hundredth birthday of the high five the german who founded the rural cooperative movement of credit unions by fisons co-op banking model has since spread to many of the industries that are still in use today. these two families a members of germany s oldest co-operative in one thousand nine hundred eighty their forefathers banded together and started a cooperative that built and operated a flour mill one farmer could not have done it alone. in the grain from our region the old mountains is very coarse it was difficult to sell to nearby dresden there was very little profit so they said we need our own mill so we can process the grain and then we can make the bread as well. as. the mill and the bakery have ensured a thriving business for the farmers for many years now some seventeen businesses are now part of this successful cooperative. the idea of the cooperative goes back