Dating to 1386, Heidelberg University is the oldest in Germany. Besides studies in medicine or law, a student could aim for three badges of honor - a dueling scar; a few days in the Student Jail; and the esteemed title of King of the Krug. Heidelberg is the setting for the 1924 American musical operetta, The Student Prince, which includes the famous Drinking Song.
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1. Dueling Scars (Schmisse)
In Germany, dueling scars became badges of honor from 1825 until the early 1900s. Also called a bragging scar, an impressive one assured success with colleagues and the ladies. Ladies considered a man with a dueling scar to be a good choice as husband.
Universities such as Bonn and Jena also popularized the concept. Academic fencing or Mensur is traditional fencing between two members of different fraternities. It's practiced especially among students and student corporations in Germany and other parts of Europe.
Chancellor Otto von Bismarck considered the scars to be symbols of bravery. Although academic dueling was largely a mark of status or class among young male students, military laws also allowed men to participate in duels of honor until the first World War.
Because most duelists were right-handed, the scar often marked the left side of the face, keeping the right profile unsullied. Scars could be elaborate and in some cases students were over-enthusiastic, as in the 1877 death of a German student who had 137 dueling scars on his face, head and neck.
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2. Student Jail (Studentenkarzer)
In Heidelberg it was a bragging point to be incarcerated in the Student Jail. Built in 1778, the Jail was in operation from the 18th century until 1914, run by students policing other students. Offenses were usually small, such as being drunk and disorderly.
From 1867 to 1914 the flag of Germany was black, white and red. The first line of the graffiti 'Einer für Alle, Alle für Einen!' means 'One for All, All for One!"
The jail and others like it soon took on a party ambiance. Incarcerated students could invite their friends to drink and socialize. In Heidelberg the old Student Jail is now a major tourist attraction. Graffiti from the 18th to 20th century covers the walls.
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3. King of the Krug (König des Kruges)
The King of the Krug was a competition among fraternities to find out who could drink the most beer. The Krug is a large stoneware mug or tankard popular for beer drinking, compared to a Stein which is decorative and usually has a lid. The King of the Krug competition was simple. Drink, drink, drink and the last man standing wins the crown.
For obvious reasons this tradition is no longer in practice today. However the annual Oktoberfest celebrations in Munich, started in 1810 around a horse race, continue to draw record crowds. In 1910, at the hundred year anniversary, attendees quaffed an estimated 120,000 liters (31,700 gallons) of beer.
In Germany, brewers must abide by the Reinheitsgebot or Beer Purity Law of 1487, a set of standards governing the brewing of beer, stating only water, hops and barley may be used. It also outlines the profit margin for merchants. Although a few items have been tweaked, the Reinheitsgebot is still one reason Germany's known for its famous beverage.