Erste Bank is the Austrian retail bank with headquarters in Vienna, Austria, and the oldest bank of financial group Erste Group Bank AG. Moreover, the whole banking business of the financial group Erste Group Bank AG with multiple subsidiaries in Central and Eastern Europe is often referred to as the Erste Bank. Holding Erste Group Bank AG is one of the largest financial services providers in Central and Eastern Europe. Erste Group Bank AG, focusing on retail banking business and financial support to small and medium-sized businesses, has more than 50,000 employees and more than 3,200 branches in 8 countries (Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, and Ukraine). The oldest savings bank in Austria was founded in 1819. In 1997, Die Erste osterreichisshe Spar-Casse Bank AG and GiroCredit united in Erste Bank der oesterreichischen Sparkassen AG. In August 2008 - Erste Group Bank AG, which is the second largest banking group in the country and the leading bank of the Austrian Savings Banks Group.