Essay: The role of technical and scientific societies in information transfer, education, and the coordination of research and development efforts is examined with special emphasis on the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Materialkunde (DGM), the German Materials Society. The DGM, which was instrumental in the foundation of the European organization f.e.m.s., the Federation of European Materials Societies, is outlined and its relationship with other European materials societies, for example the European Materials Research Society (E-MRS) is discussed.