On 19 October 1949 representatives of 32 business associations and working groups founded the Ausschuss für Wirtschaftsfragen der industriellen Verbände / Committee for Economic Issues of the Industrial Associations at the Excelsior Hotel in Cologne. In addition to the President of the first German Bundestag, Dr. Erich Köhler, the evening reception was attended by four Federal Ministers: Vice-Chancellor Franz Blücher; Minister of Economic Affairs Ludwig Erhard; Minister of Labour Anton Storch and Minister for Transport Hans-Christoph Seebohm.