Following is an incomplete list of fraternities or Studentenverbindungen in Switzerland, listed with foundation date and home university. Most of these societies are members of a federation of societies such as the Schweizerischer Studentenverein (Schw. StV)/Société des Étudiants Suisses (SES) or have subsections at more than one university as the Zofingerverein does.
GV Agaunia, 1859, Collège de la Royale Abbaye de Saint-Maurice AKV Alemannia, 1895, Fribourg Société de Belles Lettres in Lausanne, Geneva, Neuchatel and Bruxelles (Belgium) it's the first Student Society created in Switzerland AV Berchtoldia, Berne K.St.V. Carolingia-Fribourg, 1929, Fribourg GV Corvina Einsiedeln, 1848, Stiftsschule Einsiedeln AV Fryburgia, 1918, University of Fribourg AV Goten, 1953, Fribourg Société d’Étudiants Germania Lausanne, 1887, Lausanne Schweizerische Studentenverbindung Helvetia, 1832, founded in Lucerne, today with sections in Basel, Berne, Geneva, Lausanne and Zürich AV Kybelia, 1999, St. Gallen AKV Kyburger, 1912, Zürich AV Leonina, 1896, Fribourg AKV Neu-Romania, 1938 (split off Alemannia), Fribourg AV Notkeriana, 1990, St. Gallen AV Orion, 1964, Zürich AKV Rauracia, 1863, Basel CA Rezia, 1957, Fribourg SA Sarinia, 1895, Fribourg AV Semper Fidelis Luzern, 1843, Lucerne AV Staufer, 1937, Fribourg AV Steinacher, 1953, St. Gallen Studentengesangverein Zürich ("Zürcher Singstudenten), 1849, Zurich Corps Tigurinia Zürich, 1850, Zürich AV Turicia, 1860 Valdesia in Lausanne AV Waldstättia, 1891, Lucerne Schweizerischer Zofingerverein, 1819, eight universities, the oldest fraternity in Switzerland. Wengia Solodorensis, 1884, Solothurn Zofingue
The societies are traditionally categorized by their stance towards academic fencing. There are four categories:
pflichtschlagend (fencing bouts are obligatory) fakultativ schlagend (training sessions in fencing are obligatory, but not participation in actual fencing bouts) frei schlagend (both fencing practice and duels are allowed but not required of members) nichtschlagend (no fencing).
Those Swiss societies which practice fencing are united in the Schweizerischer Waffenring. Some examples of "pflichtschlagenden Studentenverbindungen" in Switzerland today are AT Alemannia (Basel), AT Utonia (Zürich) or AT Rhenania (Bern). Schweizerische Studentenverbindung Helvetia is unique in that its German-speaking sections practice fencing while its French-speaking ones do not. The Schweizerischer Studentenverein decided during the second half of the 19th century to forbid fencing to its members due to reasons of religion. Duelling was and still is seen as contrary to Christian values on which this Federation is based.
Further reading Schweizerischer Studentenverein Studentenverbindung
References
External links