125 years of OAV

Unnoticed by the press, 16 merchants and a Higher Regional Court judge meet that evening at the Hotel Hamburger Hof on Jungfernstieg.

This was preceded by an initiative by Carl Illies just eleven days earlier: he had campaigned for the establishment of an association for German interests in East Asia based in Hamburg.

Owners or partners of the most important companies in the growing East Asian business at the time came together and founded "an association for German interests in East Asia based in Hamburg":

• Gustav L. Albers and H. W. Heitmann (Kunst & Albers)

• Charles von Bose (Carlowitz & Co.)

• Julius Brussels (Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Group Corp.)

• Albert F. Gültzow (Siemssen & Co.)

• Carl Illies and Max W. Kochen (C. Illies & Co.)

• Hermann Jebsen (Herm. Jebsen & Co.)

• Philipp Adolf Lieder ((H. Mandl & Co.)

• Eduard Lorenz Meyer and Adolf Lasse (Arnold Otto Meyer)

• H. C. Eduard Meyer and J. Hinrich Garrels (Meyer & Co., Hong Kong and Shanghai)

• Paul Pickenpack (Pickenpack, Thies & Co.)

• Wilhelm Reiners (Reiners & Co.)

• Carl Rohde (Carl Rohde & Co.)

• and Otto Rudorf from the Higher Regional Court

The first Ostasiatische Liebesmahl place on March 16, 1901; the annual event cycle is based on the model of the China Association's "Annual Dinner."

Accordingly, the association's articles of association refer to the "creation and facilitation of social intercourse among the members and discussion of German interests in meetings that are as regular as possible". A "social committee" was founded specifically for this purpose, initially consisting of Julius Brüssel and Wilhelm Reiners. Its purpose was to organize and promote professional and social exchanges, to prepare regular meetings and events such as the "Liebesmahl" and to bundle the interests of the members.

The term "love feast", which is unusual from today's perspective, is based on a term widely used in 19th century (music) literature (for example by Novalis, Gottfried Keller and Richard Wagner). It originally described a solemn, spiritually inspired meal of peace and reconciliation with early Christian roots, the shared sacramental meal of a congregation.

Ostasiatische Liebesmahl the first Ostasiatische Liebesmahl was held at the Hamburger Hof, Hamburg City Hall has recently become the venue for this traditional festival. However, there has been one exception in the recent past: in 2009, Schuppen 52 on Australiastraße in the Port of Hamburg was the venue. There was already disagreement about this within the OAV beforehand, as many members felt that the old warehouse was not prestigious enough.

Already in the early years of the OAV, a Chinese and a Japanese commission were established, which led to the establishment of the department for the import of goods from China in 1915.

Country committees are only formed from 1940 onwards, when trade with East Asia faces particular challenges as a result of the Second World War. Committee work is carried out in close coordination with the OAV management and meetings are held in the premises of the Harmonie Society in Hamburg. Gradually, committees are formed for South, North and Central China, the Netherlands Indies, Thailand and Japan, among others. From the 1950s onwards, East Asia proves to be too large and heterogeneous as a field of work for the OAV, and work increasingly shifts to the country committees.

Since the turn of the millennium, the country committees have been a key focus of the association's work and thus the backbone of the OAV. This is where the practical initiatives and suggestions continue to come from. Eckhard Rohkamm, Chairman of the OAV from 2003 to 2008, regarded the country committees as the "workshops of the OAV".

"Eleven years have passed since the last love feast. In view of today's circumstances, the Board of Directors felt that the time had not yet come for a traditional love feast. But we could not let the founding days of the association 50 years ago pass by" - these words were spoken by Chairman Alfred Albers to 432 participants on March 11, 1950. The East Asian Love Feast is held again at the Hotel Atlantic. Wilhelm Haas, State Councillor in Konrad Adenauer's Federal Chancellery, gives the keynote speech.

The club's anniversary is preceded by an eventful phase in the wake of the currency reform in 1948, when the club's continued existence is briefly on the brink due to inflation. The OAV survives the situation thanks in part to the willingness of the management to reduce salaries for three months.

In spring 1952, the OAV proposes to the German government the establishment of a China Committee of German Business to promote trade in view of the UN embargo policy. However, this proposal met with political resistance, as such a committee could be interpreted as undermining the UN embargo.

Instead, in July 1952, the German government proposed the formation of a general Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations, which would also accompany trade with China. After controversial discussions, the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations was founded on October 9, 1952 in Cologne under the umbrella of the BDI. The OAV and the VDMA are mainly responsible for its management. This initiative is decisive in moving the OAV to the center of economic policy in the Federal Republic. The working group holds its first meeting in Hamburg in December 1952 and remains closely associated with the OAV in the following decades.

In addition to the East Asian Love Feast, the OAV also organizes various informal social gatherings without an official setting, speeches or speeches.

They take place at different venues, such as the Curio-Haus, the Uhlenhorster Fährhaus, the Hotel Esplanade or the Palast-Hotel. One of the first meetings of this kind was that of 21 "East Asian sailors" in the Ratsweinkeller in 1903. It also includes beer evenings, dance parties and the "curry dinner" for members and friends several times a year.

This tradition of an informal East Asia evening is continued with the "Little Love Supper": Since its premiere on November 4, 1953, it has followed the members' meeting every year, including a current specialist presentation.

The venue is also subject to the changing times: after being based in Hamburg for many decades, the Kleine Liebesmahl now tours member companies throughout Germany. In 2015, it was held at Trumpf GmbH in Ditzingen, in 2016 at Jungheinrich AG in Hamburg and in 2017 at the Allianz Forum on Pariser Platz in Berlin. In 2018, it took place in Hamburg at the International Maritime Museum, in 2019 in Munich at Freudenberg Chemical Specialities SE and in 2020 and 2021 digitally due to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2022, it returned to Hamburg to the former main customs office, in 2023 to AKA Ausfuhrkredit-Gesellschaft mbH in Frankfurt and in 2024 back to Hamburg to Hapag Lloyd Ag.

While the participation of women in East Asian business is a matter of course today, the traditional event has been an exclusive men's dinner for decades.

For the first time, female companions of the invited members are officially invited to the 80th love feast in 2000. In 1964, some members of the diplomatic corps were the first women to be welcomed - but only because they could not be turned away.

In 1976, a woman without an official function also takes part: Lady Mary Soames is married to the keynote speaker Sir Christopher Soames (then Vice-President of the European Commission) and is also the daughter of Winston Churchill. At her side is Almut Leibkutsch, the wife of the OAV Chairman. Both act merely as "honorary gentlemen" - fortunately, those days are over.

1989: First keynote speaker from East Asia at the Love Feast

Since the 2010s, the Love Feast speakers have often come from East Asia - the first in this series was Arifin Siregar in 1989, then Governor of the Indonesian Central Bank and later Trade Minister of the Republic of Indonesia (1988 to 1993).

Based on a joint initiative of the OAV, the Federation of German Industries (BDI), the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) and the then Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl, the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA) was founded in 1993. The German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHK) are also part of the network.

The APA represents the interests of German business in the Asia-Pacific region and serves as a platform for economic policy discussions. Initially supported by OAV, BDI and DIHK, it was joined in 1999 by the Federation of German Wholesale and Foreign Trade (BGA) and the Association of German Banks (BdB).

Objectives of the APA

• Strengthening economic cooperation with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region

• Promotion of trade and investment between Germany and Asia

• Shaping change together under the guiding principles of "partnership, innovation, sustainability"

• Representation of the economic interests of German companies vis-à-vis politicians

• Platform for exchange with partners and initiatives from Asia as well as political decision-makers

• Supporting the image of Germany in Asia and promoting location marketing

• Involvement in economic policy events and government visits and organization of the Asia-Pacific Conference (APC)

2001: Foundation of the OAV Young Leaders

Today they are known as OAV Young Leaders. The initial OAV Young Leaders Association was founded in 2001 at the OAV office in Hamburg. This was preceded by extensive preparations, especially by Executive Committee member Jürgen Habertag, and was followed by a short test phase until 2004. The Young Leaders of the companies operating in Asia are still nominated by the OAV members themselves.

As the importance of young Asia experts has increased significantly, the Young Leaders are becoming more involved in the work of the OAV. Since 2017, they have had their own seat on the Executive Committee to give their issues more weight and influence.

One of their own initiatives since 2017 has been the Industry Round Table format, which serves as a forum for different sectors such as mechanical and vehicle engineering to discuss current topics relating to Asia and is being held for the first time at Trumpf GmbH in Ditzingen. As the age limit for membership of the OAV Young Leaders is 40, a successor organization for former Young Leaders, the OAV Alumni, has been under development since the end of 2024.

The year of the OAV's 120th anniversary is marked by the coronavirus pandemic: the celebration is postponed from March to the beginning of November, only to be held in 2023 due to the pandemic. An additional cultural highlight planned for the anniversary year, a festive concert in the Elbphilharmonie concert hall with an original composition, fell victim to the pandemic.