The reporter has worked for 50 years in LC research. In 1960 only few specialists in several countries treated this topic. In Halle University since that time the system of classification of LC phases has been elaborated, and after the invention of LC displays new materials for practical application have been developed. Success and problems of this period are discussed, which ended in 1991 after unification of Germany. Since 1992 the author had a stay of more than 2 years in Japan as special scientist in Chisso Corporation, followed by a permanent activity as Scientific Consultant for this company.