Corps Rhenania Heidelberg
Encyclopedia
| General | |
|---|---|
| university: | Ruprecht Karls University Heidelberg |
| founding date: | 15 January 1849 in Heidelberg Heidelberg -Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of... |
| association: | KSCV Kösener Senioren-Convents-Verband The Kösener Senioren-Convents-Verband is the oldest association of German and Austrian Studentenverbindungen. It comprises roughly 105 German, Austrian and a Swiss Corps, all of which are based upon the principle of tolerance.... |
| motto: | Virtuti semper corona! |
| heraldic motto: | Gladius ultor noster! |
| colors: | |
| sign: | |
| Website: | http://www.rhenania-heidelberg.de |
Corps Rhenania Heidelberg is a member Corps
German Student Corps
Corps 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...
of the Kösener Senioren-Convents-Verband
Kösener Senioren-Convents-Verband
The Kösener Senioren-Convents-Verband is the oldest association of German and Austrian Studentenverbindungen. It comprises roughly 105 German, Austrian and a Swiss Corps, all of which are based upon the principle of tolerance....
, the oldest association of student fraternities
Fraternity
A fraternity is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. An organization referred to as a fraternity may be a:*Secret society*Chivalric order*Benefit society*Friendly society*Social club*Trade union...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Corps Rhenania is "pflichtschlagend", which refers to the fact that it requires of its members, that they participate in several ritual, organised duels
Academic fencing
Academic fencing or Mensur is the traditional kind of fencing practiced by some student corporations in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and to a minor extent in Kosovo, Estonia, Latvia, Poland and Flanders.- Technique :Modern academic fencing, the "mensur," is neither a duel nor a sport...
with members of other specific student fraternities. Eligible applicants are those students, both current and former, of the Ruprecht Karl University in Heidelberg, Germany. Members of Corps Rhenania are colloquially referred to as "Rhenane".
General
Rhenania Heidelberg is one of the oldest fraternities in HeidelbergHeidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
. In its current form it was founded on January 15, 1849; its roots and predecessor fraternities date back to 1802, if not earlier. Rhenania means “area of the Rhine”, where most of the founding members came from. Consequently, they chose the colors of their home area, which are blue, white and red. Following the open-minded principles of Corps, Rhenania traditionally is counting many foreigners among its members, including members from the U.S., Spain, Japan, Sweden, Greece and Turkey. Vice versa, members of the fraternity may be found in many different countries. While the vast majority of the members study medicine, law, economics, chemistry or theology, in fact, all different professions are represented, including academics, politicians, writers and authors, journalists, officers, public officials and members of the diplomatic service, to name a few. One of their most important and guiding principles is the strong bond of friendship and support that links its members. A unique aspect of the friendship is the almost immediate understanding across generations, establishing a true bond between young members, not older than 20 years, with the most senior member, well in his 90s.
Rhenania I-III, Hassia, Nassovia
The oldest proof of foundation of Rhenania Heidelberg is dated July 23, 1802 (Rhenania I) bymembers of Rhenania Giessen (Hesse, Germany). Rhenania I was based on territorial
filiations and aimed to counteract the freemasonry
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
influenced student orders coming up
within the second half of the 18th century. Around 1804, Rhenania I was unfortunately
undercut by members of the Heidelbergian Order of the Constantists (Heidelberger
Constantisten-Orden). Rhenania and Franko-Badenia (founded in 1803) joined in 1803 to form the first Senior
Convent (SC) and established the oldest bequeathed rules (SC-Comment). After the conflicts
between students and the military in 1804 both Corps were significantly engaged in the
walkout of the student body of Neuenheim.
In December 1804 it came to tumultuous blow-ups between Heidelbergian Renonces and
Constantists. Due to investigations of the academic authorities Rhenania I and Franko-
Badenia dissolved themselves. On May 19, 1805 three members of Rhenania (Morgenstern,
Wenz, Bayer) participated in the foundation of territorial filiated Palatia (I). The remainder of
the old Rhenania founded the - in the beginning - closely linked territorial filiations of the
Oberrheiner (Upper-Rhiners; Colors: red-blue-white-silver) and Niederrheiner (Lower-
Rhiners; Colors: red-blue-white-gold) in August 1805.
After the re-organization of the university by the elector and Grand Duke Karl Friedrich von Baden, numerous non-residential students immigrated to Heidelberg from 1805 onwards
and founded new – but often short lived – fraternities (Suevia, Guestphalia, Curonia,
Vandalia, Hannovera, Holsatia, Helvetia, Saxo-Borussia). The term Corps came up the first
time after the partition of the Heidelbergian SC and was used for a group of
territorial filiations, including the Niederrheiner (Lower-Rhiners), which later on went back to
the name Rhenania and dissolved themselves after the wars of liberation.
1818 the Corps Hassia I was founded which two years later re-named itself into Rhenania II.
It was explicitly mentioned in the foundation journal that Rhenania II understands itself as
the continuator of the Rhenania Corps of 1802. The phase of Rhenania II plunged into the
politically heated-up time of the Vormärz
Vormärz
' is the time period leading up to the failed March 1848 revolution in the German Confederation. Also known as the Age of Metternich, it was a period of Austrian and Prussian police states and vast censorship in response to calls for liberalism...
. Many Badenian and Palatine
liberals belonged to Rhenania II at this time, such as: Friedrich Wilhelm Knoebel (participant
of the Hambach Festival), Friedrich Hecker (revolution leader in Baden) and
Joseph Martin Reichard (President of the provisional government of Palatinate). Due to the
assault on the Karzer
Karzer
A Karzer was a designated lock-up or detention room to incarcerate students for punishment, within a jurisdiction of some institutions of learning in Germany. Karzers existed both at universities and at gymnasiums in Germany until the beginning of the twentieth century. Marburg's last Karzer...
and the walkout of
the student body of Frankenthal
Frankenthal
Frankenthal is a town in southwestern Germany, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.- History :Frankenthal was first mentioned in 772. In 1119 an Augustinian monastery was built here, the ruins of which — known, after the founder, as the Erkenbertruine — still stand today in the town...
(after disagreements with the Heidelberger
Museumsgesellschaft (Museums Association) about the status of students on August 14,
1828), a declaration of disreputability valid for three years was decreed against the
university but revoked again by the SC only a short time later. Rhenania II existed until
November 3, 1833.
As on behalf of Rhenania II the members of the 1829 founded Hassia II endowed Corps
Rhenania III (until 1842). Due to external Corps students, notably members
of Nassovia Göttingen the foundation of Corps Nassovia II resulted in 1838,
which primarily recruited its
procreation at the Gymnasium (High School) in Weilburg. Nassovia created close relations
not only to Nassovia Göttingen but also to the other territorial filiated Corps Hasso-Nassovia
in Marburg and Nassovia Würzburg. In addition, they also used to have an active exchange
with the Corps Rhenania in Bonn.
Rhenania IV
existing – Corps Rhenania IV. In renunciation to sectionalism and a system of mini-states in
Germany the members of Nassovia dissolved their Corps by January 15, 1849 and endowed
on the same day a new Rhenania IV. Constitution, motto (“Virtuti semper corona!”) and
tradition were inherited from Nassovia. In the following years their recruitment area
extended over the whole of Germany. Also students from European foreign countries
(Switzerland, Greece, England, etc.) and from overseas (United States, Canada, South Africa,
etc.) became active at Rhenania.
Corps Rhenania is member of the Kösener Senioren-Convents-Verband (KSCV) since its
endowment in 1848. The period during the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
can be accounted for the greatest time of prosperity
for the Corps by far. Contrary to the SC-Corps Saxo-Borussia, Guestphalia and Vandalia,
which were dominated by East-Elbian, Hanoveranian and Mecklenburgian capacious
landowners and civil servants, Rhenania developed during this time frame to the Corps of
the large scale industrials and the capital with the focal point of recruiting in the areas of
Rhine-Ruhr, Frankfurt, Hamburg, and in the mid-German industrial zone. Rhenania therefore
belonged to the Corps’ which were perceived as extraordinary exclusive.
The first printed Corps chronicles (semester reports) were sent out to the external members
in 1875. The last living Alte Herren of Rhenania II
acknowledged the existing Corps in 1882 as the legitimate successor of the old Rhenania of
1802/20. Living members of Rhenania II and Nassovia II were integrated in the Corps.
The German novelist Theodor Fontane
Theodor Fontane
Theodor Fontane was a German novelist and poet, regarded by many as the most important 19th-century German-language realist writer.-Youth:Fontane was born in Neuruppin into a Huguenot family. At the age of sixteen he was apprenticed to an apothecary, his father's profession. He became an...
used the death of Rhenanian Emil Hartwich
Emil Hartwich
Emil Ferdinand Hartwich was a German judge and promoter of sports education, remembered for his death in a duel.-Early life and career:...
(1843-
1886; district judge in Düsseldorf) during a duel with Baron Léon Armand von Ardenne as
guideline for his novel Effi Briest
Effi Briest
Effi Briest is widely considered to be Theodor Fontane’s masterpiece and one of the most famous German realist novels of all time. Thomas Mann once said that if one had to reduce one’s library to six novels, Effi Briest would have to be one of them...
in 1894.
The active Corps was suspended during 1914-1919 due to World War I. An effect of
politicization of the student body during the early days of the Republic of Weimar was less
significant among the Corps, as the SC of Heidelberg had chosen a self imposed isolation and
bulk headed off against the influence of the rest of the student body.
Also the takeover of the National Socialists (Nazis) did not have any influence on the Corps
operation in the beginning. On September 8, 1935 the termination of the association (KSCV) was inducted
by the Head of the Reichskanzlei, Hans Heinrich Lammers by
excluding the KSCV from the “Gemeinschaft studentischer Verbände” (Community of
Collegiate Associations). After the finalization of termination of the KSCV also Corps
Rhenania decided to suspend. Participation at the Heidelberger SC-Kameradschaft (SC-Comradeship
of Heidelberg) “Axel Schaffeld” was retained and limited financial contribution;
the participation was ceased by the end of World War II in 1945. Different to other university
cities there were no personnel or organizational interfaces between comradeships’ and
Corps.
The celebration for the 100 year anniversary by the Alte Herren in 1949 took place within a
frame appropriate to the circumstances of the post war time. Shapes of the previous Corps
Rhenania in correlation with new approaches for contemporary collegiate cohabit were led
by the Rheinländerkreis (Rhinland circle) which was sponsored by the “Verein Heidelberger
Rhenanen” (Association of Heidelbergian Rhenanians) in the same year. On May 3, 1951 the
decision was made to take over the “Rheinländerkreis” by the Alte Herren of Rhenania,
leading to the reconstitution of Corps Rhenania. In the 1950s Rhenania was the initiator of
establishing the “Heidelberger Interessengemeinschaft (HIG)” (Heidelbergian Community of
Interest), a special purpose association for measure batting fraternities in Heidelberg. Due to
a separate agreement between the SC and the university the breach of who with the HIG in
1958 was inevitable. Since then the SC has been going its own ways.
External Relations
In the 1870s and 1880’s Rhenania conducted an active policy of relationships andestablished contacts and socialized official connections to numerous Corps at other
universities such as Bonn, Giessen, Marburg, Freiburg, Tübingen, Wurzburg, Munich, Jena,
Halle, Breslau, Gottingen, Berlin, Strasburg and Zurich until the beginning of World War I.
Since the Corps did not agree to a certain alignment within the KSCV, stagnation occurred as
from 1900, and after WWI even turned into a downright isolation which was not to
overcome just before a suspension. Today Corps Rhenania has friendly relations with the
Corps Suevia Freiburg
Corps Suevia Freiburg
The Corps Suevia Freiburg is one of the oldest German Student Corps, a Studentenverbindung or student corporation founded by 13 students at the Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg on June 21, 1815...
, Hasso-Nassovia Marburg, Nassovia Wurzburg and Tigurinia Zurich.
Corps Mansions
After Corps Rhenania celebrated in alternating taverns throughout Heidelberg (e.g. “Seppl”,lastly in “Weinberg” at Marktplatz), a baroque city house at Hauptstrasse 231 was acquired
in 1882 as a Corps-house and the foundation of the “Rheinländischen Gesellschaft”
as the subject of rights and duties. The house had previously been
owned by the theologian Carl Daub
Karl Daub
Karl Daub was a German Protestant theologian.He was born at Kassel. He studied philosophy, philology and theology at Marburg in 1786, and eventually became professor ordinarius of theology at the University of Heidelberg, where he remained until his death.Daub was one of the leaders of a school...
and his son-in-law, Wilhelm Theophor Dittenberger.
As the old house did not comply with altered representation necessities, it was torn down
and today’s Corps-house was erected in the years 1906-1909 according to the plans of the
königlich-bayerischen Hofoberbaurats (Royal Bavarian Chief Government Building Officer),
Eugen Drollinger. Simultaneously, the house at Neckarmünzgasse 14 behind the garden of
the Corps-house was bought and turned into a dormitor.
Notable members
- Sir William Phipson Beale (1839–1922), Baronet Drumlamford, member of parliament (UK)
- Friedrich Landolin Karl von Blitterdorf (1792–1861), minister of foreign affairs, Grand Duchy of BadenGrand Duchy of BadenThe Grand Duchy of Baden was a historical state in the southwest of Germany, on the east bank of the Rhine. It existed between 1806 and 1918.-History:...
- Emil August Freiherr von Dungern (1802–1862), minister of state, Duchy of NassauNassau (state)Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire and later in the German Confederation. Its ruling dynasty, now extinct in male line, was the House of Nassau.-Origins:...
- Edward Eberstadt (1843–1924), businessman and father of Ferdinand EberstadtFerdinand EberstadtFerdinand A. Eberstadt was an American lawyer, investment banker, and an important policy advisor to the United States government who was instrumental in the creation of the National Security Council.-Biography:...
- Emil HartwichEmil HartwichEmil Ferdinand Hartwich was a German judge and promoter of sports education, remembered for his death in a duel.-Early life and career:...
(1843–1886), judge and promoter of sports education, remembered for his tragic death in a duel - Friedrich Hecker (1811–1881), lawyer, politician and revolutionary
- Carl Heinrich Georg von Heyden (1793–1866), senator and entomologist
- Ludwig MondLudwig MondDr Ludwig Mond , was a German-born chemist and industrialist who took British nationality.-Education and career:...
(1839–1909), chemist and business leader - Joseph Martin Reichard (1803–1872), lawyer, politician and revolutionary
- Heinrich Schnee (1871–1949), governour in German East Africa, member of the Lytton Commission
- Samuel Hanson StoneSamuel Hanson StoneSamuel Hanson Stone was an American politician.- Life :Stone was born as a son of the merchant, farmer and banker James C. Stone from Leavenworth, Kansas and the daughter of a lawyer Matilda, born Hanson, a sister to the Confederate General Roger Hanson...
(1849–1909), Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts - Max WirthMax WirthMax Wirth was a German journalist and economist.- Life :Max Wirth is the son of Johann Georg August Wirth, a Bavarian writer and organizer of the Hambach Festival in 1832. Max studied law and political economy at the University of Heidelberg, where he joined the Corps Rhenania...
(1822–1900), journalist and economist