Leipzig University

A very old school is in Germany.

It started a long time ago. Two leaders helped start it. It has been open for over 600 years. Many smart people studied there. Some were even famous leaders.

The school has a big library too. It has many old books. It also has a garden for plants.

This school helps people learn every day.

Leipzig University is in Germany. It is one of the oldest universities in the world. Two leaders started it on December 2, 1409.

It has taught students for over 600 years without stopping.

Many famous people studied here. This includes the leader Angela Merkel.

Other smart people like the writer Goethe also went there. The school has many Nobel Prize winners.

In the 1800s, the school grew very fast. It became a top place for science. It was also one of the first schools to let women join as guests.

During World War II, many buildings were lost. Most of the books were destroyed too. Later, the school had a new name. It was called Karl Marx University for a while. In 1991, it got its old name back.

The school has a big library called the Bibliotheca Albertina.

It holds 5 million books. Some books are very old. One is a medical paper from ancient Egypt. The school also has a big plant garden.

Leipzig University is located in Saxony, Germany. It is one of the oldest universities in the entire world. This school was founded on December 2, 1409. Two leaders started it: Frederick I and his brother William II.

The university has taught students for over 600 years without stopping. It is the second-oldest university in Germany based on years of existence. It began with four main groups called scholastic faculties.

In the beginning, the university used a system of colleges. These groups helped organize where students lived and where they learned. Some of these were the Small College and the Large College. There was also the Red College, also known as the New College.

Other groups included the College of Our Lady and the Pauliner College. These colleges even had their own rules for their members. Today, the names of these colleges still live on.

History shows how the school changed over many centuries. In the 1500s, the university was given nine villages to help pay for its work. For nearly 400 years, this helped the school stay independent. During the 1800s, the university became a world-class place for research. It was also very kind to women during this time. It was one of the first German universities to let women join as guest students.

In 1873, a woman named Johanna von Evreinov became the first woman in Germany to get a JD.

Many famous and smart people have been part of this university. Famous alumni include the leader Angela Merkel and the writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

The school is also linked to ten Nobel Prize winners. One recent winner was Svante Pääbo, who won for Medicine in 2022. Other famous names include the scientist Tycho Brahe and the thinker Friedrich Nietzsche. The university even helped educate over 5,500 students from the Balkan states between 1859 and 1909.

Today, the university is spread across 38 different locations in the city. It has a huge library called the Bibliotheca Albertina.

This library holds about 5 million books and many old papers. One very special item is the Papyrus Ebers from ancient Egypt. It is a medical paper from around 1600 BC. The university also has a beautiful botanical garden. This garden was started in 1542 and is the second-oldest in Europe.

Leipzig University is a major center of higher education located in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany. It stands as one of the oldest universities in the world. It is also the second-oldest university in Germany when measured by consecutive years of existence. The institution was founded on December 2, 1409. This founding was led by Frederick I, the Elector of Saxony, and his brother William II, the Margrave of Meissen.

Since its beginning, the university has provided teaching and research for over 600 years without any interruption.

The university's early structure was modeled after the University of Prague. This happened after German-speaking faculty members withdrew from Prague following the Jan Hus crisis and the Decree of Kutná Hora. At its start, the school was organized into four scholastic faculties. To ensure it had sustainable funding, the university was endowed with the lordship over nine villages east of Leipzig. These were known as university villages. This arrangement provided independent funding for nearly 400 years until land reforms occurred in the 19th century.

For much of its history, the university operated using a system of colleges, or collegia. These colleges were responsible for organizing lectures and student accommodation. Notable colleges included the Small College, the Large College, and the Pauliner-College. There was also the Red College, also called the Rotes Kolleg or the New College.

Other groups included the college of our Lady, or Frauenkolleg. These colleges held jurisdiction over their members. While the formal college structure was abandoned later, the names of these institutions still survive today.

The 19th century marked a period of massive growth and transformation. During this time, Leipzig evolved from a regional institution into a world-class center for research. The university also became a pioneer for gender inclusion in German education. It was among the first German universities to allow women to register as "guest students." This progress was recognized in 1873, when the university and the University of Prague were thanked for this policy. In that same year, Johanna von Evreinov became the first woman in Germany to obtain a JD.

Throughout its history, the university has been home to many influential figures. It is associated with ten Nobel laureates, including the 2022 Nobel Prize winner in Medicine, Svante Pääbo. Famous alumni include the political leader Angela Merkel and the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.

Other notable names include the writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and the astronomer Tycho Brahe.

The university also served as an educational hub for the Balkan states. Between 1859 and 1909, it educated over 5,500 students from regions like Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, and Serbia.

The 20th century brought significant challenges and changes to the campus. During World War II, the university remained open even as its buildings faced destruction. By the end of the war, 60 percent of the university buildings and 70 percent of its books had been destroyed. Following the war, the school operated under the German Democratic Republic. In 1953, it was renamed Karl Marx University. During this era, many buildings, including the Paulinerkirche, were demolished for redevelopment. However, after German reunification in 1991, the original name, Leipzig University, was restored.

Today, the university is a massive urban campus spread across 38 different locations. It manages several specialized institutions, such as the University Hospital and the Leipzig Botanical Garden. Established in 1542, the garden is the second-oldest in Europe. The university also maintains the Bibliotheca Albertina, a major library with 5 million volumes. This library holds rare treasures like the Papyrus Ebers, an Egyptian medical manuscript from 1600 BC.

It also houses parts of the Codex Sinaiticus, a 4th-century Bible manuscript. The university continues to be a leader in science through projects like the "BuildMoNa" graduate school.