Important Events:
Switzerland and the World

Important Events:
Swiss Bank Corporation (SBC)
Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS)

With the unconditional surrender of all German Troops WW2 comes to an end in Europe on May 8th.

US forces drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. With the unconditional surrender of all Japanese Troops WW2 comes to an end in the Far East on September 2nd.

Creation of the United Nations Organization (UNO) in San Francisco.

SBC absorbs the Basler Handelsbank (Commercial Bank of Basle), founded in 1862 - one of the major banks in Switzerland -, which had become illiquid by the end of WW2.

Basler Handelsbank

Total Assets of SBC at the end of 1945 were 1,8 billion CHF.

UBS absorbs the Eidgenössische Bank (Federal Bank), founded in 1864 - one of the major banks in Switzerland -, which had become illiquid by the end of WW2.
Through this take-over Total Assets of UBS for the first time exceed one billion CHF at the end of this year.

Eidgenössische Bank, Bern, around 1875

The headquarter and legal domicile of UBS is moved to Zurich (from Winterthur and St.Gall).

The Washington Agreement between the WW2-Allies and Switzerland is signed on May 25th.

UBS opens a Representative Office in New York and winds up the activities of Union American Corporation.

IMF and Worldbank take up their operations.

In Geneva the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is signed.

In Switzerland the Federal Social Security Law (AHV - Alters- und Hinterbliebenenversicherung) passes the nationwide referendum.

In Western Germany a new currency is introduced: the D-Mark.

The USA establish the European Recovery Program ERP (Marshall Plan)

In Paris the Organization for European Economic Cooperation OEEC, later to become the OECD, is created.

UBS, through its subsidiary Intrag AG, establishes the "South Africa Trust Fund SAFIT".

UBS acquires the Banque Palézieux & Cie., Vevey, and integrates it into the existing branch.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO is founded.

The Federal Republic of Germany is founded on the territory of the three Western occupation zones.

After a two and a half years' Civil War Mao Zedong proclaims the People's Republic of China. His opponent, Chiang Kai-shek, flees to Taiwan.

The "Mutual Fund for Swiss Stocks FONSA" is established. Over the years UBS, through its subsidiary Intrag AG, establishes a series of other mutual funds.