Quote:
Originally Posted by AKA_Monet
Can you give us some links to educate ourselves regarding the histories of these organizations?
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Just wrote a long reply but unfortunately my browser collapsed. Okay, I try to give some short facts:
The first fraternities were founded 200 years ago. The first sorority in 1899. Sororities and fraternities were forbidden in the 2. World War. After the war some fraternities reopened.
The first "new" sorority was founded in 1976. Today we have about 30 sororities in Germany, half of them were founded after year 2000.
German fraternities are usually named after geographical areas or rivers, e.g. Danubia, Slesvico-Holsatia, Germania, Palatia....
German sororities are mainly named after Greek or Roman goddesses (e.g. Athenia, Athena, Victoria, Selenia) or strong women.
Freshman are not treated in the way you do in America. We are happy to have new members and as there are a lot of stereotypes about fraternities and sororities, it is not easy to get new members.
The traditions of the German fraternities/sororities are mainly based in Germans history. For example: Some fraternities practise the academic fencing which has nothing to do with the fencing you know as sports.
We also have a specific kind of celebration called "Kneipe" where we sing traditional student songs, we hear speeches and we drink a lot of alcohol.
