[The 40th anniversary of the German Interdisciplinary Association of Critical Care Medicine : A ceremonial address on the occasion of the anniversary].

During the 17th annual meeting, the German Interdisciplinary Association of Critical Care Medicine (DIVI) celebrated its 40th anniversary. On this occasion a speech was given with the following content. In 1977, the DIVI was founded as an umbrella association for medical societies involved in critical care. It became a well-respected representative for matters of critical care medicine. During the following period, many important recommendations for critical care were issued, such as on structural and staffing standards, further education, treatment concepts, etc. In 2007, DIVI was changed into a membership society. The activities within the society are mostly done within the sections where members of the various disciplines (internists, anesthesiologists, neurologists, etc.) and professions (physicians, nurses) cooperate together on special topics. Currently, critical care in Germany has to overcome severe problems: rigorous economic pressure, critical lack of staff, missing professional long-term perspectives for intensivists, weak representation at international conferences. DIVI and its contributing societies must urgently join together in order to overcome these existential problems.