What is Burschenschaft?

What is Burschenschaft?

A Burschenschaft ( German: [ˈbʊʁʃn̩ʃaft]; abbreviated B! in German; plural: B!B!) is one of the traditional Studentenverbindungen (student fraternities) of Germany, Austria and Chile . Burschenschaften were founded in the 19th century as associations of university students inspired by liberal…

How many Burschenschaften are there in Germany?

Roughly 160 Burschenschaften still exist today and many are organized in different organizations ranging from progressive to nationalistic. Among the latter is the Deutsche Burschenschaft organization (DB), which represents about a third of the Burschenschaften.

Are there any Burschenschaften in Chile?

Because of the German emigration into Chile in the late 19th century, there are also some Burschenschaften in Chile, organized in the Bund Chilenischer Burschenschaften (BCB), in contact with the German and Austrian organizations. Most Burschenschaften are pflichtschlagend, i.e. their members must sustain a number of Mensuren.

What is the origin of the Urburschenschaft?

The very first one, called Urburschenschaft (“original Burschenschaft”), was founded on June 12, 1815 at Jena as an association drawn from all German university students inspired by liberal and patriotic ideas.