IP & Art

In Frankfrut where I was a visiting lawyer to onw law firm which has a good reputation, I had a chance to visit Frankfurt University and Goethe House, which I found on Google Maps. It took only about 30 minutes on foot, so I left the hotel door with the voice guidance of Google Maps.

As we got closer to the university, the scenery became idyllic and artistic. As soon as I entered the entrance of Frankfurt University, which used to be called Goethe University, I was amazed at the majestic and wonderful appearance of the university. Of course, the building is old, but at the time of its construction, it was possible to guess that it must have been an incredibly grand and wonderful building. Looking at the circular building, fountain, small forest, and sculpture in the center of the school, I was truly amazed. In particular, the path between the lush buildings was truly artistic. I silently walked the path that geniuses such as Beethoven and Goethe walked.

The students were also smart, bright, and motivated, so I could feel the bright future of Germany! All of a sudden, I regretted not being able to visit the University of Hamburg despite the invitation I received from the University of Hamburg to experience Europe after studying in the United States aeound 35 years ago. It would have been a great stimulus to my life if I had realized the unique and classical culture of Germany that I had not felt in other countries, such as the United States.

It's like reading a beautiful literary work to see an elderly couple lovingly strolling along the school path. When asked where the law school was, he asked if I was looking for either a general law school or a financial law building. Then, I realized that Frankfurt is the center of commerce and finance, which is due to the development of financial laws, and therefore the University had a deparate financial law building.

When I visited both places, the building looked magnificent and cool. In particular, the law school was quite large, and many students were there even on Sundays. Below that, I saw a Korean garden donated by Korea, and it was very interesting and pleasant to see people practicing traditional Oriental movements and dances around it. However, although the recent fire in the Korean garden obscured its beautiful appearance, 

Anyhow, I was very happy to be able to directly feel the close bond and the possibility of close interrelationship between Germany and Korea. And the peaceful, idyllic, artistic appearance of jogging through the school bushes and walking with the dogs made me feel like I was in a classic world beyond the time limitation. However, I have to put aside my earnest wish to stay a little longer and headed to the Goethe House.

It was less than a 30 minute walk. Although it is a city center, there are many bushes, so when you walk into the Goethe House, you have to pay an entrance fee. The backpack you took should be left in a simple locker, but it was unmanned as a system where you pay 1 euro as a key deposit and would get a refund later. It felt like I had earned 1 Euro. 

This is the place where Goethe was born and spent his mid-20s. All the facilities and furnishings were neatly preserved, especially the artworks were beautiful, and the fireplace was wonderful. Goethe himself seemed to be the epitome of a wonderful life. 

At that time, he had lived 83 years, which would be considered a considerable longevity at that time, in his twenties, as the bestselling author of 《The Sorrows of Young Werther》, he announced his literary and genius early to the world, and also acted as Prime Minister of the Weimar Republic. 

He was indeed a free man. Hearing that there was another Goethe House in Weimar, where he spent his last 20 years, my curiosity and respect for him flowed out in my heart. I promised myself that " I will visit the Goethehouse in Weimar in the near future."