The oldest Sparda-Bank was founded on 6 May 1896 as Spar- und Vorschuss-Verein der badischen Eisenbahnbeamten (Savings and Imprest Association of the Baden Railroad Officials) in Karlsruhe.

[1] Based on this model, equal cooperatives were founded in other places, which, in the spring of 1906, consolidated in the Revisionsverband der Eisenbahn-Spar- und Darlehnskassen (Revision Federation of the Railroad Savings and Loan Associations) in Kassel.

[2] In 1969 the railroad savings banks were opened for staff of other public services and in 1974 for all employees (steady income in the salary account is expected).

Customers purchase at least one cooperative share (the amount and the maximum of available shares is determined individually by each bank in a statute) and are therefore, together with other customers, members and part owners of the bank.

A few Sparda-Banks have agreements for a free of charge cash withdrawal at Postbank ATMs.