Corps (or Korps ; " das ~ " ( n ), German pronunciation: [ˈkoːɐ] ( sg. ), [ˈkoːɐs] ( pl. )) are the oldest still-existing kind of Studentenverbindung , Germany's traditional university corporations ; their roots date back to the 15th century. The oldest corps still existing today was founded in 1789. Its members are referred to as corps students ( Corpsstudenten ). The corps belong to the tradition of student fraternities which wear couleur and practice academic fencing .
18-620: The Corps Borussia Bonn is a German Student Corps at the University of Bonn . Borussia was established on 22 December 1821 and joined the Kösener Senioren-Convents-Verband (KSCV) in 1856. It is the corps of the House of Hohenzollern and – along with others – Prussian nobility. Its motto is Virtus fidesque bonorum corona ( Latin for "bravery and loyalty are the crown of the good"). Karl Marx fought
36-466: A confederation with Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, a college Fraternity with over 270 chapters in the United States and Canada. The Corps sprang from the older Landsmannschaft . The name Corps came into use in 1810 at the University of Heidelberg and soon displaced the older name of Landsmannschaft at all the universities. The oldest still active Corps are the 1789 founded Guestphalia at
54-936: A duel with a Borrussia Corps member in August 1836. In 1864 and 1883, Borussia headed the KSCV. Notwithstanding some members of the Nazi Party , it refused to expel Jews and dissolved in 1935. It restituted itself in 1949. German Student Corps Most corps are organized in two federations, the Kösener Senioren-Convents-Verband ( KSCV ) and the Weinheimer Senioren-Convent ( WSC ). Together, they comprise 162 Corps throughout Germany , Austria , Belgium , Estonia , Latvia , Hungary , Switzerland and Lithuania . The German Student Corps were traditionally recruited from
72-474: A role. Corpsstudenten (corps students) wear couleur (colored stripes and caps) and practice Mensuren , academic fencing with razor-sharp blades that can result in bleeding face wounds, Schmisse . The corps usually bear names that reflect their former origin from certain German regions, such as Saxonia (Saxony) or Guestphalia (Westphalia). Formerly, when a distance of a few hundred kilometres between
90-566: A student's home town and his university meant weeks of travel, students from the same part of Germany traveled together and formed some kind of "new family". The distance, plus the fact that they carried the money for a complete semester with them in a bag, might also explain why students began fencing, simply for self-defense, for students, military officers, and aristocrats were the only people allowed to carry arms. Like all Studentenverbindungen , corps consist of two bodies: The active part consists of all members, that still study and have duties for
108-791: The Burschenschaften . After 1848, they were officially approved. Following is a select list of members of German students corps Latinism A Latinism (from Medieval Latin : Latinismus ) is a word, idiom , or structure in a language other than Latin that is derived from, or suggestive of, the Latin language. The Term Latinism refers to those loan words that are borrowed into another language directly from Latin (especially frequent among inkhorn terms ); English has many of these , as well. There are many Latinisms in English , and other (especially European ) languages. On
126-537: The Corpshaus (Corps House) in order. The Altherrenschaft , graduates with regular incomes, provide financial support. This usually means quite cheap housing for the younger members among other things. The Altherrenschaft has the power to intervene in the business of the active members, typically to ensure the principles and spirit of their corps. The active body is headed by a panel of three Chargierte (charged persons), who are elected by all active, full members at
144-603: The Scientific Latin . As a particular subgroup of lexical Latinisms, various onomastic Latinisms are formed through Latinisation of proper names , including personal names and toponyms . Renewed interest in Classical Latin literature during the Renaissance period resulted in the emergence of various forms of syntactical Latinisms, manifested by a tendency of renaissance and later authors to shape
162-853: The University of Halle , the 1798 founded Onoldia at the University of Erlangen who are both members of the KSCV and as a member of the WSC the Saxo-Montania founded also 1798 at the Bergakademie Freiberg today at the RWTH Aachen University . After the Carlsbad Decrees of 1819, the Corps were exposed to harsh persecution by university and state officials just like their rivals as at the universities in Germany
180-667: The Burschenschaften. The corps are open to students of all nationalities and religions, unlike many other student fraternities. Although distinct, the corps are in some aspects similar to and serve many of the same purposes as college fraternities found in the United States . Corps are built upon the principle of tolerance : No corps may endorse a certain political, scientific, or religious viewpoint. In addition, all members are solely chosen by their personal character. Neither national, ethnic, nor social provenance play
198-505: The basic level of particular words and lexemes , creation and adoption of Latinisms has a long history, dating back to the ancient times. Early lexical Latinisms are attested in various languages that came into contact with Latin language during the expansion of ancient Roman culture . The same process continued during the Middle Ages, and acquired new forms in modern times under the influence of scientific terminology, largely based on
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#1732783293368216-480: The basis of placing two equal opponents in front of each other. [...] This experience, and the intertwined need to overcome one's own fear, dedicated to the union of his Corps, and the connected strengthening of the sense of community aids the personal growth just as does taking a hit without losing one's stand and accepting the assessment of the Mensur by the own Corps Brothers. The Weinheimer Student Corps also maintain
234-525: The beginning of each semester (or at the end of the former one). Their functions are called Senior , Consenior and Drittchargierter (meaning third charged person , also named Subsenior in some corps).: Being the oldest of their kind, the corps tend to treat all other forms of German Studentenverbindungen with contempt; corps despise all posturing and affectation (e.g. the overly use of Latinisms ) that other kinds of Studentenverbindungen , esp. Catholic corporations and Burschenschaften show. Even with
252-424: The fraternity, and the so-called Altherrenschaft (alumni organization), comprising all those who graduated and thus provide the bear share of the monetary stimulus for the fraternity. A fundamental idea is that older students should help their younger fellows, and this principle dominates the relationship between the two bodies. The former keeps the everyday business of the corps alive, organizes gatherings, and keeps
270-512: The leading figures of the most diverse political directions. The emphasis on individuality brought many corps students in opposition to totalitarian regimes, such as the National Socialist dictatorship. The 'bject and purpose of the Corps was and still is solely the education of students to become a strong, free and cosmopolitan personality who is not held back by religious, racist, national, scientific or philosophical limitations of
288-589: The mind. Three primary institutions within the fraternity aid with achieving this aim; including the Corpsconvent [regular council meetings of the Corps Brothers], the Kneipe [celebratory get-together of Corps Brothers with speeches, beer and songs], and today's Bestimmungsmensur [the event of academic fencing with sharp blades for the first or one of the first times], where the ones to fence are chosen on
306-551: The nobility, royalty, and social elite, and are traditionally viewed as more aristocratic and elitist than other German student fraternities such as the Catholic Cartellverband and the Burschenschaften . They consider tolerance and individuality to be key tenets and are rooted in German idealism . By and large, they are generally conservative in political outlook, but less right-wing and less nationalist than
324-405: The principle of tolerance being a central aspect in each corps' self-image, every corps student is urged to develop his own viewpoints, to stand for them and to strongly participate in society, whether in politics, economy, or social affairs. This encouragement for ethics and self-confidence on one hand, and the absence of a limitation to certain views on the other, let Corps students often show up as
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