Town Darmstadt with the university
                                          MIYAMOTO  Yutaka

The intellectual climate of Darmstadt is obviously related to its geographical 
position between the modern city Frankfurt an Main and the romantic town 
Heidelberg.

As for the name of the Darmstadt being known for the first time with the 11th
century, it is decided to belong to State of Hesse in 1479.

Though the origin of the name of the town doesn't seem to be clear, there is
a brook like intestines (Darm)
It is flowing through the side of the university in the suburbs, and we have
an opinion that name Darmstadt comes from this brook (Darm).
There were many woods, and I enjoyed a walk quietly with the family.

By the bombing of English air force is taken in 11th December in 1944 of World 
War II, 80% of city area were destroyed. City area was reconstructed after the
war, but the historical houses and streets are lost.

The history of today's Darmstadt ruled that Philip landgrave (Landgraf) of the 
State Hesse in 1567 devided his's domain into his children and 
Hessen-Darmstadt was given to his fourth son.

The descendant became a grand duke (GroƒÀherzog) by the Napoleon from 
landgrave (Landgraf).
That is Ludewig I, whose statue is standing in central open space Luisenplats 
(Luisenplatz) of the town to watch the town from the top of the long pillar.
Incidentally, the name of the open space was taken from his wife Luise.

The second daughter of English queen Victoria has been marrying into this 
family.
The daughter of Ludwig ‡W world marries into Russia from the Darmstadt.
A family was executed at the time of the Russian Revolution though it was under
the empress of Nicolai ‡U.

In the hill of Mathilde (Mathildenhoehe), there is precious "art colony
(Kuenstlerkolonie)", that is the treasure of this town.
The Russian Orthodox Church is held in the hill of Mathilde.
Oldest son of  Ludwig ‡W (Ernst Ludwig) built it so that his younger sister 
Alexandra (Russian empresss) could do the worship of Russian Orthodox Church 
of the husband's religion at the time of visiting Darmstadt.

The technical university Darmstadt is separated into two departments, the 
administrative department with the president room and lecture rooms in the 
center of the town, the another one with laboratories and experiment 
places in the suburb plain (Lichtwiese).

A castle (Schloss) in the center of the town is used nowadays as the library 
of the university and as the museum of the town.
The bell of the castle rings not loudly in the regular time.
Dr. ISHIBASHI with the achievements of the Japanese-German medical interchange
has visited this town for several years ago and said that the sound of this 
bell was wonderful. Mr. pharmacist Leopold  Lerch has spoken me this talk.
Dr. ISHIBASHI and Mr. pharmacist Leopold  Lerch are good Friends in long time, 
and they visit the other country to see each other every year.
                                   (1981.10-1982.9)
   -----
I have seen Mr. pharmacist Leopold  Lerch in Darmstadt again in January 1991.
He passed away in 1996.

He became a Japanophile after he was kindly traeted by the Japanese in his 
childhood in Vienna (Wien).

I also want to be kind to the foreigner for such a reason.