The Student-Life of Germany

by William Howitt

An esteemed German philologist says--"Most of our German universities bear the humane character of fine manners and chivalric bearing. They array themselves in the clear, radiating colours of the dreams of youthful pleasure; and is there conspicuous, indeed, in the academic life itself, the foam of a bubbling fermentation, this clears itself with time, and becomes in the end a noble and strong spirit." A finer panegyric we cannot pronounce; but we may corroborate it, when we add to the observations already made, how much the spirit of the young man is stimulated at the university to activity; and with what noble energy, which so eminently distinguishes the student class, he employs this activity in all directions. As there is no rule without its exception, so there is, indeed, such here; but we must not lay the measuring-wand of a general judgment on these few extravagances, though in the full elucidation of the subject we may not pass them entirely without observation.

Abroad, people have had such singular notions of the German students, that they could not for their lives conceive what could be made, in after-life, of such wild fellows; and have been amazingly astonished to hear, that they afterwards became like other reasonable people, and administered all sorts of offices of the state conscientiously, and with the most exemplary and calm discretion. We recollect a passage in the humorous work of Mr. Hood, "Up the Rhine;" at which certainly many a German student has already heartily laughed, as he has read it there as something new--that "it is notorious that these Burschen come in, according to the proverb, as Lions and go out as Lambs,--some of the wildest of them settling down in life as very civil civilians, sedate burgomasters, and the like."

Let it never be forgotten that the students represent a peculiar class, of which they who compose it, however, are but temporary members. Shall the student then carry over with him into the Philisterium, his singular attire, and his Chore-colours? It would seem as if foreigners had quite supposed this must be so. But we would ask them whether it ever occurs that a member of parliament makes a speech in his place in the House, arrayed in the student-gown which he wore at Cambridge? Shall the student, indeed, carry with him his sword, that with eccentric courage he may defend the Burschen honour, when he has himself long become a Philistine? Shall the quondam student forsake wife and children, in order to go and vindicate the injured majesty of studentdom, in order to join himself to the Marching-Forth? Could such things be, then must the German academies truly be regarded as so many great lunatic asylums, and nothing better or wiser could be done than to extirpate them, root and branch.

A few words yet remain to be said on the actual advantage derived by the German student from this life, and carried forward with him out of the green Burschendom, into the seriousness of his later vocation, and on what his after-vocation may be.

The great business of the student, as already stated, is the pursuit of science; and it is less the mass of knowledge here harvested, which brings him future advantage, than the capacity which he acquires, let him move in later life in what circle he may, of comprehending and acting in a pure scientific and philosophical spirit, upon every matter which may be thrown into his path. The student-life has many favourable influences on the character of a young man. Though the Bursch, as it regards his social position, naturally allies himself most closely to his landsmen, yet he feels himself compelled by those causes already pointed out, to exert a general tolerance towards his brethren, which though often abandoned and again submitted to, yet inoculates him with a greater degree of sufferance, which on his departure from the academical, for a more general life, unfolds itself more freely, and extends itself to all social relations. The student, indeed, as such, knows little tolerance towards non-students; yet the patience which he learns to exert towards his fellow-students, is not without its consequence, and when he steps out of his confined sphere, it then clothes itself in another outward form, and takes a general direction. The student maintains strictly and perseveringly his own views, though consequently, often erroneous ones; but this serves in after-life, to lay the ground-work of greater steadfastness of character. This firmness continues with him to his grave, though his views and principles modify and purify themselves, as his growing intelligence directs him more and more into the track of truth. And as the student stands upon his honour, for which full of the highest enthusiasm he glows, and joyfully offers up property and life, so stands he in the bonds of truth and friendship. Such bond of friendship is to him sacred as his own life, and it is to him continually a guiding-star through the gloomy paths of existence. It is to him the noblest treasure which he carries with him into the tumult of life, and he continues to it inviolably faithful.

In addition to this, the student has learned to arrive at the poetical side of life. He has continually sought and enjoyed pleasure and satisfaction; and let no man imagine that these foretell only a future trifler. No, he is thereby invited to enliven the stupidity of every-day life, and to throw new interests around the path of existence. That, however, every character, according to its own individuality, more or less favourably developes itself, and that these influences of student-life here described differ in degree in different individuals, needs no stating. We seek only to show general causes, and these are certain. Scientific merit, self-confidence, consciousness of being able to thank his own individual strength for his existence, the honour of men, and the truth of friends,--can more beautiful or delightful results than these be found? Even on the outward appearance of the quondam Bursch, the student-life has a favourable influence. The moment that the young man has entered the Philisterium he adopts the existing convenances, so far as appear conducive to his purpose, but only so far as that he can yet maintain that independence of fashion which he has already asserted. His outward manner of life continues free and unrestrained; and this, united to the practice of making a greater tour after his examination has passed, as well with scientific as with other objects, gives to the former academician a higher bearing, an acquired tact, which adheres to him through existence, and again pronounce in their consequences the greatest advantages of student-life.

That the Burschen-life, through the greater freedom which it enjoys, may also bring great disadvantages to him who has abused it, and which may poison later life; who will attempt to deny? We have already pointed out the rocks and breakers of this ocean of transition life. The Burschenschaft agitations of a former period also plunged many into misfortune; but this danger is now in a great measure past, and for the last time gleamed up a political tendency for a few moments in the Verbindung, like glimmering ignis-fatui, in the years 1830-32.

When the student now quits the university, where he has left behind him the follies of youth, and bearing with him a greater or less amount of intellectual acquisition, he enters immediately on the service of the state. After his State's-examination it is very customary to make a tour, before the young man for ever knits himself to one abode. Besides those who in practical state's-service, or as teachers in the schools and universities, work themselves forward, step by step, with more or less speed, according to the degree of their ability and of their diligence, or in proportion as they are favoured by fortune,--others exert themselves in the wide field of daily literature, zealously labouring to win the fame of authors and of poets. But follow whichever path he may, let fortune smile on him or not--let him crown himself with laurels, or strive for the wreath of glory in vain--never will he who has been a genuine Bursch, become a Philistine; that is, in that sense in which the student understands it. The words of the celebrated Arndt express most lucidly this meaning of the word Philistine. "A Philistine is a lazy, much-speaking, more-asking, nothing-daring man; such a one who makes the small great, and the great small, because in the great he feels his littleness and his insignificance. Great passions, great enjoyments, great dangers, great virtues,--all these the Philistine styles nonsense and frenzy. He will rather have life in the pocket edition than in the folio, so that it can but be carried through with the very least possible acting, thinking, and daring. Rest, and rest again, and at any rate; a state of laziness, that he loves, that he desires, that he preaches up, and for that he cries to heaven and earth, if there is any chance of his being disturbed in it."

Into these faults he will never fall, who has once imbibed the principles of a German university; and will only in so far belong to the Philistines, as the student in a wider sense terms every one a Philistine who no longer belongs to the Burschen.

What we have now been saying may convince us how beneficial is the influence of the student-life on that which follows. Nobler principles of action awake in the breast of the academician, and are nourished; that here and there starts up amongst them something perverse, is not denied; but the kernel is good, it germinates, it grows into a tree, and bears excellent fruit, which the quondam Bursch and his cotemporaries are destined to enjoy.