Zirkel (Studentenverbindung)

A Zirkel is a symbol used in Central European student societies (Studentenverbindungen).

Look and Meaning

A Zirkel consists of interwined lines, mostly followed by an exclamation mark. The lines mostly show the first letters of the name of the Studentenverbindung and / or the letters v,c,f or e,f,v.

Examples:

• Zirkel der Hubertia Freiburg.jpg

  Zirkel of de in Freiburg, Germany

• Zirkel 1927.JPG

  Zirkel of de in Munich, Germany

• 

  Zirkel of de in Dresden, Germany

• Zirkel Gothia.jpg

  Zirkel of de in Innsbruck, Austria

• Zirkel stpauli jena.svg

  Zirkel of de in Jena, Germany

• Zirkel Ascania Köln.png

  Zirkel of de in Cologne, Germany

• Zirkel Arminia Leipzig.tif

  Zirkel of de in Leipzig, Germany

• Zirkel der Landsmannschaft Schottland.jpg

  Zirkel of Landsmannschaft Schottland in Tübingen, Germany

• Zirkel Moeder Zuid-Oost-Vlaamse.png

  Zirkel of nl (de ZOV) in Leuven, Belgium

Meaning of v-c-f:

• Vivant fratres coniuncti ("the conjunct brothers should live") or
• Vivat circulus fratrum ("the circle of brothers should live") or
• Vivat, crescat, floreat ("live, grow, flourish").

Meaning of e-f-v:

• Ehre, Freiheit, Vaterland ("Honour, Liberty, Fatherland").

The exclamation mark means that the society is still active and alive.

Usage

The members of the Studentenverbindung use the Zirkel as sign on Couleur or other things e.g. beer glasses etc. If a member signs in affairs of its Studentenverbindung it places the Zirkel after its signature. This use is similar to the use of postnominals in Anglo-Saxon countries.

Examples:

• Strassencerevis Rhen Sil.jpg

  Straßencerevis with embroidered Zirkel and oak leaves

• AKV Alemannia Alemannkrug 1.JPG

  beer mug and Zipfel with Zirkel

• Corps Hubertia Freiburg - Crest on House with iron goggles.png

  Crest of the fraternity Corps Hubertia Freiburg with a Zirkel in the upper right. This crest is a wall display on the outside of a fraternity house.

• 

  The center of the official fraternity crest of Corps Altsachsen Dresden is marked with a Zirkel.

Further reading

• Peter Krause: O alte Burschenherrlichkeit - Die Studenten und ihr Brauchtum, Graz, Wien, Köln 1979 (German), ISBN 3-222-11127-8
• Peter Krause: O alte Burschenherrlichkeit - Die Studenten und ihr Brauchtum, 5. verb. Auflage, Graz, Wien, Köln 1997 (German), ISBN 3-222-12478-7
• Paulgerhard Gladen: Gaudeamus igitur - Die studentischen Verbindungen einst und jetzt, Köln 2001 (German) ISBN 3-88059-996-3
• Edgar Hunger / Curt Meyer: Studentisches Brauchtum, Bonn, Stuttgart 1958 (German)