The Indianapolis journal., 1895-09-08
DUELING in GERMANY
HOW GoETTIxGES STUDENTS SLASH
EACH OTHER WITH sABERs.
Curious Survival Of q Custom That In
Wtnked at by the Authorities-
An Americans Experience.

Goettingen Letter In Brooklyn Eagle
To the Americans who deem football.
as a college game. an exhibition OF
to know that there are sports here that
are decidedly worse than football. and
beside which. in comparison. our sport
would seem a game for boys Fencing.
or dueling, is the national and almost
only sport of the German students, and.
although tennis is being introduced to
some extent. there are none OF the foot
ball. baseball. lacrosse or other athletic
teams here. as one finds in America
nothing in fact which may encourage the
students TO develop sound mind in a
healthy body-but there is the Mem
sur" About the first thing that attracts
the attention OF an American student,
German university. is the sight offered
by the faces of many OF the German
students whom he meets in and about
the lecture halls and buildings. A
student carrying a cane and wearing
little. round. colored cap. about half
large enough for his head, note book
and what remains Of his face, is always
in evidence. The face is the interesting
part; SCARED from ear to mouth, cheeks,
forehead and scalp, and criss-crossed
in a fashion that would remind an
American of an unsuccessful participant
with a rival at a colored ball. Particu-
lar attention Is paid to having the hair
short, so that these scars will show.
Scars, sometimes four or five inches
long, some well healed, and some yet
indamed and ugly, often show the sur
geon's' handiwork in stitches. On in
quiry, the visitor is informed that this
curiosity is a corps student and that the
scars are due to his contests In the
"Mensur."
He learns. on inquiry, that, as might
be expected in a land once the home of
feudalism and class distinction, this
same spirit, although dying out gradu-
ally, Is yet quite manifest among the
students. One finds them divided up
into factions, each of which Is entirely
distinct from those lower down in the
scale. In this way they have various
societies-the corps, the Burschenschafts
and the miner vereinS or unions. These
societies, in a great measure. occupy
similar position that out fraternities and
societies have in the American uni
but many carry on, as the prime motive
of their organizations. systematic duel
ing. Incidentally, they serve to per-
petpuate the reputation that German
students have for beer drinking. The
corps students are highest in the scale,
and they generally manage to bring to-
gether the sons of the nobility and
wealthy middle classes. The corps gen.
orally have their society houses, as we
find with our American fraternities.
Each has its distinctive uniform and cap
OF some certain color. This cap is seen
in general use upon the streets and pub
lie places. Here, in Goettingen, the six
corps have their combats together on
each Saturday morning during the open
term OF the university, the men of one
corps fighting with those of the others,
according to systematic method of
challenging. In this way, record Is kept.
of the battles. and apparently the same
interest prevails with which one watches
the ups and downs of ball teams OF our
National League. one or the other of
the corps coming out the victor at the
end of the semester with the greatest
number of battles won. In the same way
the Burschenschafts carry on their duels,
although, OF course, no such rash and
improper thing could happen as that a
corps should lower its dignity so far
as to fight against a Burschenschafter.
In that the members of the corps that
really do the most skillful fighting are
the sons Of the highest class of the Ger
man people, naturally the sport is
smiled upon by society as one of the
greatest honors in which a student may
indulge, and, at the anniversaries and
celebrations OF the corps, the city may
be seen decorated from end to end with
corps flags and symbols. A dance with
a corps student at a ball Is all that is
apparently necessary to make the even
Of he ia frs al afy,S
though how young woman can dance
face to face with one of these frights is
more than an American can understand.
One cannot appreciate the respect given
to these Scared young men, who are as
highly esteemed as though they were
heroes, and are thought TO have nerve
and fearlessness, which is believed nee
essary in a country so surrounded by
warlike nations. In fact, Ii seems that
these students elicit more respect than
is granted even TO truly brave and no.
bic men, who served the nation In its
past wars. Incidentally, an American
would say that the man with the most
sears was the poorest fighter but that
isn't their way of looking at 1t.
READY FOR THE SHOW.
We were two Brooklyn residents and
students in Goettingen. One day we de-
cited to go out and see the show. Norn-
ihdiiy ehtSS SohecSto oiC against the
law, but authorities are quite as lenient
here. when certain interests demand. as
in New York. In truth ii is smiled upon
and lauded as above criticism In ac-
cordance with this state of things the
little affairs are conducted at a wirth-
schaft or road tavern. known as the
Landwher. which Is about a mile and a
half on the road leading south from
the city. Ceremonies begin at about Z
D. m. and last four, five or six hours,
according to the number OF battles TO
take place. The corps students them
selves go out in two-horse carriages
Being somewhat more modest In our
pretensions we started out on foot. at
about o'clock. passing the most beau
tiful fields and meandering under the
shady trees OF the Chausee until we
came to the Landwehr, which we rec
ognized by the many carriages standing
about. Externally this Is about the same
as all road taverns that one comes
across so frequently In Germany. OF
the customary style OF somewhat pic
turesque architecture. with its main
building. beer garden and hall for dances
and entertainments, IL IL entirely In
closed Its main use Is for the enter
tainment. refreshment and amusement
OF the country people. and for farmers
round about having their best day on
Sunday when not otherwise engaged.
Saturday morning. however. the hail.
from the rest OF the Wirthgchaft. is de-
voted 10 the purposes Of the Mensur
Arriving at the entrance we sent I'm our
cards with request for admission "A