Origin of the TÜV

The “Gesellschaft zur Überwachung und Versicherung von Dampfkesseln” is founded in Mannheim

Following the explosion of a steam boiler in a Mannheim brewery in January 1865, the operators of high-pressure equipment in Baden pooled their resources to establish a system of voluntary regular inspection for boilers following the English model. The result was the Gesellschaft zur Überwachung und Versicherung von Dampfkesseln, formed on 6 January 1866. The success of this organization led to the abandonment of state inspections. Technical inspection associations (TÜVs) for various industrial and non-industrial activities emerged in Germany throughout the 19th century to perform functions that had previously been a matter for the state.