The German Society for Semiotics was initiated at the semiotic colloquium at the Technical University Berlin in 1975. It has been a nonprofit organization based in Berlin since 1976. 

 Institutional bodies of the DGS are: 

• the executive committee consisting of 3 chairpersons and one secretary, 
• the advisory committee consisting of approx. 20 active members who represent the different working divisions of the DGS and who advise the executive committee in all areas of expertise, 
• the general meeting held at least every three years during which the executive committee and the advisory committee are elected. 

• issues quarterly magazines covering all areas of semiotics, 
• regularly discusses current questions concerning the research, instruction and application of semiotics,
• includes permanent sections informing its readers about new publications, events, institutions and biographical particulars of relevance to semiotics. 

• the Austrian Society of Semiotics ÖGS, 
• the Swiss Society of Semiotics SGS/ASS, 

•  International Association for Semiotic Studies IASS.