Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-05-04
BEER DUELS IN GERMAN


Privileges OF Challenged and GO
Ienger-The Weapons Used In Com
bat.
The old English custom OF stalking
wine with person." each merely sip
ping from his glass. seems almost tee
total observance when compared with
the corresponding usage of the Kneipe
In the first place, no one must drink So
lns If anyone ventures to take soil
tary swig he is forthwith compelled to
drain full measure to the health oil
the company generally. The proper
course is to drink to some one else, AT
! the same time specifying the quantity
the drinker proposes to imbibe. The
4 person honored is bound to accept the
challenge, which he may do with m
PIE drink away" or some equivalent
phrase, when the challenger is bound
To drink on within the next five min
utes the quantity he has named, and
within five minutes more the challenged
must drink to Ia m. "in response, the
like quaint ty. If either fail in his obi
cation accommodation is the result
But the challenged party may not be
content simply to accept the challenge.
Stirred with noble ardor he may ''go
higher" doubling the quantity named.
The challenger may do the same and
so on until the total quantity reaches a
maximum of eight tankards which are
drunk off alternately, one by one. with
an interval Of five beer minutes between
each. The beer drunk by the challenged
lin response" is not allowed a double
debt to pay.
Probably some craven soul in the past
devised the plan of saving his brains
and his pocket by making the same
beer which he drank in response to one
person also serve the purpose OF chal-
: lenge to another. This is strictly for
bdden by the code (under the usual
penalty). unless. indeed. the original
challenger has used the words lin die
welt sch cken" (to pass around). IN
which case A drinks TO Il; Is, with
: the beer with which he responds to A.
. drinks also to &. &. responding to Is,
drinks simultaneously to ID. and so on
!, all around the table. Speaking of any
thing connected with study (Anglice.
u "talkin shop'') is tabooed at the
Kniepe II any one offeDds in this
manner he is promptly called to order
!, bv the sarcastic remark from one oil
other of the company. "Gelehrt' \ on
learned MANI This Is regarded moi
merely MS n rebuke. but a challenge &c
the duello. the weapons being. As usu
p al. beer tankards. The person rebuket
NAV either simply accept the challenge
% (this. indeed, he is bound to do in some
shape) or he may retort with the still
/ more cutting insinuation. Doctor
or you're a DOCTOR. This again may b.
>. met with You're a professor, ano
le finally last and deadliest offense of all
~ 'Papst" you're a pope)
~ Such insults as these can natural,
Is ONLY be wiped out with-beer; and &C
:. cording to the gravity Of the offens
10 the greater is the quantity required
~ The comparatively soft impeachme n
20 of being learned man can be wipe
oo out with half tankard; but doctor
x demands whole tankard. professor
10 two tankards. while nothing short c
er four tankards will rehabilitate the ma
~ who has been dubbed pope" Fac
Vi party chooses second. The tankard
10 are filled and the second of the challer
Is ger ''makes the weapon equal. i. @.
er sees that the beer stands at the sam
Is level in both. The second OF the cha
81 Hanged party gives the word: ''Gras
your weapons!' (The combatan
raise their tankards.) KNOCK. " CThe
knock on the table, .Ready." (The
o.. raise them to their lips.) "Off" Tho
en empty them and bring them dow
" with a bang upon the table; the on
10 who first brings down his tankard fai
n. ly emp,ied being the winner. IL eith'
a of the combatants has not finished h
nd full quantum within the usual fy
NJ minutes-excomm Cornhl
90 Magazine.