, 1873-02-07
ETUDENT-DUELLING IN GERMANY

Tho German authorities ha1e recently iuaugu
rated = crusade against traditional custom
thas will bemore severely contestedt than the clos
| ing Of the gaming houses at the spas. It il
now proposed to abolish the common University
| practice OF duelling, and test case has been
brought in Munich. 4 student named EoyEen-
berg WAS indicted on The charge Of using q
schldeger, the regular German student ducling
| sword, did not come under the definition Of a
deadly weapon, because Of the manner in which
| it ts ordinarily used. It Is q long
| sword, With one sharp edge, used for
| cutting OF slashing, while the vital parts
Of the head and neck are protected by guards.
The public prosecutor carried the case to the
Court Of Appeals, WLere the decision vas re-
yersed, on account Of its having been proved
that many Of these duelling cases had terminated
fatally. Koysenberg WIS thereupon condemned
to three mouths imprisonment. It is probable
that this conviction will lead to other and siui-
lar trials in the various University towns Of
Germany.
There is one serious difficulty which the
authorities will encounter In most University
cities, the students are FREQ from the ordinary
supervision and discipline Of the Municipal
Government. The University authorities have
the control OF those vho are matriculated, and
arrests can only bo uade under their authorize
ton. The Be1eR, aort Of watchman, has
stated hours for making his rounds, which
are well known, and, Of course, ho
rarely finds anything out Of the way, and never
comea across case Of duelling. Tho truth is,
that tho University authorities have winked st
the practice Of duelling from time iElmemoria1;
and it is not improbable that every University
in the pract,co in lis youthful days. It is the
custom for students to employ year or two in
the peculiar en1oyments Of Corps-ife, and many
OF those who subsequently settle down to serious
study do it with significant scars on their
faces. It is claimed that this German duelling
is an athletic sport, but the truth is
that it is barbarouB practice, but one
degree removed from prize fighting. Tho
German student ia all but forced to join sono
ono Of the various Corps, and, oncc attached,
due1ling Is part OF his discipline. A fa7orite
incentive is the question vhcthcr you like
cheese" or whether ''Your mother likes
cheese" en expletire OF "D4name'- .unge 7"
follows. and q duel is the result. The proyoca-
ton is always trinins. There is no iu-'rill
necessarily attached to tho Germnn students
duel. A rivalry betwoen Corps is usually the
direct cause, but the force OF habit, handed |
down from one generation Of students to an-
other, is tha only Intelligent reason that can be
assigned fo- ita continuance. The contest |
ants shake hands before they begin, as
do prize-fghtc1s; there is an umpire !
Who enforces the rules and calls time;
The limit is usually the endurance Of
he defeated contestant. It ia true that death !
seldom ensues as reEu1t OF German student
luelling, aud it is not unfrequens that two
skilled aud closely-matched opponents may
dght until their strength is exhausted without
9oing each other injury. On the other hand,
ong and serious iiness often results from the
Wounds, aud there il viciousness about the
struggles which could not be increased by per-
'onM animosity. The beer-duels Of German
Students, which are natural Accomplishments,
,efore and after, OF the schlaeger duels, are apt
o do more permanent harm, and both
include a reckless dissipation Of time.
t ia doubtful, however, whether the
,ractice can bo abolished without serious dis
urbances, and the first important step must be
4 taking from the Universities the exclusive
dominion which they now exercise over the
tudents. The unifcation Of Germany will
make the national division into Corps less dis
inctive, and go deprive the students Of one Of
heir usual excuses but they will End enough
the1s to warrant tho Continuation Of the prac-
ice, unless it can bo made criminal offence.
nd become vigorously prosecuted everywhere.
Tourists who have 4 horror Of two davs'
aling" through tie Sierra Nevada Mountains
n " the deck Of mule" should rejoice sod