In a time of global banking and financial services, globalized money and capital markets, this is a study of German banking law and practice. The articles are designed to cover the subject and take a systematic approach. They are written by experts from authorities, banks and universities. The idea for the book was born in a conference on German and Chinese banking law, held in Beijing/China on October 6th-8th, 1997, and co-sponsored by the Law Centre for European and International Cooperation, Cologne, and the China University of Political Science and Law, Beijing. Inspired by this conference, the authors wrote their contributions in 1998 with due regard to the comparative and international legal perspective of the subject.