A commercium is a traditional academic feast known at universities in most Central and Northern European countries. In German it is called a or . Today it is still organised by student fraternities in Germanic and

Baltic countries The Baltic states, et, Balti riigid or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term, which currently is used to group three countries: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Euro ...

, as well as

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

. At a commercium, tables are often placed in the form of a U or a W, and the participants drink

beer Beer is one of the oldest and the most widely consumed type of alcoholic drink in the world, and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from ce ...

and sing commercium songs. There are strict and traditional rules that govern this occasion but it may also integrate theatrical and musical aspects. A commercium is the more formal form of the

tableround A tableround is a traditional academic feast known at universities in most Middle and Eastern European countries. At a tableround, tables usually are placed in the form of a U or a W, the participants drink beer and sing commercium songs. A more ...

, called in German. The term is derived from the French and had been used for any sort of noisy event. A Commers gathering consists of speeches, toasts and songs, sometimes arranged pranks as well. The drink of preference is

. The arrangements are governed by officials () elected by the members of the . The sort of event started to be more formalized after 1871. German associations like firefighters or

Schützenverein A Schützenverein (German for "marksmen's club") is a local voluntary association found in German-speaking countries revolving around shooting as a sport, often target shooting to Olympic rules or with historic weapons. Although originating as a ...

e started to arrange commerciums in the 19th century and still do on special occasions. Some special customs include a salamander or . The guests rise and having emptied their glasses hammer three times on the table with them. On the death of a student, his memory may be honored with a . The operetta ''

The Student Prince ''The Student Prince'' is an operetta in four acts with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly. It is based on Wilhelm Meyer-Förster's play '' Old Heidelberg''. The piece has a score with some of Romberg's most enduri ...

'' made German students' drinking habits famous during the prohibition, and the rousing chorus of "Drink! Drink! Drink!" was especially popular with US theatergoers in 1924. In the last years of communist

Eastern Germany The new states of Germany () are the five re-established states of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) that unified with the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) with its 10 states upon German reunification on 3 October 1990. The new st ...

, some students managed to arrange for new founded fraternities, e.g. Salana Jenensis in Jena and organized commerciums on the Rudelsburg.Kurt U. Bertrams (ed.): ''Studentenverbindungen in der DDR.'' WJK-Verlag Hilden 2006 File:Allianzkommers Einladung 1988.jpg, Invitation to a commercium in Eastern Germany 1988 File:Korporierte Studentinnen in Riga.JPG, Sorority students at a commercium in Riga, 2014 File:Kneipsaal Heidelberger Wingolf.jpg, Heidelberg Wingolf's hall for commerciums and roundtables

References

{{Meals_navbox Academic meals Eating parties Student societies in Germany

See also

References