The Alaska daily empire., 1914-08-21
''DlE MENZUR'
 CAUSES STOLIDITY

] Editor: At time when Germans are so prominently in the public eye, striving to upheold their tradition as fighting nation, few words anent the warlike sport of the German uni- versity student may not come amiss.
 There Is a spirit among Germany's young men which is as praiseworthy as 1t Is ludicrous. The faculty of bearing pain unflinchingly is thorough. ly ingrained into man during the strenuous years of his university ca reer in German. This is due almost wholly to that relic of antiquity Die Menzur," or duel,
 Upon matriculating into any Ger man uniyersity the correct thing to do socially is to join a 'Korps" or ''Yerbindung." These are form of club, each with it's distinctive badge consisting of colored cap and a ribbon worn by it's members across their breasts, over the waistcoat but beneath the coat. The "Korps" are essentially social clubs and designed to foster a spirit of cameraderle among their members.
 The chief sport of the "Korps" stu dent is duelllng, though in latter years some attention is given to the forms of sport known as such by the Anglo Saxons, and Germans are no mean eX- ponents of football, rowing, etc. The students duel is solemn affair gov erned by many rules and usages and rigid code of honor.
 Die Menzur" is resorted to not al. ways as a means of wiping out an insult, though for this purpose 1t is much in vogue. but purely for the sport derived from it. Certain days of the week are put aside upon which picked duellists of the various 'Korps" meet in battle for the honor and glory to be won. We can do no better than give a description of such duel:
 Picture a large room with sanded floor, lined along the walls by chairs and tables at which students in their gay caps are chatting, eating and drinking. In the middle clear space reserved for the combatants. Then you see the typical arena of these gla- diatorical combats.
 The duellists are led in. At first glance they seem to resemble rools of bedding rather than men, for each is heavily swathed from neck to knee in padded silk armor. His right arm similarly guarded and his eyes pro- tected by iron goggles held in place by leather straps passing over the temples and fastened at the back of the head, thus leaving only the head and face exposed.
 Each man grasps a sword, nearly yard long, provided with an immense hilt bearing the 'Korps" colors. The blade is sharp all along one side and half the other with the end broken of square.
 Thus accoutered the duelIers face one another, one foot slightly in ad- vance and chests a measured swords length apart till the fighting commenc- es and during all intervals the fight CTS support themselves by leaning on chair back and a second holds the sword arm aloft, for to allow the el- bow of that arm to fall beneath the level of It's shoulder is paramount to submission. and submission means dis grace.
 Sind Sic Fertig! Los!"
 The words of the referee ring out clearly and are followed almost im- mediately by the whiz and clash of the swords whirled by clever wrist play in attack and defense. Before one has quite realized that the fight has commenced, two seconds who have been crouching on each side, raise their swords between the combatants and stop the fight. These seconds are almost as heavily guarded as the fighters themselces for their part of interposing between the duellists to end each round is not without risk.
 The round consists of four strokes and 1t is not unusual to see pieces of hair and flesh nicked out at each en- counter.
 During the interval between rounds the duellists stand facing one another and are examined by the doctor, a ne- cessary member. of the party. The doctor "dabs" and cuts found, with sterilized gauge and any cuts which bleed after the third dab" is termed "blutiger" and counts one point to the opponent.
 A duel consists of as many as 2OI such rounds and it is rare that the men escape without cuts, sometimes quite severe; though the form of the sword is designed to make gash rath- CT than cut
 There is practically no applause or cheering. The onlookers, ever keen to note the strokes, are too absorbed for such; but should man by so much as a move of his head show a finch at his opponents blow, he is ruined in the eyes of his "Korps" and his expulsion follows immediately.
 The pluck of the fighters is shown by their unfinching stand under se- were blows which more often than not inflict severe wounds.
 At the conclusion of "Menzur" the surgeon is called upon to repair and damage and to stitch up and bandage cuts. Then, their heads and faces mass of bandages. the duellists join their friends and are feted and driven around the streets of the town
 These wounds are considered honor able and students are extremely proud of them. They assure in a measure as mark of proved courage. More