DESY (otherwise Deutsches Elektronen‐Synchrotron), a 6‐BeV strong‐focusing electron synchrotron, started operating in Hamburg at the end of February. The German machine takes 40‐MeV electrons from a linear accelerator and sends them through a ring tunnel, 100 meters in diameter. Inside the tunnel there are 24 radially focusing magnets and 24 radially defocusing magnets, with 16 straight accelerating sections between. DESY produces between 1 and3×1010 electrons/pulseor from 5 to15×1011 electrons/second.So far, 4.8 BeV is the maximum particle energy available for continuous operation, although bursts of 6‐BeV electrons have been achieved without major trouble.