When organizing the credit union it is important that people know each other and know the extent to which each of them is trustworthy. Typically new members of the credit union become citizens having suretyship or recommendations from their friends - members of the credit union. The relationship between credit unions and shareholders arise from the membership and are not customer relationship. Credit unions, like today's credit unions, emerged in the 19th century in Germany as a result of crop failure and famine. Credit Union - one of the most attractive financial institutions for the public being a non-profit alternative to banks.