Deposition (university)

The deposition (from Latin Depositio cornuum, German: "Down the Horns " ) was a pan-European standard, traditional, rather semi-official initiation ceremony for students from the Middle Ages until the 18th century that had preceded the enrollment at a university. The custom was introduced in Germany in the early 15th century, and probably came from the influential universities of Paris and Bologna. As models acquittal rites of the craft guilds are suspected.

The deposition was based on the idea that the prospective student prior to enrollment still raw and uncouth was - like an animal - and had to be freed from the signs of its savagery, before he could be admitted to the university. The deposition of the student had to suspend once in a lifetime. Thereafter, a certificate ( "Deposition of permit") was issued, which spared him the university change the process at the new university.

The procedure consisted basically of invective that would make the student 's own unworthiness clear from the ritual removal of animal body features with the help of oversized tools as well as beatings and other ill-treatment, which had the function of purification rituals.

In the speeches to the deposition of ancient models for the process of deposition were cited. Reference was here made ​​to the tests of the Spartan youth, on manners and customs at the Academy of Plato to the water consecration in the Athenian Sophistenschulen of late antiquity.

Process

The prospective student was called in the Middle Ages with the ( new) Latin word beanus, which is derived from the French bec jaune, " yellow beak" (compare German Newbie, Eng. Greenhorn, " greenhorn "). The bean was treated and fitted out accordingly by his fellow students as a pecus campi ( " field animal "). He had a cap with horns set up and got Eberzähne placed in the mouth. To this end, he got to hear a lecture on his own unworthiness. The animal was then cut off his features with oversized tools or pinched off. Then the body was mistreated by other tools, which should symbolize a cleaning and beautification. There were also tools of woodworking used for the aspiring student was still a " boorish guy ".

The tools used in the universities, including the one at the center cap horns have been preserved only at the University of Leipzig, where they are kept in the art collection. The tools in principle include equipment for knocking and grinding of the animal body features ( ax, pliers, grinding stone ), equipment for woodworking (wood ) and for Personal Care ( Shaving, soap cup, razor, ear spoon ). In applying this equipment often occurred even injury.

In this case, tests were carried out, and further kept Ermahnungsreden. Finally, the Manager gave the bean salt in the mouth ( sal sapientiae, "Salt of Wisdom" ), wine poured over his head ( vinum laetitiae, " wine of joy " ) and acquitted him from Beanismus.

After cashing the appropriate fee then was mostly an entrance examination by a professor and enrollment by the rector.

In general, it was common that after the procedure, a feast was held at the expense of, or even new students, which obviously represented a major burden on affected parties. This custom remained even after the abolition of the deposition and was probably often operated excessively, which led to bans to force new entrants, to these invitations.

Responsibilities

In the Middle Ages, the deposition was conducted by the Rector of the Burse, in which the prospective student should live in monastery -like shape and study.

When the universities lost their spiritual character in the early modern period and the bursae were impoverished, took over the Deans of the Faculty of Arts, which was later called the Faculty of Arts, the task. At this faculty, the general scientific basic concepts ( septem artes liberales ) were taught. The teachers and the Dean were usually students of the "higher" faculties of medicine, theology or law.

Throughout the early modern period, this custom was slowly deteriorated and became a farce. The Office of Depositors took over the beadle, the only symbolically was showing the tools from the late 17th century and the fee deposition slip exhibited.

But even in the 18th century, the responsibilities and obligations of the Depositors have been written exactly in the set by the rulers statutes of a university. Also exact regulations on storing and keep the tools were made.

The last recorded for the University of Marburg Depositor was the beadle Johannes Georg Schimmelpfeng ( 1697-1785 ).

In Jena, the deposition was abolished with the death of the last Depositors in 1785.

At the University of Leipzig the deposition due to the excessive exaggerations of the students has been banned in 1719.

Printer

The newly created in the late Middle Ages, the commercial printer gladly settled in close proximity to the universities and took it - because even without old traditions - the custom of deposition of its main customers, the students, to. The deposition of the printing press was banned due to escalating excesses in 1803. A reminiscence is still in the printing trade usual couching.