Why did Justus von Liebig consider the small University of Giessen a good place for his work?

Justus von Liebig considered the small University of Giessen an ideal environment for his research because it allowed him to maintain focus on his scientific goals. As he noted in his autobiography, he believed that at a larger university or in a more prominent location, his energies would have been divided and dissipated, making it significantly more difficult—or perhaps even impossible—to achieve his objectives.1

By working in this smaller setting, Liebig was able to institutionalize the independent teaching of chemistry and formalize a standard of training centered on practical laboratory experience. His ability to concentrate his efforts in Giessen eventually led to his technical breakthroughs in organic analysis, which helped establish the foundations of modern biochemistry and clinical chemistry.2