Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies

The first electrotechnical association in the territory of the then German Empire had existed since 1879. On January 21 and 22, 1893, 37 delegates from various German-speaking electrical engineering associations founded the VDE in Berlin. The first technical committee of the VDE was formed at the first annual meeting. Their task was to draw up regulations for electrical systems. As a result, the first “VDE regulation”, "VDE 0100", was passed in 1895 for the safe creation of electrotechnical systems.

In 1937 the VDE was incorporated into the NS-Bund Deutscher Technik. This was subordinate to the main office for technology in the NSDAP (Hauptamt für Technik in der NSDAP). After World War II, the standardization work of the VDE was initially continued in the British sector of Berlin by a trustee. In 1946, regional organizations of the VDE were re-established, and on March 23, 1950 the association was re-established in Frankfurt am Main.

Product testing and certification

The VDE mark (from the original name, Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker) is meant to indicate safety and quality in electrical, information, and medical technologies. The VDE Testing and Certification Institute in Offenbach, Germany, tests

roughly 100,000 products from over 10,000 customers worldwide. The spectrum of product tests covers safety, EMV, energy efficiency, and other product features, as well as certification and assembly inspections. The VDE Global Services GmbH provides local handling of all testing and certification procedures to its customers in Asia.

Technology Consulting

The VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH, headquartered in Berlin, is commissioned by German federal and state ministries to develop programs for promoting technical policies.