Commercium song

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Allgemeines Deutsches Kommersbuch ("General German Commercium Songbook"), cover sheet of 1858 Allgemeines Deutsches Kommersbuch.jpg
Allgemeines Deutsches Kommersbuch ("General German Commercium Songbook"), cover sheet of 1858

Commercium songs are traditional academic songs that are sung during academic feasts: commercia and tablerounds.

Some very old commercium songs are in Latin, like Meum est propositum or Gaudeamus igitur .

In some countries, hundreds of commercium songs are compiled in commercium books.

German fraternity students singing a commercium song during a tableround (Kneipe) Muhlberg - Cantus.jpg
German fraternity students singing a commercium song during a tableround (Kneipe)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commercium</span>

A commercium is a traditional academic feast known at universities in most Central and Northern European countries. In German it is called a Kommers or Commers. Today it is still organised by student fraternities in Germanic and Baltic countries, as well as Poland.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cantus</span>

A cantus, is an activity organised by Belgian, Dutch, German, French, and Baltic fraternities. A cantus mainly involves singing traditional songs and drinking beer. It is governed by strict traditional rules. The use of this dates back a few centuries and was inspired by German student organisations; however some of the songs that are sung date back to the Middle Ages. Cantus probably shares same roots with commercium, sitsit and tableround.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Studentencodex</span>

The Studentencodex is the most widely used commercium book in the Flemish part of Belgium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tableround</span>

A tableround is a traditional academic feast known at universities in most Middle and Eastern European countries. At a tableround, tables usually are placed in the form of a U or a W, the participants drink beer and sing commercium songs. A more formal form of the tableround is the commercium. Tableround probably shares the same roots with Cantus and Sitsit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gaudeamus igitur</span> Commercium song

"De Brevitate Vitae", more commonly known as "Gaudeamus igitur" or just "Gaudeamus", is a popular academic commercium song in many European countries, mainly sung or performed at university graduation ceremonies. Despite its use as a formal graduation hymn, it is a jocular, light-hearted composition that pokes fun at university life. The song is thought to originate in a Latin manuscript from 1287. It is in the tradition of carpe diem with its exhortations to enjoy life. It was known as a beer-drinking song in many early universities and is the official song of many schools, colleges, universities, institutions, student societies and is the official anthem of the International University Sports Federation.

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Le Bitu is a book which compiles a register of numerous commercium songs. As an important part of student folklore, it is considered a must-have for students who want to be involved in societies in the French-speaking part of Belgium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calotte (Belgium)</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biernagel</span>

Biernagels are conical, hemispherical or pyramid shaped fittings on the outer covers of books used in tableround and commercium type academic feasts. Primarily biernagels are used on German song books called "Kommersbuch", which are similar to the studentencodex song books used in Belgium. Also guestbooks are sometimes fitted with biernagels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Im schwarzen Walfisch zu Askalon</span>

"Im schwarzen Walfisch zu Askalon" is a popular academic commercium song. It was known as a beer-drinking song in many German speaking ancient universities. Joseph Victor von Scheffel provided the lyrics under the title Altassyrisch 1854, the melody is from 1783 or earlier.