Back in the fifties and sixties it was different, and the BMWi had acquired a reputation and was able and willing to make use of it. As there is little sub-ordinated administration („Verwaltungsunterbau”), and, in a market economy, nobody to issue orders to, it is important to have a good and trustful relationship with the public. Erhardt knew this and worked hard for it; in his Frankfurt years he used to invite journalists to discuss/teach economics after office hours into the central station restaurant for a „Frankfurter Würstchen” and a beer.
This is all long gone. Helmut Schmidt, perhaps inspired by Giscard's  super minister status,  in any case in tune with his „Weltwirtschaftsführer” ambitions, captured the banking section („Geld und Kredit”) giving him, and his successors, television time at international events and a lot political influence. When Oskar Lafontaine became Superminister in 1998, the  political section („Grundsatzabteillung”) left for the finance ministry, too. What remains, is a torso. – And it is probably not a good idea to have the finance industry pertain to the finance ministry – a ministry should have a certain breadth, I presume.

The minister Rexroth,