Short answers, pulled from the story.
The University of Göttingen was founded in 1734 by George II Augustus, with first classes beginning in 1737. It became the most visited university in Europe and is formally known as the Georg-August-Universität.
The Göttingen Seven were seven professors at the University of Göttingen who in 1837 protested against the absolute sovereignty of the kings of Hanover. They lost their academic positions as a result but gained lasting recognition for their stand.
Doctoral graduates in Göttingen are drawn by handcart from the Great Hall to the Gänseliesel-Fountain in front of the Old Town Hall, where they must climb the fountain and kiss the bronze statue of the goose girl. The practice is officially forbidden but the law is not enforced, and the statue is called the most kissed girl in the world.
During the 1930s, Göttingen housed the leading mathematics and physics faculty in the world, led by eight men known as the Göttingen eight, almost all of whom were Jewish. They were expelled and forced to emigrate west in 1938. Two members, Leó Szilárd and Edward Teller, went on to become key figures in the Manhattan Project.
Göttingen was bombed eight times during World War II, but only about 2.1% of the city was destroyed by the war's end. The historic old town remained practically undamaged, and approximately 107 people died in the air raids.
Göttingen is noted for the production of optical and precision-engineered machinery. It is the seat of the light microscopy division of Carl Zeiss, Inc., and a major site for Sartorius AG, which specializes in biotechnology and measurement equipment. The surrounding region advertises itself as Measurement Valley.