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Vacuum science and technology in Germany
were represented by the national physical
societies, till the middle of the last century. In the
course of development of vacuum applications,
three vacuum societies were founded: the
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Vakuumtechnik e.V.
(German Society for Vacuum Technology), the
Deutscher Arbeitskreis Vakuum DAV (German
Workgroup for Vacuum) and the Deutsches
National Komitee Vakuum (German National
Committee for Vacuum). The Deutscher
Arbeitskreis Vakuum DAV was based on four
important science and technology societies:
the German Physical Society DPG, the German
Society for Chemical Apparatuses DECHEMA,
the Union of German Engineers VDI, and the
Society of Communications Engineering NTG.
In 1963, the different societies formed the
Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft Vakuum DAGV
(German Association Vacuum) under its first
president Prof. Dr. Hans Oechsner. The Institute
of Surface Research and Vacuum Physics,
founded on the initiative of the Association as
“National Vacuum Institute”, hosted the office of
the association since 1973. In 1990, the name
was changed to Deutsche Vakuum-Gesellschaft
DVG (German Vacuum Society).
German representatives of vacuum science
and technology were among the pioneers of
the foundation of the international vacuum
society. The physicist and chemist Dr. Georg-
Wilhelm Oetjen was one of the contributors to
the resolution of the First International Congress
on Vacuum Technology held in Namur 1958.
Prof. Dr. Kurt Diels, President of the DAGV,
was a member of the recommended Executive
Committee. The German vacuum organisation
became one of the founder members of the
IUVSTA.
A similar organisation in the field of vacuum physics
and technology existed in the GDR: The working
group “High Vacuum, Boundary Layers and Thin
Films” (part of the 1970 founded association
Solid-State Physics within the Physical Society
of the GDR). The National Commission Vacuum
functioned as board and joined the IUVSTA
in 1977. The organisation e. g. hosted the
ECM-41 (1981) and ECM-62 (1990) in Dresden.
Councillors were Prof. Dr. Christian Weißmantel
and Prof. Dr. Gunter Leonhardt. Both German
vacuum societies were unified in 1991.
The Deutsche Vakuum-Gesellschaft (DVG)
is led by an Executive Board consisting of the
President – currently Dr. Ute Bergner (Founder
and President of VACOM, elected 2017) – who
is assisted by two Vice-Presidents – Dr.-Ing.
Thomas Giegerich (Institute of Technical Physics
KIT) and Prof. Dr. Dietrich Zahn (Semiconductor
Physics Research Group of the TU Chemnitz).
Ten representatives from industry and science,
elected by the society members, form the
Council of the society.
The DVG is an association of personal members –
scientists, engineers and technicians – and
institutions in the field of vacuum-based science
and technologies:
Vacuum Science and Technology, Surface
Physics, Thin Films, Electronic Materials and
Processes, Nanostructure Sciences and
The research in vacuum has a long tradition in Germany. Magdeburg’s mayor Otto von
Guericke developed the first real air pump enabling the direct evacuation of a vessel. His
achievements are characterized by the successful connection of theoretical research and
technical ingenuity.
THE GERMAN VACUUM SOCIETY
Deutsche Vakuum-Gesellschaft (DVG)
Ute Bergner