As you’ve already heard, I’m returning to the institution where I spent the longest part of my working life; the institution which has shaped me the most. My professional journey took me to different parts of the Bank; at the former Landeszentralbank, in the Directorate General Markets at Central Office and, in my last position, on the Executive Board, too. Those were turbulent times.
The Bundesbank became part of the Eurosystem and found its role there. The transition from Deutsche Mark to euro was no easy feat for the Bundesbank as an institution, I won’t deny that. Nonetheless, we resolutely embarked on this path and never lost sight of our target: a stable currency for the euro area. The Bundesbank isn’t one for wallowing in nostalgia.