Burschenschaft
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German Burschenschaften (abbreviated: B!, plural: B!B!) are a special type of Studentenverbindungen (student fraternities).
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[edit] History
[edit] Beginnings 1815- c. 1918
The first one, called Urburschenschaft (original B!), was founded on June, 12, 1815 at Jena as an association of actually all German university students inspired by liberal and patriotic ideas. Its original colors were red-black-red with a golden oak leaves cluster - the very basis of the German national colors. Even today, these colors are worn by many Burschenschaften. The Burschenschaften engaged in numerous social functions. However, their most important goal was to foster loyalty to the concept of a united German national state as well as strong engagement for freedom rights and democracy. They were stamped out by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich of Austria when he issued the reactionary Carlsbad Decrees in 1819. Many Burschenschafter took part in the Hambacher Fest in 1832 and the democratic Revolution in 1848/49. After this revolution had been suppressed, plenty of leading Burschenschafter, such as Friedrich Hecker and Carl Schurz, went abroad. After the foundation of the German Empire in 1871, the Burschenschaften movement faced a severe crisis, as one major goal had been attempted to some extent - German unification. In the 1880ies, a renaissance movement, the Reformburschenschaften, led by the ideas of Küster, raised and many new B!B! were founded.
[edit] 1918-1945
In 1935, all Burschenschaften were dissolved by the Nazi government and transformed and fusioned with other Studentenverbindungen into so-called Kameradschaften (comradships). Both some nazis (e.g. Ernst Kaltenbrunner) and nazi oppponents (Karl Sack) were members of Burschenschaften.
[edit] Postwar
In the 1950s, most B!B! were refounded, also some of them had to be transferred into other cities for Germany lost great parts of its territories due to the Second World War. The allied victors had forbidden to refound B!B! originally, but this could not be upheld. In the 1970s and 1980s, the Burschenschaften, as all the other student fraternities, underwent a crisis: a lack of new members, strong attacks by the liberal student community on account of alleged Neo-Nazi affiliation. In the 1990s, however, these attacks have decreased in frequency.
[edit] Today
Roughly 160 Burschenschaften still exist today and most of them are organised in the 'Deutsche Burschenschaft'-organisation in the Federal Republic of Germany and Austria. The are also some Burschenschaften in Chile, organized in the BCB (Bund Chilenischer Burschenschaften), in contact with the german and austrian organizations. Most Burschenschaften are pflichtschlagend, i.e. their members must absolve a number of Mensuren. Academic fencing is still an important part of their self-understanding as well as political education.
Former US interior secretary Carl Schurz was a famous Burschenschafter.
[edit] Controversy
Burschenschaften in general are often accused of being at the extreme right end of the political spectrum, with widespread antisemitism being common among members. It is known that members of Burschenschaften are often affiliated with right-wing conservative parties.
[edit] See also
- The Revolutions of 1848 in the German states - (Burschenschaften were student groups which played a part in beginning the Prussian Revolution)
[edit] External links
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