Darmstadt
[key], city, Hesse, central Germany. It is a commercial, industrial, and
transportation center; its manufactures include chemicals, machinery, and
pharmaceuticals. Darmstadt was first mentioned in the 11th cent. and was
chartered in 1330. It passed to the landgraves of Hesse in 1479. The city was severely
damaged during World War II. It is the site of a technical university and
the seat of the Institute for Heavy Ion Research, the European Space
Operations Center, and the European Organization for Weather Satellites.
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