Cartellverband - Principles

Principles

Nearly every fraternity of the Cartellverband is founded upon four guiding principles:

• religio: the fraternity and all its members publicly adhere to the Roman Catholic faith;
• scientia: the pursuit of an academic education is common to all of its members;
• amicitia: a lifelong friendship between all the members of the fraternity as long as they live;
• patria: patriotism towards the fatherland within a European context.

The fraternities of the Cartellverband historically do not practise academic fencing (Mensur) because it was forbidden by the Roman Catholic Church. Academic fencing is common with the more liberal student fraternities that already existed in German-speaking countries. Owing to this restriction, Catholic students had to organize themselves in separate fraternities. The fraternities only accept men into the organization.