father ▁was ▁Mos es ▁M end els so hn . ▁He ▁studied ▁sciences ▁at ▁Heidel berg ▁University , ▁where ▁Robert ▁Bun sen ▁was ▁amongst ▁his ▁colle agues . ▁After ▁gradu ating ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 3 ▁he ▁went ▁to ▁Berlin ▁to ▁study ▁with ▁Wilhelm ▁Hoff mann . ▁ ▁He ▁volunte ered ▁as ▁a ▁soldier ▁in ▁the ▁Aust ro - Pr uss ian ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 6 6 , ▁taking ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁König gr ätz ▁and ▁becoming ▁an ▁officer . ▁( He ▁was ▁later ▁to ▁be ▁re called ▁for ▁the ▁Franco - Pr uss ian ▁War , ▁where ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ). ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁Aust ro - Pr uss ian ▁War ▁he ▁met ▁with ▁Alexander ▁Mart ius , ▁a ▁former ▁student ▁of ▁Just us ▁von ▁Lie big , ▁who ▁had ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁d ye ▁factory ▁in ▁England . ▁They ▁decided ▁to ▁enter ▁a ▁partners hip ▁to ▁manufact ure ▁an il ine ▁in ▁Germany , ▁setting ▁up ▁a ▁factory ▁at ▁the ▁Rum m els burg ▁Lake ▁near ▁Berlin . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 3 ▁the ▁firm ▁took ▁the ▁name ▁' A kt ien - G es ellschaft ▁für ▁An il in - F ab rik ation ', ▁becoming ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁' AG FA '. ▁ ▁M end els so hn ▁Bar th old y ▁married ▁his ▁cousin ▁Elisabeth ▁O ppen heim ▁( grand d augh ter ▁of ▁his ▁great - un cle ▁Joseph ▁M end els so hn ) ▁(