Corps (or Korps; "das ~" (n), German pronunciation:[ˈkoːɐ] (sg.), (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.
Studentenverbindung or studentische Korporation is the umbrella term for many different kinds of fraternity-type associations in German-speaking countries, including Corps, Burschenschaften, Landsmannschaften, Turnerschaften, and Catholic fraternities. Worldwide, there are over 1,600 Studentenverbindungen, about a thousand in Germany, with a total of over 190,000 members. In them, students spend their university years in an organized community, whose members stay connected even after graduation. A goal of this lifelong bond is to create contacts and friendships over many generations and to facilitate networking. The Lebensbund is very important for the longevity of these networks.
The Weinheimer Senioren-Convent is the second oldest association of German Studentenverbindungen. It comprises roughly 60 German Corps, all of which are based upon the principle of tolerance.
The Corps Hannovera Göttingen is one of the oldest German Student Corps, a Studentenverbindung or student corporation founded on January 18, 1809, at the Georg August University of Göttingen by Georg Kloss and his associates. The name was chosen because the founders had their home residences in the Kingdom of Hanover. As a corps it is a founding member (1848) of the Kösener Senioren-Convents-Verband (KSCV), the oldest governing body of such student associations in both Germany and Austria.
The Union of Catholic German Student Fraternities is a German umbrella organization of Catholic male student fraternities (Studentenverbindung).
Couleur is the expression used in Central European Studentenverbindungen for the various headgear and distinctive ribbons worn by members of these student societies.
Corps Austria is a member Corps of the Kösener Senioren-Convents-Verband, the association of the oldest student fraternities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Corps Austria is "pflichtschlagend", which refers to the fact that it requires of its members to participate in several organized duel-like fencing engagements with members of other specific student fraternities, a ritual dating back to the 17th century and described by Mark Twain in his book "A tramp abroad". The Corps Austria is further considered "farbentragend" in that its members wear a colored sash across their chests as evidence of their membership of the fraternity. Both of these tendencies are characteristic of the most traditional and often very elite all-male fraternities in countries for central Europe. Eligible applicants are students of the Goethe University Frankfurt and other colleges in Frankfurt, Germany. Members of Corps Austria are colloquially referred to as "Austrianer", or simply "Austern". Corps Austria was founded in 1861 at the Charles-Ferdinand University in Prague and moved to the newly established Goethe University Frankfurt in 1919.
The Catholic German student corporation Saarland (Saarbrücken) Jena, founded in 1961, is a Catholic German academic fraternity. As all the other member fraternities of the Cartellverband (CV), the largest organization of academic persons in Germany, the members of the K.D.St.V. Saarland do not practise academic fencing (Mensur) because of their Catholic religion.
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Vandalia-Teutonia Berlin is a German Student Corps (Fraternity) in the Kösener SC-Verband (KSCV), the umbrella organization of the oldest German fraternities. As a corps, Vandalia-Teutonia practices academic fencing and wears Colours. Its membership comprises active and former students and alumni of all Berlin universities. Its members are called Vandalen-Teutonen.
Corps Palatia is a fencing fraternity belonging to the Kösener Senioren-Convents-Verband, the oldest association of German and Austrian student corporations. It unites students of Munich's universities, most notably Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich and the Technical University of Munich. Palatia's members are known as Pfälzer, which is derived from the Bavarian region of Upper Palatinate.
The Corps Altsachsen is a fraternity (Studentenverbindung) in Dresden, Germany. It was founded on October 31, 1861, and is one of 162 German Student Corps in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Latvia and Hungary today. The Corps is a member of the Weinheimer Senioren-Convent (WSC), the second oldest federation of classical Fraternities in Europe with roots dating back to the 15th century.
The Corps Saxo-Thuringia München is a fraternity (Studentenverbindung) in Munich, Germany, founded on March 15, 1882. It is one of 162 German Student Corps in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Latvia and Hungary today. The Corps is a member of the Weinheimer Senioren-Convent (WSC), the second oldest federation of classical European fraternal corporations, with roots dating back to the 15th century and fraternities founded in several European countries.
The Corps Marko-Guestphalia Aachen is a fraternity (Studentenverbindung) in Aachen, Germany, founded on December 2, 1871. It is one of 162 German Student Corps in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Latvia and Hungary today. The Corps is a member of the Weinheimer Senioren-Convent (WSC), the second oldest federation of classical European fraternal corporations, with roots dating back to the 15th century and fraternities founded in several European countries.
The Corps Berlin is a fraternity (Studentenverbindung) in Berlin, Germany, founded on February 9, 2009 with roots dating back to December 2, 1859. It is one of 162 German Student Corps in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Latvia and Hungary today. The Corps is a member of the Weinheimer Senioren-Convent (WSC), the second oldest federation of classical European fraternal corporations, with roots dating back to the 15th century and fraternities founded in several European countries.
The Blaues Kartell is a circle of four German Student Corps, or Corps (Studentenverbindung) for short, who understand the union as "one fraternity spanning four cities". The member fraternities are the Corps Altsachsen Dresden, Saxo-Thuringia München, Berlin and Hannoverania Hannover.
The Corps Franconia Darmstadt is a fraternity founded on November 16, 1889, in Darmstadt. It is one of the 59 German Student Corps within the Weinheimer Senioren-Convent (WSC), the second oldest federation of classical European fraternal corporations, with roots dating back to the 15th century and fraternities founded in several European countries.
The Corps Bavaria of Munich is a German Student Corps located in the City of Munich. The Fraternity is a founding member of the umbrella organisation "Kösener Senioren Convent" and unites current students of all Universities in Munich and Alumnus. As a German Corps it still practices the Mensur, the Members are wearing an academic ribbon as a sign of belonging. The fellows of the Corps are called "Bavarians from Munich", because in the early years only people from Bavaria were able to affiliate.
The Wingolf zu Wien is a Christian fraternity (Studentenverbindung) located in the City of Vienna. It is the only member of Wingolf in Austria and unites current students of all Universities in Vienna and alumni. Like all members of Wingolf it does not practise academic fencing. The colours of Wingolf zu Wien are red-white-green.
The Corps Concordia Rigensis is a German Baltic student association founded at the University of Riga in Riga, Latvia in 1869. It has been based in Hamburg since 1956 and has been a member of the Kösener Senioren-Convents-Verband since 1959. The international corps members are called Concords and form a cross-generational, lifelong bond of friendship.
