This was a university with a long and distinguished past, but the university was undergoing a major reorganisation following the Prussian capture of Alsace- Lorraine.
Ito ay isang unibersidad sa isang mahaba at mukhang mahal na nakalipas, ngunit ang unibersidad ay sumasailalim sa isang malaking reorganisation ang mga sumusunod na Pruso paghuli ng Alsace-Lorraine.