A public authority which was set up in 1990 to manage and privatize public property in the former GDR.

Privatisation Agency selling off East German companies between 1990 and 1995. In order to attract investors it paid for some or all of the costs of restructuring and environmental clean-up. Often the price of companies sold was reduced considerably in exchange for job and investment guarantees. By September 1994 the Treuhandanstalt had accumulated debts worth DM 183bn. As of the beginning of 1995 these debts were taken over by the Erblasttilgungsfond. These debts are not included in the official federal budget deficit figures.