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Students' Associations (Germany)

Burschenschaften/Studentenverbindungen

Introduction

See also:

Jena Students League 1816 (Jenaer Burschenschaft)
Germany

Introduction

The Burschenschaften or Studentenverbindungen (students' associations) have played an important role in German history —and the history of the German flag— around 200 years ago. Nowadays they are basically small, insignificant groups with (mostly) right-conservative, in some cases even right-radical, political opinion. There have been several scandals in Munich and the rest of Bavaria with NPD members being also member of one of the Burschenschaften. Although most of them are just conservative and not radical, the distinction is not always easy.

Important university towns, such as Heidelberg, have a lot of Burschenschaften. Each of these have their colour combinations (two, three or four colours), including rare colours such as pink in many cases. These colour combinations are displayed as sashes mainly, but also as striped flags on buildings belonging to the Burschenschaft.

For instance, the two flags on this picture taken at Heidelberg belong to Frankonia (yellow-red-black-yellow) and Rhenania (blue-white-red) Burschenschaften. Sources: Frankonia website and Rhenania website.

Marcus Schmöger, 24 January 2002

There was an article not long ago by Jorge Hurtado in Gaceta de Banderas [