Legal Basis - German Maritime Pilotage Act of 1954
The German Maritime Pilotage Act (GMPA) was signed into law on October 14th, 1954. Because the existence of the Federal Chamber of Pilots is ruled out in the GMPA, the foundation of the Federal Chamber of Pilots was on that same date.
GMPA rule 34: "The pilot brotherhoods constitute the Federal Chamber of Pilots. The Federal Chamber of Pilots is a public body...The Federal Chamber of Pilots is supervised by the Federal Ministry of Transport..."
Like other enclosed professions and from the experience with the predecessor "Deutscher Lotsenbund e.V." (German Pilots' Association as incorporated society) the legislator implemented a chamber as head organisation for the pilot services.
The proximity to the governmental mandate explains the type of organisation as public body. The federal state is responsible for the maritime safety and environmental protection. The GMPA transferrs part of the governmental mandate to self-employed and independent pilots, organized in pilot brotherhoods (also public bodies) and keeps them under governmental control without employing governmental workers.