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These companies are again broken up into smaller circles； in which
attempt is made to keep to nationality。 There are the Swabians；
from Swabia； the Frankonians； descendants of the Franks； the
Thuringians； and so forth。 In practice； of course； this results as
all such attempts do resultI believe half our Gordon Highlanders
are Cockneysbut the picturesque object is obtained of dividing
each University into some dozen or so separate companies of
students； each one with its distinctive cap and colours； and； quite
as important； its own particular beer hall； into which no other
student wearing his colours may come。
The chief work of these student companies is to fight among
themselves； or with some rival Korps or Schaft； the celebrated
German Mensur。
The Mensur has been described so often and so thoroughly that I do
not intend to bore my readers with any detailed account of it。 I
merely come forward as an impressionist； and I write purposely the
impression of my first Mensur； because I believe that first
impressions are more true and useful than opinions blunted by
intercourse； or shaped by influence。
A Frenchman or a Spaniard will seek to persuade you that the bull…
ring is an institution got up chiefly for the benefit of the bull。
The horse which you imagined to be screaming with pain was only
laughing at the comical appearance presented by its own inside。
Your French or Spanish friend contrasts its glorious and exciting
death in the ring with the cold…blooded brutality of the knacker's
yard。 If you do not keep a tight hold of your head； you come away
with the desire to start an agitation for the inception of the
bull…ring in England as an aid to chivalry。 No doubt Torquemada
was convinced of the humanity of the Inquisition。 To a stout
gentleman； suffering； perhaps； from cramp or rheumatism； an hour or
so on the rack was really a physical benefit。 He would rise
feeling more free in his jointsmore elastic； as one might say；
than he had felt for years。 English huntsmen regard the fox as an
animal to be envied。 A day's excellent sport is provided for him
free of charge； during which he is the centre of attraction。
Use blinds one to everything one does not wish to see。 Every third
German gentleman you meet in the street still bears； and will bear
to his grave； marks of the twenty to a hundred duels he has fought
in his student days。 The German children play at the Mensur in the
nursery； rehearse it in the gymnasium。 The Germans have come to
persuade themselves there is no brutality in itnothing offensive；
nothing degrading。 Their argument is that it schools the German
youth to coolness and courage。 If this could be proved； the
argument； particularly in a country where every man is a soldier；
would be sufficiently one…sided。 But is the virtue of the prize…
fighter the virtue of the soldier？ One doubts it。 Nerve and dash
are surely of more service in the field than a temperament of
unreasoning indifference as to what is happening to one。 As a
matter of fact； the German student would have to be possessed of
much more courage not to fight。 He fights not to please himself；
but to satisfy a public opinion that is two hundred years behind
the times。
All the Mensur does is to brutalise him。 There may be skill
displayedI am told there is；but it is not apparent。 The mere
fighting is like nothing so much as a broadsword combat at a
Richardson's show； the display as a whole a successful attempt to
combine the ludicrous with the unpleasant。 In aristocratic Bonn；
where style is considered； and in Heidelberg； where visitors from
other nations are more common； the affair is perhaps more formal。
I am told that there the contests take place in handsome rooms；
that grey…haired doctors wait upon the wounded； and liveried
servants upon the hungry； and that the affair is conducted
throughout with a certain amount of picturesque ceremony。 In the
more essentially German Universities； where strangers are rare and
not much encouraged； the simple essentials are the only things kept
in view； and these are not of an inviting nature。
Indeed； so distinctly uninviting are they； that I strongly advise
the sensitive reader to avoid even this description of them。 The
subject cannot be made pretty； and I do not intend to try。
The room is bare and sordid； its walls splashed with mixed stains
of beer； blood； and candle…grease； its ceiling； smoky； its floor；
sawdust covered。 A crowd of students； laughing； smoking； talking；
some sitting on the floor； others perched upon chairs and benches
form the framework。
In the centre； facing one another； stand the combatants； resembling
Japanese warriors； as made familiar to us by the Japanese tea…tray。
Quaint and rigid； with their goggle…covered eyes； their necks tied
up in comforters； their bodies smothered in what looks like dirty
bed quilts； their padded arms stretched straight above their heads；
they might be a pair of ungainly clockwork figures。 The seconds；
also more or less paddedtheir heads and faces protected by huge
leather…peaked caps；drag them out into their proper position。
One almost listens to hear the sound of the castors。 The umpire
takes his place； the word is given； and immediately there follow
five rapid clashes of the long straight swords。 There is no
interest in watching the fight： there is no movement； no skill； no
grace （I am speaking of my own impressions。） The strongest man
wins； the man who； with his heavily…padded arm； always in an
unnatural position； can hold his huge clumsy sword longest without
growing too weak to be able either to guard or to strike。
The whole interest is centred in watching the wounds。 They come
always in one of two placeson the top of the head or the left
side of the face。 Sometimes a portion of hairy scalp or section of
cheek flies up into the air； to be carefully preserved in an
envelope by its proud possessor； or； strictly speaking； its proud
former possessor； and shown round on convivial evenings； and from
every wound； of course； flows a plentiful stream of blood。 It
splashes doctors； seconds； and spectators； it sprinkles ceiling and
walls； it saturates the fighters； and makes pools for itself in the
sawdust。 At the end of each round the doctors rush up； and with
hands already dripping with blood press together the gaping wounds；
dabbing them with little balls of wet cotton wool； which an
attendant carries ready on a plate。 Naturally； the moment the men
stand up again and commence work； the blood gushes out again； half
blinding them； and rendering the ground beneath them slippery。 Now
and then you see a man's teeth laid bare almost to the ear； so that
for the rest of the duel he appears to be grinning at one half of
the spectators； his other side； remaining serious； and sometimes a
man's nose gets slit； which gives to him as he fights a singularly
supercilious air。
As the object of each student is to go away from the University
bearing as many scars as possible； I doubt if any particular pains
are taken to guard； even to the small extent such method of
fighting can allow。 The real victor is he who comes out with the
greatest number of wounds； he who then； stitched and patched almost
to unrecognition as a human being； can promenade for the next
month； the envy of the German youth； the admiration of the German
maiden。 He who obtains only a few unimportant wounds retires sulky
and disappointed。
But the actual fighting is only the beginning of the fun。 The
second act of the spectacle takes place in the dressing…room。 The
doctors are generally mere medical studentsyoung fellows who；
having taken their degree； are anxious for practice。 Truth compels
me to say that those with whom I came in contact were coarse…
looking men who seemed rather to relish their work。 Perhaps they
are not to be blamed for this。 It is part of the system that as
much further punishment as possible must be inflicted by the
doctor； and the ideal medical man might hardly care for such job。
How the student bears the dressing of his wounds is as important as
how he receives them。 Every operation has to be performed as
brutally as ma