Gerald
06-17-11, 04:42 AM
A row with uncomfortable echoes of the past is gripping the world of Germany's student duelling societies after a club admitted a non-European member.
Duellers in Munich objected to the fact a Mannheim club had allowed a member with an Asian background to join, despite his service in the German army.
Mannheim members stood by their decision, and called for a more liberal direction for the clubs.
The clubs' national association insisted they were not racist.
Stefan Dobner, its spokesman, said it was wrong to say the row was over an "Aryan" condition of membership for duelling societies.
The fraternities condemned racism, he said.
Under Hitler, Germany enacted race laws which stressed the superiority of the "Aryan race", as northern Europeans were defined by the Nazis.
About 1,300 Germans are active members of the 100 or so student duelling societies, or Burschenschaften, which also count some 10,000 past members.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13796460
Note: 16 June 2011 Last updated at 13:49 GMT
Duellers in Munich objected to the fact a Mannheim club had allowed a member with an Asian background to join, despite his service in the German army.
Mannheim members stood by their decision, and called for a more liberal direction for the clubs.
The clubs' national association insisted they were not racist.
Stefan Dobner, its spokesman, said it was wrong to say the row was over an "Aryan" condition of membership for duelling societies.
The fraternities condemned racism, he said.
Under Hitler, Germany enacted race laws which stressed the superiority of the "Aryan race", as northern Europeans were defined by the Nazis.
About 1,300 Germans are active members of the 100 or so student duelling societies, or Burschenschaften, which also count some 10,000 past members.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13796460
Note: 16 June 2011 Last updated at 13:49 GMT