on 1 january 1938, the "lübeck-büchen railway company" was acquired by the deutsche reichsbahn ("german state railways"), which since the beginning of 1930 had held a majority of its shares. the state of lübeck had held a majority of shares in the company since 1883. during the 1921–1923 hyperinflation, the national ministry of transport had acquired shares in the lbe. by 1937 the german government held about 86 percent of its shares. it justified its decision to nationalise the company on the basis of the importance of the lines that were connected by the lbe. the company was dissolved on 1 january 1938.