200 Years University of Bonn – A Poem

 

copyright: Ulrike E. Klopp/Universität Bonn

Well, hello there, old lady, it’s been a while

200 years, being precise, but you took them with style!

Founded in 1818 with only 47 students enrolled

 Two centuries later this number increased 800-fold.

 

You’ve seen thousands of students eager to learn

But some were rather lazy – you made their heads burn.

Still, many students came and did quite well

Let’s name a few – awesomeness bundled in a nutshell:

 

Friedrich August Kekulé, a chemistry nerd

Discovered the benzene ring and had a funny looking beard.

Heinrich Hertz, furthermore, you’ll all agree

Liked electromagnetic waves and discovered their frequency.

 

Wolfgang Paul, Ladies and Gents – let’s give him some clap

Is a physicist pro who won a Nobel prize for the ion trap.

Reinhard Selten, a mathematician, is the fourth who comes into play

Has a Nobel Prize for the work on game theory at home on his tray.

 

copyright: Volker Lannert/Universität Bonn

Karl Marx, who’s famous for writing his manifest with Engels,  

Initially was a law student in Bonn and gave professors trembles.

Konrad Adenauer, however, who led Germany from the ruins of the war,

Started his path at Uni Bonn, and – guess what – also studied law.

 

When it comes to prizes, well, they’re shipped to Bonn at chord

The list of scientists is long who all convinced the judge’s board. 

Leibniz prizes have been awarded to Bonn’s scientists twenty times,

For research on algebra, communications, and also on enzymes.

 

Frank Bradke, Gunther Hartmann, Christian Kurts, and Eicke Latz

Are all members of the cluster who proved to have the guts.  

Peter Scholze, a young and talented man who just turned thirty-one,

Won Leibniz Prize and Fields Medal but there’s more to come.

 

Well, that’s only men, huh, women’s libbers cry

But, there’s also a woman who took a piece of the pie.

Maria von Linden, who liked zoology,

Was the first female professor in Germany’s history.

 

These and further tremendous paths began here in Bonn

At a university which’s total area is bigger than Vatican.

So, let’s all be proud of the Alma Mater that keeps us on the run

There might be tough times, but always remember: studying is actually fun!

 

Happy anniversary, Uni Bonn, celebrating 200 years of joy

We’ll borrow the words of Fanta 4 and say: Wir bleiben dir Troy! 😉

 

copyright: Frank Luerweg/Universität Bonn

 


Sophie Schonauer