Endocrinology in Germany: Six decades “German Endocrine Society”

The German doctor and zoologist Arnold Adolph Berthold, Goettingen, can be regarded as the pioneer of endocrinology worldwide, and Paul Langerhans, Josef von Mering and Oskar Minkowski as the fathers of diabetology. This discipline was an integrate part of endocrinology for long time. In 1910, Artur Biedl wrote the first comprehensive textbook on endocrinology in German; it went through 3 editions. And the first scientific journal devoted exclusively to to endocrinology was the German journal Endokrinologie, founded in 1928. Later on, diabetology became a separate discipline in many countries, and also in Germany. An independent “German Diabetes Association” exists since 1964.

Fig. 1 First report about the new society in “Acta Endocrinologica” 1953.

Fig. 2 Composed by the author with free accessible pictures from Wikipedia.

Fig. 3 Composed by the author with free accessible pictures from Wikipedia.

The “German Endocrine Society” was founded in 1953 in Hamburg by A. Jores and colleagues. Members came from a broad spectrum of disciplines, with internists being only a part of them. Today, it comprises also pediatricians, gynaecologists, specialists in nuclear medicine, surgeons, neurosurgeons and psychiatrists as well as preclinical specialists, molecular biologists, specialists in nutrition, veterinary medicine, zoologists and comparative endocrinologists. The Annual Symposia have been organized in many places in Germany, now usually in the city were the chairman of the local organizing committee is working. In 1964, a “Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism” was also founded in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). In 1990, after the reunion of both German states, the two societies were unified.

Fig. 4 Photos: Jörg Gromoll and co-workers, Institute for Reproductive Medicine, University of Muenster.

Now, in 2014, the German Endocrine Society boasts about 1 600 members. Its official journal is Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology & Diabetes, the former Endokrinologie mentioned above. Since 1995, this journal serves also as the official scientific journal of the German Diabetes Association.

From 2012 to 2014, the president of the society was Professor J. Gromoll, Muenster. In March 2014 in Dresden the General Assembly elected Professor Martin Reincke, Munich, as new president. The Executive Board consists of the president, 2 vice-presidents, a secretary and a treasurer, a media speaker and six further members with various duties, including the incoming chairpersons of the Annual Symposia. The Academy for Continuous Endocrinological Education was established. 9 sections, 3 commissions and 3 working groups are active as well as three registries: for acromegaly, neuroendocrine tumours (NET) and pituitary histology. The society runs an Administrative Office and a Press Office for public relations. It is a member of the “European Society of Endocrinology, the European Union of Medical Specialists” (UEMS) and the “International Society of Endocrinology”.

“Endocrinology 2020” – this is a concept for the future of the German Endocrine Society and also for endocrinology as a discipline, initiated by our president Professor Gromoll. It is based on three pillars: “Clinic, Practice, Science”, “Strategy, Policy” and “Finance, Organization”. The program for “Science” comprises: more interaction with the German Research Council (DFG), the Annual Symposia as platform for research activities (e. g. “Thyroid Trans Act”), the promotion of activities for young researchers, including the group “Young Active Research in Endocrinology” (YARE) and young Russian endocrinologists and diabetologists initiated by the German-Russian Koch-Metschnikow-Forum. More information about research activities will also be presented at the society’s homepage: www.endokrinologie.net.

During the opening ceremony of the 57^th Symposium of the German Endocrine Society in Dresden from 18–21 March 2014, a lecture was presented by the author looking back over those 6 decades of our society, it also dealt with the beginning of modern endocrinology and diabetology in Germany. An exhibition in the vestibule of the new Dresden Congress Hall on the left bank of the river Elbe showed items of this history, including original publications of Berthold and Langerhans as well as originals of the Berthold-Medal and the Langerhans-Medal, the highest scientific awards of the German Endocrine Society and the German Diabetes Association for lifetime achievement, respectively. Furthermore, books, programs of the society’s symposia, flyers and other printed material during the past 6 decades could be seen. The exhibition was viewed with great interest throughout the whole symposium.