The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-14
Oddities OF HEIDELBERG
americans Notice Many Peculiar
Things at the University.
Broad Differences between College
Life in Germany md the United
Stntcs-SpccinI Privileges Granted
the students From This Country.
Fighting Socictics-No Athletics.

A Washingtonian who recently returned
from Heidelberg gives some interesting in
formation concerning college life at The IA
nous German university. He explains the
radical differences between Teutonic and
American university methods and calls at
tention 10 university oddities of the student
town that has become well known through
out the civilized world, and where in past
years many young men from this country
have received the finishing touches TO their
education.
when Americans go to Heidelberg they
at once notice the broad difference between
college life in Germany and that IN the
United States. Especially is this true OF
the lack OF college spirit. a German stu
dent seldom spends more than year al
one university but passes on from one TO
another. selecting the professors whose
lectures he most desires to hear. There
fore he never looks upon any one institu-
1ion as his alma mater. However, the Ger
mans contend that their system is the bet
ter one since the student travelling from
university to university is broadened in
his views and all university men feel
that they have a common tie of friendship.
Being matriculated is much more diff
cult ceremony for the German than for the
American. The German student must pass
a difficult examination on leaving the gym
nasium or high school. In order to enter
the university, and have year of military
service whereas the American has only 10
present his passport, or IL he does not have
one his birth and vaccination certificates
and reports from the last school which he
has attended to show that he is qualified TO
N q
before the faculty. where. unless he under
stands German we'll. he is apt TO feel as
though he would like to have the hoor
open and swallow him. he receives card
which entities him to all the privileges
of a student. The fees for this are about
s6.5O for the first semester, or half-year
term, and So for every semester there
after.
The Americans privileges.
The privileges referred to are relics OF
former days. but in an old-fashioned and
unprogressiye town like Heidelberg they
are still of some value Not the least i'm
portant is immunity from arrest for misde-
meanors quite boon when it is remem-
bered that Americans are ignorant of the
numerous minor police regulations which
are in force in most German towns, and
which he is liable TO break at any moment,
either by riding his bicycle over some par
ticular street where 1t is forbidden or by
playing a piano after IL O'Clock at night,
which is against the law.
Should he be arrested for breaking any
of these rules. he simply shows his card TO
the policeman who takes his name so that
he can report 1t to the faculty and then
permits him to go free. BY presenting this
card at the box office he can also secure
frl-a for he n Mannheim
or Heidelberg at reduction OF something
like 80 per cent, and he can take books out
of the library consi iered one of the finest
in the world for historical research. Csu-
ally two volumes at a time are allowed
TO student, but IL a professor will endorse
his card for him he may take out as many
as he pleases though the limit of time for
keeping them out, four weeks, remains the
same.
Although the student is immune from ar
rest on the street. IL does not imply that
10 punishment is to follow. On the
contrary, he receives visit from the head
janitor of the university, who requests him
TO report before the board OF discipline.
There his case will be given hearing and
he will probably be sentenced to pay
small fine.
The Celebrated Prison.
There Is a special prison. the celebrated
Career, set apart for student offenders, but
as the collegisns seemed to prefer 10 go
there, and enjoyed themselves SO much dur
ing their Imprisonment, the fine has now
been substituted for the Incarceration.
Life in prison was very pleasant. The
prisoner could be visited by his friends and
might order any comforts and luxuT1es to
be sent in to him. IL he could pay for them
The walls OF the rooms are decorated with
pictures and the names of students who
have been imprisoned there. and from the
great number of names Of Americans to
be found il must have been very popular
with them in former years.
To illustrate the laxity Of discipline In
the old days a story is told OF how some
tourists came to inspect the prison when IL
wa stemporarily in the castle Of Dilsberg,
nine miles above Heidelberg. on the
Neckar. The TALLER apologised fer not
being able 10 show the tourists through
but explained that the prisoners had gone
off on a walking tour in the Odenwald, |
and had taken the keys with them. There |
was no disgrace attached to serving term
in the Career. and most OF the students 1
who have been there have left their photo |
graphs on the inside OF the doors 10 the |
cells. Prominent among these is the pic |
ture of the son OF the old Iron Chan |
cellor,' Prince Bismarck. Nowadays. how |
ever, the Career has fallen into such dis |
use that there are hardly more than one 1
OF two prisoners in II during a whole |
semester, while a few years ago II was |
nearly always crowded
Few American Students
with the disuse of the Career there has |
been a decided decrease in the number Of |
American students attending lectures in |
Heidelberg. although there may be no con- |
nection between these two facts. The pres |
ent average of American students is per- |
hnps twenty, a great falling of. as several |
years ago It was more than double that !
Then the Americans belonged 10 |
the German student corps. or fighting So |
cleties: in fact, at one time they had al /
most complete control of the Prussian. or |
white cap. corps. the most exclusive and /
aristocratic OF them all. but it is now /
rare thing when one of them joins any OF
these societies. One reason for this is the
"Trinkzwang" by which the old members
could make the new ones drink as much
beer as they pleased. and another is that
several Americans were hurt during duels
and considerable trouble was given the au-
thorities by this Government. The result
is that Americans are not very cordially
welcomed into the fighting societies There
Is on this account little intercourse between
the students of the two nationalities.
The attitude OF the Germans toward
Americans during the war with Spain
forced the latter TO be more friendly with
the English residents, ana now the two
have taken 4 position almost antagonistic
TO the Germans.
The students al Heidelberg are OF leces-
slty brought into close relationship with
the professors, as call upon each one
under whom the student intends TO work T.
supposed 10 be made at the beginning and