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Corps Austria is a member Corps of the Kösener Senioren-Convents-Verband, the oldest association of student fraternities in Germany and Austria. Corps Austria is "pflichtschlagend", which refers to the fact that it requires of its members, that they participate in several ritual, organised duels with members of other specific student fraternities. Furthermore, Corps Austria is deemed "farbentragend" in that its members wear a coloured sash (r. to l.), diagonally across their chests as evidence of their membership of the fraternity. Both of these tendencies are characteristic of most, if not all male fraternities in the German-speaking countries. Eligible applicants are those students, both current and former, of the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. Members of Corps Austria are colloquially referred to as "Austrianer".

Couleur

The "colours" of Corps Austria are black, white and yellow, in that exact order. Black and yellow were the colours of the flag of the Habsburg Monarchy until 1867. In addition to the aforementioned coloured sash, headgear is also worn and is deemed an obligatory part of the "Couleur" or "uniform" of Corps members. Depending on the time of year, one of two styles of headgear may be chosen by "Aktive" or active members. In the winter academic semester, a black cap, sporting thin bands of black, white and yellow must be worn.

In the summer semester, a white silk "Stürmer" or Kepi with black, white and yellow piping may be worn. According to the constitution of Corps Austria, the "Stürmer" may only be worn if a meeting of the internal council or "Corps Convent", elects to wear the "Stürmer" for that summer semester. Furthermore, a "Kneipjacke" or mess jacket may be worn on specific occasions. This jacket is black in colour and features sliver and black braiding. "Füchse", initiate applicants to the Corps are allowed to wear a two-coloured sash of black and yellow. This is in contrast to the three-coloured sash of fully-fledged members or corps brothers (CB's). Lastly, as with all such student fraternities, Corps Austria employs a Motto, "Durch Eintracht stark!" or "strength through unity!"

History

Out of fear of the liberal and enlightened ideals of the French Revolution, the Reichstag of the Holy Roman Empire in Regensburg in 1793 proscribed all student associations. However this ban would be strictly enforced only in the territory of the Habsburg Empire and then in large part thanks to the zeal of the suppressive Metternich régime. Even correspondence with foreign universities would be forbidden to students. After a brief period of respite in the aftermath of the so-called "March Revolution" of 1848, student associations were once more forbidden in 1849.

It was not until 1859, that the situation had sufficiently changed to allow the establishment of such student bodies of the same model as were to be found in other German-speaking states. The cause of this change can be attributed both to the overwhelming defeat of the Habsburg Empire in the Battle of Solferino and the resultant dire state of the Empire's finances. In order to carry out much needed reforms to address these issues, Emperor Franz Joseph I required the support of liberals of the middle-class.

Whilst the question of national identity did not arise concerning students in other German-speaking territories, the question of students' national identity did however arise in the context of the multi-national Habsburg Empire. The Czechs, for example, regarded the particular form of German student association as was introduced to Prague to be "typically German", whilst the Austrians increasingly believed their student associations to be almost an extension of their national identity. Consequently, such student bodies with their colourful nationalist paraphernalia frequently drew the wrath of the native population upon themselves.

Famous Members

Vincenz Czerny, surgeon
Robert Gersuny, surgeon
Karl Hans Strobl, novelist

Literatur

Jürgen Herrlein, Corps Austria – Corpsgeschichte 1861-2001 (History of Corps Austria 1861-2001), Frankfurt am Main 2003
Jürgen Herrlein, Corps Austria - Corpsliste 1861-2001 (List of members 1861-2001), Frankfurt am Main 2001
Egon Erwin Kisch, Alt-Prager Mensurlokale, in Aus Prager Gassen und Nächten (collected works, volume 2), Aufbau Verlag, Berlin, 5. edition 1992, ISBN 3-351-02024-4, S. 172-176
Egon Erwin Kisch, Die Kuchelbader Schlacht, in Prager Pitaval - Späte Reportagen (collected works, volume 3), Aufbau Verlag, Berlin, 5. edition 1992, ISBN 3-351-02092-9, S. 267-271

External links

Literatur about Corps Austria in the catalogues of the German National Library
Corps Austria (in German)

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 It was not until 1859, that the situation had sufficiently changed to allow the establishment of such student bodies of the same model as were to be found in other German-speaking states. The cause of this change can be attributed both to the overwhelming defeat of the Habsburg Empire in the [[Battle of Solferino]] and the resultant dire state of the Empire's finances. In order to carry out much needed reforms to address these issues, Emperor [[Franz_Joseph_I_of_Austria|Franz Joseph I]] required the support of liberals of the middle-class.
-Whilst the question of nationality identity of did not arise concerning students in other German-speaking territories, the question of students national identity did however arise in the multi-national [[Austria-Hungary|Habsburg Empire]]. The [[Czech|Czechs]], for example, regarded the particular model of German student association as introduced to Prague to be "typically German" whilst the Austrians increasingly believed their student associations to be almost an extension of their nationality. Consequently, such student bodies with their colourful nationalist paraphernalia frequently drew the wrath of the native population upon themselves.
+Whilst the question of national identity did not arise concerning students in other German-speaking territories, the question of students' national identity did however arise in the context of the multi-national [[Austria-Hungary|Habsburg Empire]]. The [[Czech|Czechs]], for example, regarded the particular form of German student association as was introduced to Prague to be "typically German", whilst the Austrians increasingly believed their student associations to be almost an extension of their national identity. Consequently, such student bodies with their colourful nationalist paraphernalia frequently drew the wrath of the native population upon themselves.
 == Famous Members ==