HISTORY OF THE CLUB
Establishment
On June 27, 1922, the merchants, industrialists and high-ranking civil servants of Hamburg took up an idea from the banker Max M. Warburg to found the Übersee Club. World War I had just ended and the nation's economy was in dire straits. The combined burden of territorial losses and reparation payments imposed in the 1919 Treaty of Versailles meant that Germany was struggling to get back on its feet. As an organisation spanning commerce and academia, i.e. both entrepreneurs and prominent thinkers, the club's primary goal was to encourage joint action by politicians and business leaders aimed at rebuilding the international economy. A second goal anchored in its charter was to develop and expand Hamburg's traditional ties with the world's markets.
Temporary Closure
The club survived until the start of the 1930s. But then insurmountable financial difficulties – and the rise of National Socialism which rendered cosmopolitan organisations unsustainable – forced it to cease operation in 1934.
Re-establishment
In 1948, with World War II over, the Übersee Club rose from the ashes – reconstituted by a group of Hamburg merchants with the same objectives as in 1922. The reopening coincided with the introduction of the new West German currency – the Deutschmark – which also marked the start of a new economy.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF THE ÜBERSEE CLUB
Dedication to promoting democracy, tolerance and open-mindedness: this sums up the philosophy of the Übersee Club. We'd like to invite you on a voyage through the history of our club. Learn about the lectures it hosts, the speakers, the Übersee Tag, our restaurant facilities, and our partner institutions around the globe. Welcome to the Übersee Club in the heart of the Hanseatic City of Hamburg!
PRESIDENTS
Pioneers of values and ideals – the presidents of the Übersee Club since its founding
The fortunes of the Übersee Club have been guided by a series of leading figures from Hamburg's political and commercial realms.
In his own way, each president has contributed key initiatives that have shaped the club's path.
1931
Siegfried Graf von Roedern
1932 - 1933
Theodor Ritter
Presidents after 1948:
1948–1955
Rudolf H. Petersen
1956-1957
Max Mörck
1958–1963
Professor Dr. Rolf Stödter
1964–1967
Alwin Münchmeyer
1968–1987
Professor Dr. Rolf Stödter
1988–1991
Carl-Heinz Illies
1992–1999
Dr. Hellmut Kruse
2000 - 2011
Dr. Peter von Foerster
since 2012
Michael Behrendt
