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The Creditanstalt was Austria's most influential banking house, and its bankruptcy in May 1931 brought the country close to financial disaster. This event was a significant factor in the broader economic crisis of the 1930s, which saw global trade and production severely damaged following the 1929 stock market crash. The economic downturn weakened democracies and emboldened authoritarian regimes, contributing to the political instability that ultimately led to World War II. The Creditanstalt's financial troubles were exacerbated by a proposed Austro-German customs union, which faced strong opposition from France and the Little Entente, leading to a run on the bank.12

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