sonderband 9. „Zarte Bande” – Österreich und die europäischen planwirtschaftlichen Länder / „Delicate Relationships” – Austria and Europe’s Planned Economies (2006)
L'udovit Hallon - Miroslav Londák: Sources and Possibilities of Research on Slovak-Austrian Economic Relations after the Second World War
Sources and Possibilities of Research on Slovak-Austrian Economic Relations... Source: Archive of National Bank of Slovakia Bratislava, Slovak Tatra Bank, Account of foreign trade between Slovakia and Austria mediated by Privileged businesses for Slovakia in the Year 1949, Bratislava 1949, Unarranged Fund The main customers of Slovak electrical engineering were the Austrian factories Siemens-Schuckert, AEG Union and Siemenswerke. Antimony was taken by the firms Simonis Co., Wien and Metallfarben A. G., Wien, charcoal by Pfeiffer, Wien and Eisenwerk Sulzanwerfer, Wien, cellulose by O. Rotter, Wien and textiles by Dr. H. Putz, Wien. Among the goods imported from Austria were some kinds of traditional raw materials but mainly machines, components and electrical engineering products. Chalk was imported to Slovakia by T. Franck, Innsbruck and Burgenland Kreide Werk, also by Kreidewerk J. Ramsauer, Gemilschegg, Co, Wien, Müllendorfer Kreide Fabrik, Wien, rubber products by Semperit Gummiwerke, Wien, machinery and components by Caliqua Ostexport, J. Rimmerthaler, Linz, Elin Maschinenfabrik, Wien. Lachner, Wien, Gesellschaft fur Hydraulik, Wien, L. Seibold, Wien, Heid A. G., Wien, optical goods by Optische Werke, Wien, and electro-engineering products finally by Siemens — Halske, Wien.13 Possibilities of independent development of Slovakia's foreign trade relationships 1950-1989 and archival sources The establishment of the State Czechoslovak Bank (SCB) in 1950 meant the end of independent Slovak banking for the next forty years. The amalgamation of the only central commercial bank of Slovakia and SCB also meant the end of independent privileged foreign trade companies for Slovakia. Privileged companies had been functioning statewide since 1953 but their main headquarters were in Prague. After 1950 the powers of the central Ministry for Foreign Trade in Prague were deepened and strengthened. Financial foreign trade transactions with capitalist countries were taken over by the Prague Zivnostenskâ banka. Any attempts to establish a branch of the Zivnostenskâ banka in Slovakia remained without success until 1989. The responsibilities of the privileged companies in the 1950s were taken over by foreign trade companies representing individual economic sectors. They were independent legal entities connected until 1966 directly to the state budget. This link allowed setting the foreign and domestic price levels. However, the existence of these monopolies resulted in the separation of production from the foreign market. Until the early 1960s offices of these companies had their seats only in Czech regions. In Slovakia the postwar Department of Industry and Trade came to an end in 1951, which had some activities in foreign trade and monitored its development. It was substituted by a new institution called the Department of Trade. This new department was concerned only with domestic trade of Slovakia. It will not be 13 Ibid 299
