To what extent did “Mensur” affect student life in fencing fraternities in Germany in the 20th Century?

 Last Name 1
First Name Last Name
Professor
English
Date
To what extent did “Mensur” affect student life in fencing fraternities in Germany in
the 20th Century?
Plan of Investigation
The investigation assesses how the “Mensur” affect the student life in fencing
fraternities in Germany in the 20th century. In order to evaluate the Mensur effect on the
student life in Germany, I pondered into a great deal of literature concerning the given theme.
Having read different books about Germany of 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, I paid
attention to the mentioning of Heidelberg and the scars obtained in it as an indicator of
courage of a hero. There was one of the oldest universities in Heidelberg famous for its duel
traditions. In order to be objective, it is necessary to note that Heidelberg was not the only
place where the students constantly fought among themselves. Duels took place in all
German universities, however, with different frequency. According to the German legislation,
each student, irrespective of a social status, should appear in public places with a sword. He
could be penalized for the violation of this rule. Besides, the German students were always
famous for cockiness and corporationism.
Summary of Evidence
Each student belonged to any corporation. The corporations were divided according to
the grace and shine: the sons of rich parents belonged to one of the brilliant corporations as
this pleasure cost eight thousand Deutsche Marks a year. The most well-known corporations
were called “Burshenshaft” and “Landsmanshaft”. The main goal was maintained: the
universities was subdivided approximately into twelve separate corporations from which 
Last Name 2
everyone should have strictly certain colors of a banner and caps - and also strictly certain,
favorite beerhouse where the members of other corporations were not allowed.
The student’s brotherhoods of Germany, without speaking about their advantages,
were guilty that they did not open the danger of such development to people’s life. There was
no mutual understanding between the students and young workers; together with the other
layers of youth, senior generations simply ignored the debates with the youth.
Student’s communities - brotherhoods and unions - had to realize their specific tasks.
Thus, they could justify own existence. The pre-war brotherhood with feudal principles was
not effective any more. Belonging to a student’s brotherhood or union, each student had to
find the new forms and define the student’s life with the observance of the strictest discipline
and soldier’s asceticism.
Therefore, the students had to participate in updating of scholastic university
community actively. The student’s brotherhood of new type was, first of all, the center of life
of new student’s community.
German student’s brotherhoods (akademische Verbindungen, Burschenschaften)
looked like clubs. In some communities wine parties were the main occupation, in some -
different duels and vestments in different clothes, in some - recitation and a continence of
speeches. The activity of brotherhoods was surrounded with various rituals and traditions,
from the ritual of initiation and duels up to the singing of drinking songs.
The students of those times were in exclusive situation just owing to the training.
They had to serve in army for only one year. They possessed the specific academic rights and
positions. The students’ brotherhoods were guided by the principles established during the
era of feudalism, and even in the conditions of the classical liberalism they kept the tradition
to develop talents. As this ideal was widely adopted, superficial and unilateral began to 
Last Name 3
progress. Training became more and more insignificant, constructed on the empty forms and
social conditions.
The Germans called such a duel “Mensur”, from the Latin word meaning “measure”.
Mensur was a duel with a ban to recede and evade. All blows were allowed only to a
head. It was organized between the members of the student’s brotherhoods in Germany for
the only purpose: to get honorable scars on a face and hands.
Mensur was carried out almost only on the sharpened rapiers. Thus, all vital places on
a body were closed by bandages. Everything, even a sidelong glance could serve a reason for
such duels. In some cases it was the requirement of the brotherhoods to organize a duel once
a semester.
According to the Mensur rules, the duelists should not have killed each other; they
were obliged to show only firmness in fight. Thus, the protective equipment initially was a
protective bandage on the right hand, however, after a moving and evasion ban from blows a
special suit covering the whole body, leaving open only a head started to be used.
There could be several duels a week; each student could take part in a dozen of duels
each year. However, there was another type of Mensur to which the audience was not
allowed: it happen