Zirkel (Studentenverbindung)

A Zirkel (German for 'circle', as in a circle of friends) is a monogram used in European student societies in countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia (Studentenverbindungen).

Look and meaning

A Zirkel consists of intertwined lines, followed by an exclamation mark if the society is still active. 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 of Corps Hubertia Freiburg in Freiburg, Germany
Zirkel of Corps Germania München [de] in Munich, Germany
Zirkel of Corps Altsachsen in Dresden, Germany
Zirkel of Corps Gothia Innsbruck [de] in Innsbruck, Austria
Zirkel of Sängerschaft zu St. Pauli Jena [de] in Jena, Germany
Zirkel of Burschenschaft Ascania zu Köln [de] in Cologne, Germany
Zirkel of Frankfurt-Leipziger Burschenschaft Arminia [de] in Leipzig, Germany
Zirkel of Landsmannschaft Schottland in Tübingen, Germany
Zirkel of Sängerschaft Hohentübingen [de] in Tübingen, Germany
Zirkel of K.V.H.C. Zuid-Oost-Vlaamse [nl] (de ZOV) in Leuven, Belgium

Meaning of v-c-f:

Vivant fratres coniuncti ('The conjunct brothers should live')^[1] or
Vivat circulus fratrum ('The circle of brothers should live')^[1] or
Vivat, crescat, floreat ('Live, grow, flourish').^[2]

Meaning of e-f-v:

Ehre, Freiheit, Vaterland ('Honour, Liberty, Fatherland').^[2]

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 English-speaking countries.

Examples:

Straßencerevis with embroidered Zirkel and oak leaves
beer mug and Zipfel with Zirkel
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.
Cigarette case with the Zirkel of a Jewish Studentenverbindung from Basel, in the Jewish Museum of Switzerland’s collection.

References

^ ^a ^b Peter Krause: O alte Burschenherrlichkeit - Die Studenten und ihr Brauchtum, Graz, Wien, Köln 1979, page 78, 79
^ ^a ^b Paulgerhard Gladen: Gaudeamus igitur - Die studentischen Verbindungen einst und jetzt, Köln 2001, page 31

Look and meaning

Usage

References

Further reading