It was founded in 1690 by Heinrich Meissner as the "Kunstrechnungsübende Societät".
It is the oldest still-active mathematical society in the world, and the second-oldest scientific society in Germany after the Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, which was founded in 1652.
[1] Two asteroids, 449 Hamburga and 454 Mathesis, were given their names at an anniversary celebration of the society in 1901.
[2] Its journal is the Mitteilungen der Mathematischen Gesellschaft in Hamburg.
[3] It began publications in 1881, succeeding a listing of society talks which had been sent out to members since 1873.