The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-01-03
Peculiar Customs of German
Students.
DUELs FOUGHT AT SHORT NOTICE
Ugly Scars on the Face and Holes in the Cap
are Marks of HOnor-Ihe
''Commers."
Especial Correspondence of SUNDAY HERALD. !

ritied and panic stricken. Then Napoleon
the First entered the stage of the world
and animated his nation by leading her
armies from Glory to victory. Germany |
especially became his theatre of action, and
in short time all that country obeyed his
tyrannic rule. The German princes be-
came his vassals and the German Emperor |
was compelled to hold the stirrup of Ma
poleons horse while he mounted it. How |
ever Napoleon only bent, but could not
break, the Germans. The poets reused the |
peoples broken spirits by their patriotic !
songs and inspired them to the utmost re-
sistance. The ArChdu e Charles, young |
man OF only twenty years, was victorious
against him at Wagram, and for the first
time 1t was shown that Napoleon was not
invlDciOle.
Encouraged by this success all the men
that could bear arms hurried to form
! legious of volunteers, and inaugurated a
| holy war, as they called it, against their
oppressor. Among them was Theodore
hoerner, poet, tWenty-three years OF age,
who at the time lived in Vienna. AS a boy
he was a favorite of Friedrich Schiller,
who often visited the house OF Koerner's
father. His rare talents had already spread
his fame broadcast and he electrified Ger
many through his soul-stirring songs of
| liberty; but now he took up the sword and
Joining the volunteers, he sacrificed his life
on the battlefield of Welbelin. His CRATE
full nation reared him q monument, but his
name is dearer than all among the soldiers
! and students.
witnessed lately what the Germans call
ga CoMMERs"
given by the German students of Prag to
celebrate the one hundreth anniversary of
Koerner's birth. This "Commers" was
given by the "Lese und Rede Halle der
Deutschen Studenten in Prag" (readjng
and speaking hall of the German students
of Prag), and was held IL the dining saloon
of the Grand hotel This society, estab-
lished in the revolutionary year of 1S4S, is
the center for the students of the university
and polytechnicum, and has a membership
of eleven or twelve hundred and library
of 40 900 volumes.
Outside of this great society the stu
dents form many other clubs according to
their professional, social and political bent,
each club being distinguished by vari-
colored caps and ribbons. These organiza-
tions originated at a time when Germany
was discordant, for the purpose of re-
uniting the old German empire. AT the
time when education was not general and
the students represen ted the highest degree
of enlie htenment, these societies contained
: the most enthusiastic advocates of human
rights, and they were accordingly dreaded
by the despot'c governments. They have
l played conspicuous part in the politics
} of Europe, although general history rarely
acknowledges it. The members wear
coats of black velvet with gold cord and
| passamenterie. Ribbons of distinctive
} colors are worn over the shoulders, and q
cap the size and shape of a saucer adorns
the head. They also carry richly orna-
mented swords. The president and
: .'Fuchsmaior'' wear white pantaloons and
hirrh IN ohH m hic rfOrr
9 The "Fuchs MAJOR fox MAJOR, easily re-
= cognized by the foXis tail which he W ears
2 in his cap, is the leader of the 'fuchsen"
foXes), as the young members of the
D society are called. 1t is his duty to bring
A up the new members in the customs of the
t society and to be their protector against the
old and more privileged students known as
the "burschen.n
The dining saloon of the Grand hotel is a
q long and wide room, with circular glass
, roof, and the walls are covered with mir
! rors At either end are statuary and large
' palm trees. This room, after its transfer
q nation into a garden, will accommodate
one thousand couples, and on this occasion
it was used only for the members of the
society and the r professors, members of
= | Congress- and men of great renown in the
a world of learning. In one end of the room
I was the platform for the military band,
which furnished not only the music from
COmpOS6ES, UuG DdGElOIlC airs III
!, which all present joined with loud acclaim.
r Boxes as in a theatre are arranged on
n two sides of the salon and in the gallery
, for the accommodation of guests, who
c were on this occasion the invited friends
" of the students.
.. The members sat around the tables and
n ate and drank the same as casual guests
n would, not as at a banquet bat what eact
wished to order from the restaurant
Beer and cigars were in the lead. The
smaller societies arranged themselves &C
cording to their colors at different tables
the Senior sitting at the head with tn,
Fuchsmajor at the foot, each with a SWORD
- lying Oh the table before him. Thu
- speaker calls ''silenciumn by beating witt
his sword OF the table which is echoed b,
the Seniors and Fuchsmsiors at every tabl
- and the ''commers'' is opened with the oil
re college song, "Faudeamus," The memor,
~ OF Koerner was hOnored by the so-called
st sALAMANDER,
is the highest honor bestowed upon the dead
+ and is thus given. First tho presiden
he beats his sword upon the taole and says
IN stle CUM dd CT rctctum SdldmaRdrt al hon
20 orem, "1heodor Koeiner," and the
% counts one two, three, sugite! "a
10 rise), one, two. three libtte "a
nc drink, one, two, three terrific
40 the glasses are slowly rubbed upon til
IA table. Again he says one, two, three, an
N ali at the same moment put their glasse
I down with bang, and the salamanca
al ends with the words, SleHcium, Erercictul
fo SdlmdHdS ereSt.
~ Conform to the habit of the aucien
"a Germans the beer Is drank out of tinel
in finished large horn and IS passed arouu
no to all present. ! noticed that the grey
al headed professors mingled with til
"a student wearing the caps which as SUDDEN,
nj they wore probably twenty or thir ty year
ce ago. Many speeches were made by thes
a noted men. 1t was at a very early hour
If the morning that the crowds dispersed.
a The stuIents have many peculia
,a customs. The slightest insults lead
DUELs BETWEEN MEMBERS.
10 of different clubs and severe injuries al
SIS often the result. Outside of these tt
X members OF one fraternity will invite tt
w members of another frien ly fraternity
Nv participate IN duels when the eyes an
sr, vital organs are protected and light rapiel
nd are used SO that there may be no serior
er injuries. A student is easily known by IL
OF scars on his face, which he is very prou
tie of. He also wears colored ribbon aero;
to his vest on which his engagements al
marked. Some of the societies will allo
ds no duel.ing, but they are very few, indee
nd The law prohibits 1t ostensibly but tolel
ey ateS ii silently.
Wy is initiated into the society with Ger
OF mony which is called 1.-The christening
We To an air which the Burschen sing viii
ne sitting at table, the Euchsen ride arour
ef the room on their chairs, the new Fuchs
ne the rear of the procession. He must (
as through a series of ceremonies, the last
as which consists in bumper of beer beil
poured over his head When he is tn,
OF christened in the name of Gambriuus I'll
lat god of beer) he receives a name bv WIFI
he is known in the fraternity in all futn,