Established on January 29, 1949, its founding president was Karl Geiler, Hesse's first Minister President, followed by former Lord Mayor Hans Heinrich Redlhammer, who headed the society from 1954-74.

While in the first decades after the society was founded, its main concern was reconciliation between Germans and French, today its work is primarily aimed at fostering friendly relations and cultural exchange between the two countries. Regular lectures, conversation courses, readings, screenings of current French films, occasional concerts, excursions and joint gatherings contribute to this exchange.

The DFG Wiesbaden e.V. is a member of the Association of German-French Societies in Germany and France (VDFG/FAFA). This currently represents around 150 Franco-German societies with around 20,000 members.