Dr. Gunnar Take has studied economic and social history at the University of Heidelberg and at the University of Oxford. His dissertation on German economic research and consulting during the “Third Reich” was published in 2019. Since 2022, he is employed at the Department for Business History at the University of Stuttgart and conducts research on East German monetary history (1945–2000). Since February 2026, Gunnar leads the network “Money in Socialism” together with Dr. Stephan Rindlisbacher. In this regard, his most relevant publications are:
- Transformation der Sparkassen in der SBZ/DDR (1945–1952). Von «völkischsten Banken» zu «demokratischen Finanzorganen»[The Transformation of East German Savings Banks: From “the most völkisch institutions” to “democratic financial organizations”], in: Zeitschrift für Unternehmensgeschichte 70/2, 2025, S. 237-264, https://doi.org/10.1515/zug-2025-0016.]
- Die Stasi-Sparkasse und der geheime „16. Bankbezirk“ der DDR (1972–1989) [The Savings Bank of the Secret Police and the Secret Banking District of the GDR], to be published in: Zeithistorische Forschungen 2027.
- Neue Perspektiven auf die Sparkassen der DDR. Ein Überblick über Quellenbestände und Forschungsfelder [New Perspectives on East German Savings Banks], IBF Paper Series 03-25, Banking and Finance in Historical Perspective, April 2025. https://www.ibf-frankfurt.de/popup_paperseries.php?uid=430 (open access)
- Monetäre Herrschaftsstabilisierung in der sozialistischen Transformation: Die Sparkasse Leipzig 1945–1961 [Monetary Stabilization of Power: The Leipzig Savings Bank 1945–1961, in: Markus A. Denzel (ed.): 200 years Leipzig Savings Bank.
He is currently working on:
- an article on Socialist Struggles with Cash. The Bankification of East Germany’s Economy and Society (1948–1961)
- an article on Consumer Credit in East Germany (1949–1990)
- a monograph tentatively titled “Saving Socialism. Money, Society, and Dictatorship in East Germany (1945–2000)”.
More Information: https://www.hi.uni-stuttgart.de/institut/team/Take-00001/