Corps Rhenania Heidelberg

Corps Rhenania Heidelberg is a member Corps of the Kösener Senioren-Convents-Verband, the oldest association of student fraternities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Corps Rhenania is "pflichtschlagend", which refers to the fact that it requires of its members, that they participate in several ritual, organised duels with members of other specific student fraternities. Eligible applicants are those students, both current and former, of the Ruprecht Karl University in Heidelberg, Germany. Members of Corps Rhenania are colloquially referred to as "Rhenane".

Rhenania Heidelberg is one of the oldest fraternities in Heidelberg. In its current form it was founded on January 15, 1849; its roots and predecessor fraternities date back to 1802, if not earlier. Rhenania means "area of the Rhine", where most of the founding members came from. Consequently, they chose the colors of their home area, which are blue, white and red. Following the open-minded principles of Corps, Rhenania traditionally is counting many foreigners among its members, including members from the U.S., Spain, Japan, Sweden, Greece and Turkey. Vice versa, members of the fraternity may be found in many different countries. While the vast majority of the members study medicine, law, economics, chemistry or theology, in fact, all different professions are represented, including academics, politicians, writers and authors, journalists, officers, public officials and members of the diplomatic service, to name a few. One of their most important and guiding principles is the strong bond of friendship and support that links its members. A unique aspect of the friendship is the almost immediate understanding across generations, establishing a true bond between young members, not older than 20 years, with the most senior member, well in his 90s.

The oldest proof of foundation of Rhenania Heidelberg is dated July 23, 1802 (Rhenania I) by members of Rhenania Giessen (Hesse, Germany). Rhenania I was based on territorial filiations and aimed to counteract the freemasonry influenced student orders coming up within the second half of the 18th century. Around 1804, Rhenania I was unfortunately undercut by members of the Heidelbergian Order of the Constantists (Heidelberger Constantisten-Orden). Rhenania and Franko-Badenia (founded in 1803) joined in 1803 to form the first Senior Convent (SC) and established the oldest bequeathed rules (SC-Comment). After the conflicts between students and the military in 1804 both Corps were significantly engaged in the walkout of the student body of Neuenheim. In December 1804 it came to tumultuous blow-ups between Heidelbergian Renonces and Constantists. Due to investigations of the academic authorities Rhenania I and Franko- Badenia dissolved themselves. On May 19, 1805 three members of Rhenania (Morgenstern, Wenz, Bayer) participated in the foundation of territorial filiated Palatia (I). The remainder of the old Rhenania founded the - in the beginning - closely linked territorial filiations of the Oberrheiner (Upper-Rhiners; Colors: red-blue-white-silver) and Niederrheiner (Lower- Rhiners; Colors: red-blue-white-gold) in August 1805. After the re-organization of the university by the elector and Grand Duke Karl Friedrich von Baden, numerous non-residential students immigrated to Heidelberg from 1805 onwards and founded new – but often short lived – fraternities (Suevia, Guestphalia, Curonia, Vandalia, Hannovera, Holsatia, Helvetia, Saxo-Borussia). The term Corps came up the first time after the partition of the Heidelbergian SC and was used for a group of territorial filiations, including the Niederrheiner (Lower-Rhiners), which later returned to the name Rhenania and dissolved themselves after the wars of liberation. 1818 the Corps Hassia I was founded which two years later renamed itself into Rhenania II. It was explicitly mentioned in the foundation journal that Rhenania II understands itself as the continuator of the Rhenania Corps of 1802. The phase of Rhenania II plunged into the politically heated-up time of the Vormärz. Many Badenian and Palatine liberals belonged to Rhenania II at this time, such as: Friedrich Wilhelm Knoebel (participant of the Hambach Festival), Friedrich Hecker (revolution leader in Baden) and Joseph Martin Reichard (President of the provisional government of Palatinate). Due to the assault on the Karzer and the walkout of the student body of Frankenthal (after disagreements with the Heidelberger Museumsgesellschaft (Museums Association) about the status of students on August 14, 1828), a declaration of disreputability valid for three years was decreed against the university but revoked again by the SC only a short time later. Rhenania II existed until November 3, 1833. As on behalf of Rhenania II the members of the 1829 founded Hassia II endowed Corps Rhenania III (until 1842). Due to external Corps students, notably members of Nassovia Göttingen the foundation of Corps Nassovia II resulted in 1838, which primarily recruited its procreation at the Gymnasium (High School) in Weilburg. Nassovia created close relations not only to Nassovia Göttingen but also to the other territorial filiated Corps Hasso-Nassovia in Marburg and Nassovia Würzburg. They also used to have an active exchange with the Corps Rhenania in Bonn.

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