Beer Stein from a Karlsruhe Fraternity

“My first impressions of a German polytechnic were quite peculiar. While Russian students were actively engaged in political debates, discussing complex issues late into the night without arriving at practical solutions, I unexpectedly encountered German corps students with scarred faces, comportment I could not understand, and a pronounced thirst for beer. It was a completely alien world, characterized by a strange concept of ‘honor’ and a notable dose of arrogance.” This was the impression that Karlsruhe Mechanical Engineering Professor Rudolf Plank (1886–1973) had of organized student life when he moved from St. Petersburg to Dresden in 1905. Given the rich tradition of student fraternities and drinking culture in Karlsruhe, it is unlikely that Plank would have had a different experience had he arrived in Karlsruhe as a student. One of the visible elements of life in various student fraternities is the formalized consumption of beer. This tradition includes beer steins adorned with the coat of arms, motto, watchword, and monogram-like “Zirkel” of the respective fraternity. The specimen shown here comes from the 'Gewerbewissenschaftlicher Verband Vitruvia' in Karlsruhe, about which little is known. The forms visible here indicate that proximity to student fraternities was at least sought. As the fraternities of that time brought together a social elite, their customs were also imitated by other groups. kn