THE COMMERS.
And there is grandfather, who, letters still extant,
Though now somewhat ancient, give sure text on't.
In many a Commers and Burschen-feast,
As sword-bearing Præses his fame increased.
Preface to the Renommist.
Our discourse shall now be of a beautiful feast of the Students--the Commers. We describe the Commers of the present day; since in earlier times this festival bore another shape, and was disfigured by rude customs, so that we may justly say of the Commers, that it has not, like most other feasts, degenerated in the course of years, but has already improved itself. We will hereafter speak of these customs of an earlier time, and of some which in many places still remain, but which do not necessarily belong to the Commers. We understand by a Commers, as it now exists, a festive assembly, which consecrates itself by a higher tone and signification by the singing of "The Landsfather."
The Commers is divided into the general and the special. In the former, the assembled Chores, and all other students who wish it, take part. In describing the constitution of a Chore, we have already spoken of these. In the special Commers, only a particular Chore, with all those that are attached to it, and such other members of other friendly Chores as are invited, take part. The Commerses are distinguished into Entrance and Farewell Commerses, with which the Semesters open and close. The Fox-ride generally takes place at the Entrance-Commers. Each particular Chore, moreover, has its Foundation-Commers, on which it celebrates the anniversary of its establishment. Many Chores also are accustomed to hold a Commers in honour of the birthday of their Land Prince.
First, of the General Commers. To this, assemble themselves all who take part in it, in a spacious room, either in the city or in its immediate neighbourhood.
Those students who are not themselves in any Chore, attach themselves to one or other of them, and each Chore has its particular table; and two presidents sit at the head of each table. The chief president is the Senior of that Chore which has the secretaryship.
When the Commers shall begin, the presidents cry "ad loca!" which command every one must be careful to obey, if he would avoid the consequence of a beer penalty. In these Commerses, the rule is to drink beer, and this is called a Commers in beer. The chief president has now to give out the songs which shall be sung, and he also dictates the particular verses. Certain songs are on these occasions brought forward from time immemorial, as "Heidelberg, live thou! hurrah hoch!" or the following, at a Farewell Commers.
[THE TRAVEL SONG.]
Away! we have drunk it, the sparkling wine,
Adieu, now, ye loved ones, to wander is mine.
Adieu, now ye mountains, thou fatherly home,
For mightily drives me the passion to roam.
For mightily drives me the passion to roam.
The sun in the heaven won't pause without change,
But speeds on through lands and o'er oceans to range;
The wave will not cling to the same lonesome strand;
The storms, they go roaring with might through the land.
--(The land).
With clouds, fast careering, the bird floats along,
And sings in the far-land its home-loving song;
Through forest and field so the Bursche is hurl'd,
To be, like his mother, the wandering world.
--(The world).
There greet him the birds which beyond seas he knew;
From fields of his home-scenes 'tis here that they flew.
The sweet flowers around him familiarly grow,
In airs from his country, far wafted, they blow.
--(They blow).
The birds! O well know they his father's own towers;
For garlands of love once he planted those flowers.
And love, it still follows, still gives him the hand,
And makes him a home in that furthermost land.
--(That land).
Before each president lies a drawn sword, with which, as signal of command, he strikes upon the table. It is forbidden to every one, on pain of a beer-penalty, to interrupt the song in any manner whatever. So now the singing and drinking go forward in regular course. At a later hour a supper is eaten, and the Commers is closed by the singing of "The Landsfather," after which there is no more singing, but it immediately becomes free to every one to stay and kneip on as long as he likes.
When "The Landsfather" is to begin, the presidents command "ad loca!" Every one must quietly take his seat, and it is allowed to no one, as otherwise commonly happens at kneipings, to take off his coat, and sit in his shirt-sleeves. All must be conducted solemnly and seriously. All voices join in--
[THE CONSECRATION SONG, OR LANDSFATHER.]
Silence all ye, each one call ye
Unto solemn tones his ear!
Hark, the song of songs I raise now,
German brothers, join in praise now,
Sound it, Sound it back a chorus clear!
Of your Fatherland the song;
Fatherland! thou land so famous,
Sacred to thy glory claim us;--
Germans proudly, swell ye loudly,
We, our swords, to thee belong!
Life and living to thee giving,
We are all prepared to bleed:
Ready at each hour for dying,
Death, with all his wounds defying,
If our Fatherland it need.
He who feels not; he who zeals not,
In true worth to be arrayed,--
He shall not our bond dishonour;
This our Bride,[[38]] swear not upon her;
Nor the German sword degrade.
Song the proudest, swell it loudest;
Brave and German be we too;
See the consecrated band here,
As brave Burschen take your stand here,
And the free-cap strike ye through.
See it gleaming, softly beaming,
In my left this stain-free glave;
Thus I strike the cap through, swearing,
Honour bright for ever wearing,
Still to be a Bursché brave!
During the singing of the preceding stanzas, the two presidents hold their swords across each other, each holding his sword in his left hand, and placing the fingers of the right on it, to ratify the oath; and this being done, they pierce their caps through, and leave them hanging on the swords. While they do this, all sing:
Thus thou strik'st the cap through, swearing,
Honour bright for ever wearing,--
Still to be a Bursché brave!
Each president then sings thus to his next neighbour while he reaches him the cup:--
Drinker! swimming, bright o'erbrimming,
Take this Fatherlandish cup!
The presidents give their swords each to their next neighbours. These, who sit opposite to each other, have risen from their seats, and now hold the swords which they have received from the presidents, crossed, over the table. The presidents continue their song:
Thy left hand the keen sword bearing,
Boring through the cap, and swearing--
To thy country drink it up!
[Here they empty the cups.
The two who have drunk now sing,--
See it gleaming, softly beaming,
In my left this stain-free glave!
All repeat--"See it gleaming, softly beaming," etc.
Each of the two individuals sings on:--
Thus I strike the cap through, swearing,
Honour bright for ever wearing,
Still to be a Bursché brave!
While all repeat this in chorus, the caps of the two are spitted on the swords to the former two. With the last words the presidents take back the swords, and as they hand the caps to the next two, sing, "Drinker! swimming, bright o'erbrimming," etc. So go the presidents, repeating the same ceremony with each opposite two, till they reach the bottom of the table. Here they exchange with each other the swords, on which the assembled caps are hanging, but without changing their respective sides of the table. As they do this each president sings:
Come thou, drawn sword, consecrated,
Of freemen the weapon free!
With transpierced cape thus freighted,
Yield it solemnly to me.
Let us gaily it discumber,
Cover each one now his head;
And unspotted in his bed,
Till next feast-day let it slumber.
All sing--Up! ye feast companions, guard them,
All our hallowed rites and fair;
All your heart and soul award them,
As stout men should ever dare!
To the feast, ye brothers valiant,--
Worthy of your fathers, stand!
And may he ne'er wield the brand,
But who noble is and gallant!
Each president now reaches across the table to the brother sitting opposite to him, his cap, which he has taken off the sword, and stretches the sword over his covered head; both the presidents singing:--
So take it back;--
Thy head I now will cover,
And stretch the sword it over,
And live to this our Brother, hoch!
A dog's-foot who insult him shall!
Wherever we shall meet him,
We'll aye, as Brother greet him,
And live to this our Brother, hoch!
While all are singing, the president reaches to him whose head he has covered, his right hand. The presidents thus gradually, and in succession, cover all heads, till they have again arrived at that place at the table where they have presided. Returned thither, they cover each other under the same ceremonies. In conclusion, all sing:--
Rest thee from the Burschen feast-rites,
Now, thou dedicated brand,
And be each one's high endeavour--
Freedom for his Fatherland!
Hail to him who still is haunted
With his father's &me in field;
And the sword may no one wield,
But the noble and undaunted!
This is the simple description of a Commers, as it is now celebrated; and when we ask what it is which distinguishes the Commers from other festive meetings, the reply must be, that it consists in the singing of "The Landsfather," as its solemn and ceremonial conclusion. To this celebration we certainly are not at all disposed to refuse our approbation. It contributes strongly to maintain a unity amongst the students, divided and subdivided as they are into different Chores, and separated again from the private people--as the Camels, as a more polite name, are called. They contribute to bring back to the consciousness of every one, that Germany, though separated into so many states and territories, is yet One Germany! The hole which is pierced in the cap is at once a symbol of death of the Fatherland, and a memorial of Commers pleasures enjoyed in companionship with those of many names and places.
In order to bring under notice certain customs of the Commerses, which, however, are not general, and which in recent years at least have not been practised in Heidelberg, we may here give the regulations of the Beer-Comment thereupon, and which indeed take up the Comment, where it will be found left off at the end of this volume, and conclude it.