Pilgrimage through the History of German Natural Science,
University City Bonn
Kaoru Harada
Kobe Shoin Women’s College, Sinoharaobanoyama-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe-city, 657-0015, Japan
E-mail: babna800@jttk.zaq.ne.jp(Received 10 July 2001, Accepted 10 September 2001)

scientists. The gravestone is a personal monument recording

Introduction
In the Roman days, Bonn was a citadel of Castra

official and personal history.

Visiting remains and various

Bonnensia, and later the city of Bonn was a Teritory of thememorials of famous scholars gives me a satisfactory feeling.

Archbishop of Koln for many years. In the year 1786, theThe intellectual impression was quite different from that I got by

University was established, but it was closed after 10 years. In

reading a textbook dealing with the same subject, because grave

the year 1818 a new University was established again in Bonn.

visiting is a personal contact with historical person. I would like

Since then, Bonn has been a University town.

Therefore,

to call such a visit a “pilgrimage” through the history of natural

University of Bonn is relatively new in Germany as is thesciences. We may learn sciences through the pilgrimage, andUniversity of Berlin (established 1810).

also learn history through the pilgrimage.

But many famous

scholars have emerged from the University. The university is

In this article, famous scientists are the main target of ourofficially called “Rheinisch Friedrich-Wilhelm-Universitat zu“pilgrimage”, however, some famous nonscientists are also

Bonn” by the name of the founder. However, the organization is

included because they are also contributors to our human history.

usually called “University of Bonn (Universtat Bonn)” forconvenience by the town’s name where the university is there.

University of Bonn

After world war , Bonn became a temporary capital of

The most impressive public building in the town is theWest Germany (Bundes Republik Deutschland, BRD), and many

Electoral Residence and Hofgarten. This is a baroque Schloss,

government buildings were constructed, bringing many people towhich now belongs to the University of Bonn(Fig. 1). The large

this small town. But in 1989, BRD and East Germany (Deutschebuilding with the black roof and yellow wall is beautiful if we

Demokratische Republik, DDR) were unified, and Berlin became

look at it from the Hofgarten. At the west end of Poppelsdorf

the official capital of the new Germany.

Government

Allee there is a similarly colored Poppelsdorf Schloss. This

organizations and their functions in Bonn are moving slowly tobaroque building is also used for research building of the

Berlin, and the city of Bonn is going back to the quiet university

University. Other new University buildings are distributed intown as it was years ago.

the north side of Meckenheimer Allee.

Backside of theThis short article deals with a part of the academic side ofPoppelsdorf Schloss is a botanical garden, which is famous for its

the city of Bonn, especially on the work of scientists in Bonn. In

collection of various plants. It is said that Carl Linn’e (1707-

this article, I would like to show readers many photographs

1778) stayed in this botanical garden.

including portraits and plaques where the scientists were born,
lived, worked, and died, monuments made of bronze or stones
and various remains of the famous scientists, in particulargravestones.
Some reader may feel strange that the author is searching
and visiting graves, but visiting graveyards is an ordinary
established custom in our society. Somereaders may not knowthat the shady graveyard is a nice place to take a walk.
I believe that it is worth while historically, scientifically andFig. 1. The building of the old palaces are now used for research andadministration of the University.

also philosophically to visit monument and remains of famous

Viva Origino 29 (2001) 143 - 154© 2001 by SSOEL Japan- 143 -

Viva Origino 29 (2001) 143 - 154
Statue of A. Kekulé
Along the Meckenheimer Allee, there stands the oldchemistry building. A bronze statue of August Kekulé (18291896) is standing with two white stone sphinx(Fig. 2a, 2b). In
the statue A. Kekulé is lecturing while holding a book in his left
hand. There is a plaque in front of the basement, in which agoddess gives a benzene ring to two engineers. The goddess
would be Pallas Athena.

She is the virgin goddess ofknowledge, battle and art. Her helmet is behind her. This
picture symbolizes the discovery of the benzene structure by

Fig. 3 Two engineers are receiving “Benzene Ring” from Goddes (Pallas
Athena). The relief symbolizes the prosperity of coal tar industry along
the River Rhein.

Kekulé, and the development of the coal tar industry in Germany
which started in about 1860 along the river Rhein(Fig. 3).
The old chemistry building is now used for various
branches of biological sciences. The building was constructedwith the help of Kaiser Wilhelm (). When he was a crownprince, he attended the chemistry lecture made by A. Kekulé.
We now leave the research complex of University of Bonn along
the Meckenheimer Allee, and cross the Kelule street on the way
to Poppelsdorfer Cemetery(Fig. 4).

Fig.4 Road sign “Kekulé street”.
Friedrich August Kekulé
Friedrich August Kekulé (1829-1896) was born in
Darmstadt as a son of high ranking officer of Hessen Darmstadt.
Fig. 2a

He was a clever boy and draw picture very well. He wanted to
become an architect, but he studied chemistry by the influence ofJustus Liebig (1803-1873). After he became a chemist, he
traveled to France and England and made good academic friends.
After he came back to Germany, he got position at Heidelberg
and became a professor of chemistry in 1856.
Kekulé interested in valency of element probably becauseof the influence of his British friend Alexander William
Williamson (1824-1904). Williamson was a pupil of Liebig as
Kekulé was. At that time it was considered that a molecule iscomposed of atoms, and the studies on atomic compositions ofFig. 2bFig. 2a, 2b Kekulé’s statue is standing in front of the old chemistrybuilding along the Meckenheimer Allee.

molecule were going on.

Kekulé’s interest was the atomic

arrangement in a molecule. In other words his interest was the
structure of molecule.
He became a professor of chemistry at Ghent University in
Belgium (1858). He presented his ideas on the valence theory.
The contribution of his theory to the chemistry is that the valency- 144 -

Viva Origino 29 (2001) 143 - 154of carbon atom is 4, and the atomic composition of methane is

In the “Kekulé Collection”, many interesting things andCH4. The Kekulé’s valency theory contribute to the chemical

goods are collected. One interesting thing is pictures

structure of organic compounds.

drawn by 14—15 years old Kekulé.

There is an interesting historical fact concerning thevalency of carbon atom. One Scottish young chemist Archibald
Scott Cooper (1831-1892) proposed independently that thevalency of carbon atom is 4. Unfortunately young man’s claim
was not accepted, and he became mentally ill and he disappeared
from the academic society. Later very fortunately Cooper was
found and his contribution to chemistry was evaluated by both
German and British chemists.

The German chemist who

looked for the forgotten Cooper is Richard Anschutz (18521937)(Fig. 5). Anschutz is the successor of Kekulé in Bonn andhe published large two volumes biography of “August Kekulé(1927)” and also wrote article on the Scottish young chemist..

Fig. 6 Marble bust of aged August Kekulé (Kekulé Collection,
Darmstadt).

Fig. 7 Certificate August Kekulé received when he became a nobleman(Kekulé Collection, Darmstadt).
Fig. 5 Large biography of August Kekulé written by Richart Anschutz in
two volumes(1929).

One another structural problem in organic compound is the

Poppelsdorf Friedhofer (Poppelsdorfer Cemetery)A. Kekulé

structure of benzene. Kekulé proposed cyclic benzene structure

We find the gravestone of A. Kekulé made of red granite

as shown below. The cyclic structure of benzene (1) is called

and with Kekulé’s beautiful bronze relief. Kekulé’s superior

Kekulé benzene.

forehead is impressive. In the late years, Kekulé became a

Kekulé moved to University of Bonn (1867), and stayed innobleman. He called himself August Kekulé von Stradonitz.

the new chemical laboratory until his death. Kekulé became a

The family crest made of bronze is on the gravestone(Fig. 8a, 8b).

nobleman in his late years, and he called himself August Kekulé
von Stradonitz.
After Kekulé’s death, Richard Anschutz made thefollowing works for Kekulé.
1) preparation of his biography “Augusut Kekulé”.
2) search for A. S. Cooper.
3) establish “Kekulé Collection (Kekulé Sammlung)” inDarmstadt (Fig. 6, 7).

Fig. 8a- 145 -

Viva Origino 29 (2001) 143 - 154

Fig. 10 West entrance of Alter Friedhof, Bonn.
Fig. 8bFig. 8a, 8b Kekulé’s gravestone is made of red granite with bronze relief.
A. Strasburger
Near the entrance of the Poppersdolf Cemetery, we find thegravestone of Alexander Strasburger (1844-1912)(Fig. 9). He isa botanist, and he traveled with Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919) for
the study of genealogical study and also studied fertilization
mechanism and cell division.

Table 1 Famous People in Alter Friedhof Bonn
1. Rudolf J. E. Clausius, 1822-1888, Physicist.
2.
Heinrich Geissler, 1814-1879, Engineer.
3. Julius Plücker, 1801-1868, Mathematician, Physicist.
4. Friedrich W. A. Argelander, 1799-1875, Astronomer.
5. K. Friedrich Mohr, 1806-1879, Chemist.
6. Johann Jakob Noeggerath, 1788-1877, Geologist.
7. Franz Hermann Troschel, 1810-1882, Zoologist.
8. Gerhard Rath, 1830-1888, Geologist, Mineralogist.
9. Ferdinand Zirkel, 1838-1912, Geologist.
10. Gustav Bischof, 1792-1870, Chemist, Geologist.
11. Hermann Schaafhausen, 1816-1893, Anatomist.
12. Robert, Schumann, 1810-1856, Musician, Composer.
Clara Schumann, 1819-1896, Musician, Pianist.
13. Friedrich C. Dahlmann, 1785-1860, Historian, Politician .
14. August Wilhelm Schlegel, 1767-1845, Literature Critic.
15. Barthold Georg Niebuhr, 1776-1831, Historian, Politician.
16. Ernst Moritz Arndt, 1769-1860, Historian, Politician.
17. Maria Magdalena van Beethoven, 1746-1787, Mother ofBeethoven.
18. Charlotte Schiller, 1766-1826, Wife of F. Schiller.
Ernst Schiller, 1796-1841, Son of F. Schiller

Fig. 9 Granvestone of Alexander Strasburger (Botanist).

Old Cemetery of Bonn (Alter Friedhof, Bonn).
Old cemetery in Bornheimer Strasse is about 400m northof Bonn station(Fig. 10). It was established in the 18th century
and was used for soldiers and foreigners. But many famous
people were later buried here. They are summarized in Table (I)and the grave sites are shown in Map (I)(Fig. 11). The actual

Fig. 11 Map (I)
R. Clausius

photographs of the gravestones 1)18) which were taken by theauthor are shown on the following pages.

Rudolf Clausius (1822-1888), is a theoretical physicist.
He formulated the 2nd law of thermodynamics, and introduced theconcept of entropy, and mean free path in the kinetic theory of gas.
He also proposed a new theory of electrolysis. A stone cross is- 146 -

Viva Origino 29 (2001) 143 - 154on the top of the gravestone, letters on the stone are painted inphysicist. He was a professor of mathematics at the University

gold, and the gravestone is enclosed by a low iron fence(Fig. 12).

of Bonn (1836). Plücker was known in the field of analyticalgeometry, especially as a mathematician on the geometry of
space.

He was also an experimental physicist.

He wasinterested in the luminous effects of electric discharge throughgases at low pressure (1858). He found that the glow was
deflected in a strong magnetic field.

Plücker’s grave isconstructed with white marble, and the whole construction is likea Greek shrine, with his marble bust sitting in the middle of theshrine(Fig. 14a, 14b).

Fig. 12 Grave of Rudolf Clausius (Physicist) is surrounded by low ironfence.

H. Geisler
Heinrich Geisler (1814-1879) was originally a glassblower
or glass engineer. He made various glass apparatus for scientificresearch and he became an expert of vacuum techniques. In
1854, he established a shop to make various apparatus forchemistry and physics in the University of Bonn. He made amercury vacuum pump which was designed by J. Plücker andalso made a vacuum tube for electric discharge (Geisler tube).
Fig. 14a

He was awarded an honorary doctors degree for his contribution
to physics. On the upper part of the gravestone, the letters “Dr”.
are engraved separately. Letters on the gravestone are painted inred(Fig. 13).

Fig. 14b
Fig. 14a, 14b Julius Pllucker is a mathematician and experimental
physicist. His grave is like a Greek shrine made of white marble.
Fig. 13 Glass technician H. Geisler was awarded honorary doctor’s
degree for his contributions making various glass apparatus.

F. W. A. ArgelanderFriedrich W. A. Argelander (1799-1875) was a professor of
astronomy at the University of Bonn. When he was young, he

J. Plücker
Julius Plücker (1801-1868) is a mathematician andstudied law first, but he changed to the field of astronomy. In
1823 he became director of a new observatory at Abo in Finland.

- 147 -

Viva Origino 29 (2001) 143 - 154
He then obtained a chair of astronomy at the University of Bonn,more than 60 years old. He is a pioneer of volumetric analysis.

where he stayed for the rest of his life. He established a new

He invented various small goods convenient for chemical

observatory in Bonn with the help of his friend King Friedrichexperiment especially for chemical analysis. The small goods

William (1840-1861, King) of Prussia. The observatory wasinvented by F. Mohr are as follows:biuret, pinch cock, cork bowler, rubber tube, roundconsidered a model at the time. Argelander’s contribution is thethfilter paper etc.

remarkable survey of the position of stars brighter than 9

magnitude in the northern sky. The catalogue he made includes

Mohr published numerous papers and books in the field

324,198 stars. The pioneering survey of the stars of the northchemistry and pharmacology. Mohr’s salt is well known insky advanced to further survey of southern hemisphere by the

analytical chemistry. He improved the method of volumetricArgelander’s colleagues Eduard Schonfeld and Adalbert

analysis more reliable. He also left an interesting article on the

Kruger(Fig. 15a, 15b).

general view of energy.

He thought that light, electricity,magnetism, and mechanical movement are equivalent (1837).
The philosophical thought might be connected with thefundamental natural law of “Conservation of Energy”. Thus histhought is philosophical and scientific(Fig. 16a, 16b).

Fig. 15aFig. 16aFig. 15b
Fig. 15a, 15b Astronomer Friedrich Argelander’s grave is made of whitemarble with his bust.

C. F. Mohr
C. Friedrich Mohr (1806-1879), is a chemist andpharmacist. He became lecturer (1854) and then professor of

Fig. 16b
Fig. 16a, 16b I found Karl Friedrich Mohr’s gravestone accidentally,
because the word “nature” is on the front side of the stone, a marble
portrait relief is on the stone.

pharmacology (1867) at the University of Bonn when he was- 148 -

Viva Origino 29 (2001) 143 - 154
J. J. Noeggerath
The sitting figure of Geologist Johann Jakob Noeggerath(1788-1877) is unique and interesting(Fig. 17).

Fig. 19aFig. 17 Geologist J. J. Noeggerath’s grave is a sitting figure made ofwhite marble.
F. F. Troschel
The gravestone of the paleontologist F. F. Troschel (18101882) is made of reddish granite and the letters on the stone aregold filled(Fig. 18).

Fig. 19b
Fig. 19a, 19b Gerhard Rath is a geologist and mineralogist.
F. Zirkel
Ferdinand Zirkel (1839-1912) is a mineralogist.

Heinvented a new method for Rock study. He made thin sectionsof rocks and examined them microscopically(Fig. 20a, 20b).

Fig. 18 Franz Hermann Troschel is a paleontologist.
G. RathGerhard Rath is a geologist and mineralogist. He was aprofessor of mineralogy at Bonn. There is a round white relief
portrait on his gravestone(Fig. 19a, 19b).

Fig. 20a- 149 -

Viva Origino 29 (2001) 143 - 154
A. Beer
Beer (1825-1863) was a mathematician and his gravestone
is made of sandstone which is now covered with green moss.
His gravestone holds his white marble relief(Fig. 23).

Fig. 20b
Fig. 20a, 20b Ferdinand Zirkel is also a mineralogist and he developed a
new microscopic method for study rocks.

G. Bischoff
Gustav Bischoff (1792-1870) was a professor of geology at
the University of Bonn. He planned to establish a new geology
Fig. 23 A.Beer is a mathematician at University Bonn.

which was grounded by physics and chemistry(Fig . 21).

F. C. Dahlmann
Friedrich Christoph Dahlmann (1785-1860), is a German
historian and politician. He was a professor at the University of
Göttingen. He lost his chair because of his liberalistic behavior(1837). He is one of the “Göttinger Sieben”. He got a positionof professor of history (1843) at the University of Bonn. He
was always at the far front of the liberal movement. On thefront side of his gravestone, there is a sturdy bronze portrait ofDahlmans(Fig. 24).
Fig. 21 Gustav Bischoff have planned to create a new geology with solidbackgrounds of chemistry and physics.
H. Schaafhausen
Hermann Schaafhausen (1816-1893) was a physician andanatomist. He examined the excavated bone from Neanderthal,and he concluded that the bone was an ancestral man(Fig. 22).

Fig. 24 Friedrich Christoph Dallman is a historian and politician. He is
one of the “Göttinger Sieben”.

R. & C. Schumann
Beautiful marble gravestones of Robert Schumann (18101856) and Clara Schumann (1819-1896) are in the middle of theFig. 22 Hermann Schaafhausen is an anatomist, and he examined thebones found in the “Neanderthal Cave”.

Alter Friedhof(Fig. 25a, 25b).

- 150 -

Robert is a well known

Viva Origino 29 (2001) 143 - 154composer and Clara is also a famous pianist. They married in1840.

oriental studies(Fig. 26a, 26b).

Robert was mentally ill in his late years and threw

himself into the river Rhein. He was rescued and hospitalized,
but died without regaining consciousness. Clara’s portrait is on
the 100 DM note today. Every time I visit the Schumann’s
grave, I find flowers in front of the gravestone dedicated toSchumanns. A female figure sitting in the front and looking up
to Robert is said to be Clara.

Fig. 26aFig. 25aFig. 26b
Fig. 26a, 26b August Wilhelm Schlegel was a poet, literary critique andalso a founder of oriental studies.
B. G. Niebuhr
Barthold Georg Niebuhr (1776-1831) was a historian ofancient German history and he was also a politician. He wasoriginally a finance commissioner of the Prussian government,
but he resigned his position. He lectured in Roman history at
the University of Berlin and Bonn. He was the most critical
historians in the modern days. His life work Roman History,
3 vol.was written on the basis of vast political, legal andeconomical backgrounds of ancient Rome(Fig. 27a, 27b).

Fig. 25b
Fig. 25a, 25b Beautiful marble gravestone of Robert and Clara
Schumann is in the middle of the Cemetery. Every time I visited, I saw
flowers dedicating for the musician Schumanns.

A. W. Schlegel
August Wilhelm Schlegel (1767-1845) was a German poetand literary critic. Both he and his brother Friedrich Schlegel(1772-1829) were pioneer of the romanticism movement. He
later moved to academia to study literature. He obtained thepositions at the University of Jena, Berlin and Bonn. He madebeautiful translations of the W. Shakespeare (1564-1616) and
Dante (1265-1321) into German.

Fig. 27a

He is also a founder of- 151 -

Viva Origino 29 (2001) 143 - 154
Euskirchen
The house where Emil Fischer (1852-1919) was born isstill in Kollner Strasse 19, Euskirchen(Fig .30). Apparently, thehouse is not the original one, but remodeled or rebuilt one. On
the right side of the entrance, there is an old bronze plaque for
Emil Fischer. The plaque says as follows(Fgi. 31).
In diesem Hause wurde an 9 Oktober 1852

Fig. 27b
Fig. 27a, 27b Barthold Geolg Niebuhr was critical historian of ancient
German and Romans.

Emil Fischer einer der grossen Meister auf dem
Gebiete der organischen Chemie geboren
Emil Fischer Gymnasium is on the crossing point of

E. M. Arndt
Ernst Moritz Arndt (1769-1860) was a historian, politician

Kornerstrasse and E. Fischerstrasse(Fig. 32, 33). In front on the

He was nationalistic and also an international

main entrance of the high school building, there is a large plaquepolitician in Napoleon’s time. Above all he was a patriotist andwith Emil Fischer’s bronze portrait(Fig. 34a, 34b). The relief isacting historian. A large tree is growing between the gravestonesimilar to the Emil Fischer medal of the German Chemicalof Ernst and his wife Ann Maria Arndt (1786-1869) and theSociety.

gravestones are inclined both outside of the graves.

explained Emil Fisher’s plaque Emil Fischer is the greatand poet.

Stone

One gymnasium student came to me and proudly

crosses are on the top of each gravestones(Fgi. 28).

chemist Euskirchn born .

Fig. 28 Ernst Moritz Arndt is a patriotic historian and also politician in the
Napoleons time.

Fig. 30 The house where Emil Fischer (Chemist) was born in Kollner
Strasse 19 Euskirchen.

C. Schiller and E. Schiller
Charlotte Schiller (1766-1826) is the wife, and Ernst
Schiller (1796-1841) is a son of Friedrich Schiller (1759-1805).
The grave was made of large black iron plate with golden letters.
Friedrich Schiller’s grave is in the Goethe-Schiller mausoleum in
Weimar(Fig. 29).
Fig. 31 The plaque said Emil Fischer was born in this house ,however, it seems that the house is rebuild or remodeled

Fig. 29 Combined grave of F. Schiller’s wife ”Scharlotte” and his son

Fig. 32 Sign of Emil Fischer Gymnasium.

“Ernst” is in this cemetery.

- 152 -

Viva Origino 29 (2001) 143 - 154
I found a memorial stone in the garden of the Gymnasiumfor students who died during world war (Fig. 35). I haveseen such memorial stones several times in Germany, and these
are usually found in the shade of trees. When we came back to
the railway station of Euskirchen, a steam locomotive wascoming in with many sightseeing passengers. Steamlocomotives are always a center of attraction(Fig. 36). It was a
nice opportunity to see the antique vehicle.

Fig. 33 Road sign of “Emil Fischer Street”.

Fig. 35 Memorial stone (Gedenk Stein) for students died during the pastworld war.

Fig. 34aFig. 36 I have a chance to see old steam locomotive in the Euskirchen
Station.

Neanderthal Man
Neanderthal Man is an ancestral human being that lived 50
100 thousand years ago. The first bones of this kind werediscovered in a calcite cave in Neanderthal near Dusseldorf in
1856. H. Schaafhausen (his grave is in the Alter Friedhof)
found several primitive characteristics in these bones. In the
beginning of the 20th century, similar bones were found in various
places of the world, and the antholopological studies advanced.
This type of primitive man was called Neanderthal Man. The
volume of the skull is 1300-1600 ml and the height of the skull is
Fig. 34b
Fig. 34a, 34b In front on the main entrance of the “Emil Fischer
Gymnasium”, there stands a plaque of Emil Fischer with his portrait.

low. By the finding of this kind of bone, these bones wereclassified and the route of evolution was studied. There is a Neanderthal Man-Museum  in Neanderthal with manyeducational displays.

- 153 -In the Rheinisches Landesmuseum

Viva Origino 29 (2001) 143 - 154(Rhein State Museum) in Bonn, many archeological specimens
are displayed. The most interesting and valuable specimen is
the Neanderthal Man’s skull. This is a perfect upper skull of theold man. I took a picture with the reconstructed Neanderthal
man who is a distant ancestor of mine(Fig. 37).

Fig. 37 There is a perfect upper skull of the Neanderthal Man in the
Rhein State Museum.

- 154 -