Duels among the German students are not caused by personal enmity, but arranged by committees specially appointed by the several classes to look after this branch of athletic (?) sports. It is the duty of the class committee to produce a man who may sustain the honor of the class by proving himself the best swordsman in the university. The happy student who is chosen is often ignorant of his opponents names. He may refuse, if he will, but as it is considered a great honor to represent the class he seldom declines to fight. As class feeling runs high, duels are frequent.

The dueling room is generally over an inn, or beer-house on the outskirts of the town, and at the appointed day is crowded with the different classmen. The classes are distinguished by their colors, each class having red, blue or green caps according to their rank. The different classes never mingle with one another, and it is considered an insult if a red-capped student addresses a blue cap. Each color has its corner in the dueling room, and here the students smoke and drink until the combatants appear. The duelists are dressed and armed in an adjoining room in the following fashion: All the body is protected with thick leather plastrons, and heavy gauntlets cover the hands and arms. Their eyes and nose are protected by gauze goggles so that no slip of the sword can injure them. The forehead, chin and cheeks are left exposed. The dueling weapon is somewhat like a rapier, but longer and flatter and quite dull with the exception of three inches at the point. This part of the sword is shaped like a razor and has as keen an edge. The great object of the duel is to cut your antagonist's face, and so disfigure him. A surgeon is always present to dress the wounds and control the fighters. Generally the duel is short and lasts but a few moments. Occasionally, when the duelists are both fine swordsmen, the struggle may last for twenty or thirty minutes. When one is wounded he is led away and his victor must fight a fresh foe. If he succeeds in vanquishing all comers he is declared the class champion and is obliged to fight all challengers. The wound received is not dangerous but always leaves a scar, and almost every student one meets in a university town bears the marks of his encounters upon his face. Strange to say these scars are not considered proof of his unskillfulness but as marks of glory.

G.A.M.