Although some missionary work had already occurred in Germany, the mission was not formally organized until 3 April 1852 when Daniel Garn arrived in Hamburg as the first mission president of the German Mission. The mission closed in 1861 and was absorbed into the Swiss, Italian, and German Mission. Over thirty years later, the German Mission was reorganized in 1898. However, it only lasted a few years and closed once more in 1904 as it was absorbed into the new Swiss-German Mission.