In its founding year of 1896, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG expanded into Russia. With the cough syrup Sirolin and the wound treatment Airol, the young Swiss company achieved its first significant successes in the Tsarist Empire. Until World War I, Russia was Roche's second most important foreign market after Germany. Following the Russian Revolution, the Basel company lost its branch in St. Petersburg without compensation. Despite this traumatic event, Roche did not withdraw from the Eastern European market and quickly established branches in Prague, Warsaw, and Riga. In these war-torn countries, Roche executives faced difficult political and economic conditions. Nevertheless, through persistent development work and entrepreneurial skill, they managed to firmly establish Roche in the markets.