<PAGE>
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13D
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. 2)
INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT TO
RULE 13d-1(a) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-2(a)
The France Growth Fund, Inc.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Title of Class of Securities)
35177K108
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(CUSIP Number)
Moritz A. Sell
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Alexanderplatz 2D-10178 Berlin
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)
June 23, 1999
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)
If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report
the acquisition which is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this
schedule because of Rule 13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check the following box. [ ]
Page 1 of 5 Pages
<PAGE>
- -------------------- --------------------
CUSIP No.: 35177K108 13D Page 2 of 5 Pages
- -------------------- --------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. ID NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER (a)[ ]
OF A GROUP (b)[ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 SOURCE OF FUNDS WC
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED [ ]
PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) or 2(e)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Federal Republic of Germany
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF SHARES SOLE VOTING POWER 1,724,300
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BENEFICIALLY OWNED SHARED VOTING POWER 0
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BY EACH REPORTING SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 1,724,300
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PERSON SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 0
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,724,300
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 11.24%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON BK
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page 2 of 5 Pages
<PAGE>
This Amendment No. 2 amends and supplements Items 3 and 5 of the
Schedule 13D of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG (the "Bank") with respect to the
shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), of The
France Growth Fund, Inc. (the "Fund").
ITEM 3. SOURCE AND AMOUNT OF FUNDS OR OTHER CONSIDERATION
The source of the funds used by the Bank to purchase the 1,724,300
shares of Common Stock listed in Item 5(a) was working capital. The amount of
the funds used to purchase such shares aggregated approximately $22,817,885
(exclusive of commissions).
ITEM 5. INTEREST IN SECURITIES OF THE ISSUER
(a) The Fund's proxy statement, dated March 11, 1999, relating to the
1998 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Fund to be held on April 29, 1999
states that, as of February 9, 1999, there were 15,345,333 shares of Common
Stock outstanding. The percentage set forth in this Item 5(a) was derived using
such number.
The Bank is the beneficial owner of 1,724,300 shares of Common Stock,
which constitute approximately 11.24% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock.
(b) The Bank has sole power to vote and to dispose of the shares of
Common Stock owned by it.
(c) During the last sixty days, the Bank has effected the following
purchases in the shares of Common Stock, all of which were made on the New York
Stock Exchange.
Date Number of Shares Purchased Price Per Share
---- -------------------------- ---------------
April 30, 1999 54,500 $13.2607
May 17, 1999 7,300 13.1250
May 25, 1999 40,000 13.0000
June 8, 1999 13,700 13.0625
June 9, 1999 7,500 13.0625
June 10,1999 10,000 13.0000
June 14, 1999 10,000 13.0625
June 18, 1999 400 13.3125
June 21, 1999 10,000 13.4375
June 23, 1999 10,000 13.1250
June 23, 1999 70,500 13.1432
(d) No person other than the Bank has the right to receive or the power
to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the
shares of Common Stock owned by the Bank.
Page 3 of 5 Pages
<PAGE>
(e) It is inapplicable to state the date on which the Bank ceased to be
the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the Common Stock.
Page 4 of 5 Pages
<PAGE>
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of our knowledge and belief,
we certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete
and correct.
Date: June 25, 1999 BANKGESELLSCHAFT BERLIN AG
By: /s/ Bartho Schroeder
------------------------------
Name: Bartho Schroeder
Title: Director
By: /s/ Moritz Sell
------------------------------
Name: Moritz Sell
Title: Market Strategist
Page 5 of 5 Pages
