Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F078953-0017, Hamburg, Börse

The Hamburg Chamber of Commerce (''Handelskammer Hamburg''), originally named the Commercial Deputation (''Commerz-Deputation''), is the

chamber of commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to ad ...

for the city state of Hamburg, and was founded in 1665. Hamburg has for centuries been a commercial centre of

Northern Europe The northern region of Europe has several definitions. A restrictive definition may describe Northern Europe as being roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, which is about 54th parallel north, 54°N, or may be based on other g ...

, and the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce currently has 160,000 companies as its members. It was traditionally one of the three main political bodies of Hamburg.

Role

The chamber has several official responsibilities. The

Hamburg Stock Exchange The Hamburg Stock Exchange (german: link=yes, Hamburger Börse) is the oldest stock exchange in Germany. It was founded in 1558 in the Free and Hanseatic city of Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 ...

(founded in 1558) is owned by and subordinate to the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce. The chamber has its offices in the old stock exchange building.Leitbild der Handelskammer Hamburg
www.hk24.de
' (PDF) The Commercial Deputation, founded in 1665, originally consisted of seven members, elected among the city's "honourable merchants." Each member became President of the Commercial Deputation during his last year in office. The Commercial Deputation was officially recognised by the Hamburg council (senate) in 1674 as the representation of the city's merchants. From 1710, all the seven members of the Commercial Deputation were also ''

ex officio An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by right ...

'' members of the ''Erbgesessene Bürgerschaft'' (the Hamburg Parliament). The Commercial Deputation was, along with council/senate and ''Bürgerschaft'', one of the most important political bodies of Hamburg. In 1735, the ''Commerzbibliothek'' (Library of Commerce) was founded, and is the oldest library of its kind. In 1867, the Commercial Deputation was transformed into the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce. Since 2004 the Chamber of Commerce organizes the bi-annual Hamburg Summit: China meets Europe.

Presidents of the Hamburg Commercial Deputation and Chamber of Commerce since 1665

External links

Hamburg Chamber of Commerce official Web site
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References

{{Authority control

Chamber of Commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to ad ...

Chambers of commerce 1665 establishments in the Holy Roman Empire 17th-century establishments in the Holy Roman Empire