After the Second World War, wealth accumulation and retirement planning became more closely linked to capital markets. One objective was to make securities accessible to a wider population, not only to experienced or wealthy investors.
The founding of DWS in 1956 marked an important step in this development. Mutual funds such as Investa built on the familiar idea of collective saving while offering diversification. That made capital market participation possible for smaller investors and helped reduce the risks associated with holding individual securities.
Over time, private and market-based forms of retirement provision gained importance alongside public pension systems. Securities and investment funds became a more central part of how people planned for lasting financial security.