The history of Kyushu University can be traced back to the medical schools of the Fukuoka Domain (福岡藩 Fukuoka han) established in 1867. The school was reorganized to Fukuoka Medical College of Kyoto Imperial University in 1903 and became independent as Kyushu Imperial University in 1911. Albert Einstein visited the university on December 25, 1922. In the closing months of World War II, eight American POWs were brought to the university for the purpose of medical experimentation. While still alive, the POWs were vivisected, portions of their vital organs were removed, holes were drilled into their skulls and sea water was pumped into their bloodstreams. None of the POWs survived the experiments. Members of the faculty and administration were later tried and convicted of war crimes.