Where Are the Corps and Student Associations? When Do the Corpsbrüder and Frats Rise Up?!

Hans Faber
Mar 9, 2024
13 min read

Updated: Aug 25

Recently, regional newspaper Leeuwarder Courant published an article about how the town of Stavoren was tampering with the stones of the grave of King Aldgillis (Walinga 2024), a king of Frisia in the seventh century. This grave used to be the spot where the members of the Frisian student association D.S.S.F.S. Aldgillis of Delft would gather to drink and share some jenever together. Hopefully with some jenever as libation for the dead spirits too. A yearly tradition that started in the early ’60s. Regrettably, like the town officials of Stavoren, also Frisian students have lost interest in their former kings and their graves. In general, they have lost interest in their own origin, culture and heritage. Currently, fraternity D.S.S.F.S. Aldgillis only has four members left.

To quote the chairman of it Kolleezje fan Almenak-folmachten ‘the board of yearbook plenipotentiaries’ F. Kuiper from his preface to the Frysk Studinte-Almenak ‘Frisian student Yearbook’ of 1948—published by the Federaesje fen Fryske Studinteforienings ‘federation of Frisian student associations’:

Dit Almenak is net wurden, hwat it wêze koe. It Frysk Studinte Almenak moat wêze in utering fan Frysk Studinte-libben. En dat is it net. (…) It is gjin ûnformogen, it is ek gjin loaijens, it is jim kâlde hert. Ynkâld is it en stiif giet jim bloed. Jim hert moat him hieltyd wer bitinke, of’t it nochris klopje sil, hwant it wit net, hwêr’t it foar kloppet. Net foar Fryslân, net foar de Federaesje, net foar it Studinte-libben, nearne, nearne foar dêr’t in Frysk Studintehert foar klopje moast.

This Yearbook is not what it could have been. The Frisian Student Yearbook should be an expression of Frisian Student Life, which it is not. (…) It isn’t incompetence, nor is it laziness. It is your cold heart. It is as cold as ice. And your blood runs viscously. Time and again, your heart has to ask itself whether or not it will beat once again because it does not know for what reason it beats. Not for Friesland, not for the Federation, not for the Student Life. There’s nothing, nothing for what the Frisian Student Heart beats.

With this outcry already in 1948, and the embarrassing, impotent image of king and the student association D.S.S.F.S. Aldgillis as portrayed in the newspaper Leeuwarder Courant last month (February 2024), what can we expect from the new generations when it comes to the future of Frisian culture? Or, to quote the Frisian writer Anne Wadman (1951): “Hwer bliuwt de jongerein?” ('When will the young ones step in?'). Sadly, it seems that Frisian students have cast their heritage into the jiskefet, which is Mid Frisian for ‘trash can’.

satire series Jiskefet ('trash can') - De Lullo's ('the dickheads')

We made a quick assessment of the vitality of Frisian student life: how strongly do the hearts of our future top administrators, politicians, and industrialists beat for Frisian culture and heritage? A relevant question, we think, especially considering that only last December (2023), for the first time in history, the Frisian language was spoken during a debate in the Dutch Parliament. Oh, how happy and proud the people of the province were. Yet this milestone came more than seventy years after the violent incident of Kneppelfreed ('baton Friday') in the town of Leeuwarden, when the use of the Frisian language in court sparked social unrest. Seventy years ago! And today, there is still no proper Frisian Dutch court interpreter available, simply because the fees are too low (NOS 2021). This is not a case of the expression better let as net ('better late than never'); it was—and remains—sad.

Ducks that are dead

The list below mainly concerns Frisian fraternities in the Netherlands. Of Germany we have limited information which other Frisian associations ceased to exist. Tips are welcome.

Corps Frisia in Breslau (modern Wrocław, Poland), founded in 1881
Corps Frisia, or Wissenschaftlichen Studentenverbindung Frisia, in Frankfurt am Main, founded in 1919
K.N.S.S. Natio Frisica in Amsterdam (Vrije Universiteit, VU), founded 1898
A.S.S.F.C. Cygnus Resurgens in Amsterdam (Universiteit van Amsterdam, UvA), founded in 1932
Feriening Mokumer Mjitte in Amsterdam, founded in 2002
Frysk Studinte Selskip Twente Tsjerk Hiddes in Enschede
R.S.S.F.S. Carel Roarda in Rotterdam
F.S.S. Redbad in Utrecht (Utert), founded in 1930
L.S.S.F.S. Libertatis or Stúdzjerounte Leijen in Leiden (Leijen), founded ca. 1930
Finn in Leiden
Rooms Katholieke Jong Studenten Vereniging Titus Brandsma, or Nimweger Studinterounte Titus Brandsma, in Nijmegen (Nimwegen), founded ca. 1965

Rubber ducks that still float

We have sorted the fraternities according the year of foundation. If we forgot one or two, let us know:

Corps Frisia, or Frisia—Corps der Friesen und Lüneburger, in Göttingen/Cologne — founded in 1811
Corps Friso-Cheruskia in Karlsruhe — founded in 1860
Akademische Verbindung Frisia (AV Frisia Kiel) in Kiel — founded in 1872
Studentenverbindung Burschenschaft Frisia in Darmstadt — founded in 1885
Akademische Verbindung Frisia (AV Frisia Hannover) in Hannover — founded in 1902
Technische Burschenschaft Frisia (B!) in Hamburg — founded in 1916
F.F.J. Bernlef in Groningen (Grins) — founded in 1925
Federaasje fan Fryske Studinteferienings in Groningen (Grins) — founded in 1930
Wageningsk Studinte Selskip foar Fryske Stúdzje in Wageningen (‘Weinum‘ 😉 albeit Weinens would have been more correct) — founded in 1930
Delfske Studinte Selskip foar Fryske Stúdzje Aldgillis in Delft (Dâlvert) — founded in 1931
Corps Frisia in Braunschweig — founded in 1951
G.H.O.B.V It Bernlef Ielde in Leeuwarden (Ljouwert) — founded in 1977

In Germany, in the regions of Ostfriesland and Nordfriesland, there exists a much longer tradition of students organizing around their Frisian identity. Corps Frisia in Göttingen and in Braunschweig, with their revolutionary origins, are part of the Allgemeine Deutsche Burschenschaft (abbr. B!). Fencing remains a sport sometimes associated with the old corps tradition (Karlsruhe), alongside sailing (Kiel). Not without reason are Frisians considered a water people; in Germany, these students from Kiel are known as the Seefriesen. We are not aware whether the Frisian corpora in Germany also hold annual joint gatherings or Friesentreffen, as they do in the Netherlands.

Nearly all Frisian associations and corpora in Germany were founded in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, whereas in the Netherlands Frisian associations only began to emerge from the second quarter of the twentieth century. The Second World War had a major impact on Frisian student associations in Germany. Many members lost their lives in battle, archives were destroyed during the bombardments of cities, and in the run-up to the war most associations had already been discontinued. The illustration below shows the dire straits in which the German corpora also found themselves.

Corps Frisia Braunschweig, founded in the spring of 1951 at the Technische Hochschule Carola Wilhelmina, is in fact a fusion of Corps Frisia Breslau (modern-day Wrocław in Poland) and Corps Frisia Frankfurt am Main. Both were dissolved in 1935 during the turbulent rise of Nationalsozialismus ('Nazism'), prior to the Second World War. A similar fate befell the Catholic AV Frisia Hannover, which was abolished by the Gestapo in 1938 and had its clubhouse sold. Corps Frisia Breslau had originally been founded in 1881 at the University of Breslau, under the name Wissenschaftlich-Pharmazeutischer Verein ('scientific pharmaceutical association,' abbr. W.Ph.V.). Its roots go back even further, to 1859, with the establishment of the Akademisch-Pharmazeutischer Verein ('academic pharmaceutical association'). In 1906, the name 'Corps Frisia' was officially adopted. The Alten Herren Verein Frisia ('elder gentlemen association Frisia,' abbr. AHV)—former Corpsbrüder (abbr. Cbr) who provided financial support—more or less continued throughout the war years and played a decisive role in the restoration of Corps Frisia after 1945.

Another difference between Germany and the Netherlands is that Frisian associations in Germany tend to identify themselves with the name Frisia, whereas in the Netherlands they often take the names of (early-medieval) historic Frisian figures—kings, admirals, and other 'manly important stuff.' The W.S.S.F.S. in Wageningen even features a logo seemingly inspired by the script of the Oera Linda Book: a spoked wheel called the Kroder. This might almost tempt one to join yet another—less manly—community, namely the Oera Linda Order of Priestesses. Or is the logo perhaps a play on words, representing instead the wheel of a wein ('wagen' in the Frisian language), a nod to their base in the town of Wageningen?

Tsjerk Hiddes (admiral 17th century), Carel Roarda (freedom fighter 16th century), Redbad (king, 7/8th century), Finn (king, 6th century), Titus Brandsma (priest, Catholic saint, 20th century), Bernlef (bard, 9th century), Aldgillis (king, 7th century). We ask ourselves, how many times does Admiral Tsjerk Hiddes have to die?

The reason why there is such a difference in the name giving between Frisian student associations is first of all the long-standing student tradition of collegia nationale or nationes. A broader European tradition that originates from the Middle Ages whereby students organized themselves according the region they came from: the nationes, or in the Dutch language bittergenootschappen. In Germany this tradition survived stronger than in the Netherlands. Besides Frisia you also had/have the corps Bavaria, Franco-Guestphalia, Gotia, Hasso-Borussia, Marchia, Moenania, Montania-Breslau, Montania Leoben, Neo-Franconia, Rhenania, Rheno-Frankonia, Saxo-Borussia, Saxo-Thuringia, Silingia, Teutonia-Hercunia, etc.

Note that one of the oldest nationes of the Groninger Studenten Corps Vindicat Atque Polit—and thus one of the oldest in the Netherlands—is ’t Selskip Frisia, founded in 1837. Likewise, the Corps Leidse Studenten Vereniging Minerva also has a fraternity named Frisia. We could not retrieve its old age. Incidentally, it is the bittergenootschap ’t Selskip Frisia of Corps Vindicat that once identified the very center of the earth: precisely seven rooster steps from the detached church tower of Aegum in the province of Friesland. Needless to say, this was after thorough measuring—no alcohol involved. Aegum and Middle Earth—who would have thought? Interestingly, there is also a competing story in Germany. According to legend, near Finzingen, not far from the town of Allstädt, lies a stone in a pond into which a pair of large horseshoe nails have been driven — as a sign that this marks the center of the earth (Kuhn & Schwarz 2018). So, who is right?

In the Netherlands the Frisian identity of the student associations is/used to be more political, which explains a name giving tradition primarily of famous historic Frisians. Another funny difference: the Frisian associations in the Netherlands often have lengthy acronyms, up to five letters in a row, whilst in Germany none or very short ones at most.

To give an idea of how many Frisian students, frats and Corpsbrüder in Germany and the Netherlands are currently involved in Frisian student associations and corps, we estimate the total at roughly 1,000. The student association F.F.J. Bernlef in Groningen—close to the province of Friesland—is by far the largest in the Netherlands, with about 130 active members. For some perspective and context: in 1948, F.F.J. Bernlef counted nearly sixty members at a time when the Netherlands had around 25,000 students in total. Today that figure has risen to about 350,000. The University of Groningen alone now has almost 38,000 students, of whom 9,400 are international.

Besides websites, several associations can be found on social media as well, like LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram and, notably, Facebook. Some more statistics (reference date 9 March 2024): F.F.J. Bernlef on Facebook page—695 followers, on X—273 followers, last entry 19 January 2023; Corps Frisia Braunschweig on Facebook page—541 followers, last entry 13 August 2018; AV Frisia Hannover on Facebook page—498 followers; G.H.B.O.V. It Bernlef Ielde on Facebook page—358 followers; W.S.S.F.S. on Facebook group—260 friends; D.S.S.F.S. Aldgillis on Facebook page—79 followers, last entry 22 August 2022; Federaasje foar Fryske Studinteferienings on LinkedIn—29 connections, Corps Friso-Cheruskia on Facebook page—441 followers, last entry 20 May 2023, and; Corps Frisia Göttingen on YouTube—12 followers.

Within the Netherlands three associations are affiliated with the Federaasje foar Fryske Studinteferienings ('federation for Frisian student associations'). These are: F.F.J. Berlef, W.S.S.F.S. and D.S.S.F.S. Aldgillis. The oldest Selskip Frisia of student association Vindicat Atque Polit in Groningen does not participate. The Federaasje is, or used to be, a forum of consultation for organizations belonging to the Fryske Beweging ('Frisian movement'). In addition, the Federaasje published every year the Frysk Studinte-Almenak ('Frisian student yearbook') but stopped doing so in 1958. What remained is the annual Krystkongres ('Christmas congress') in the former university town of Franeker in the province of Friesland, organized by the Federaasje. Between Christmas and New Year's Eve, students of the three affiliated associations assemble in Franeker. December last year (2023) was the 91st time the Krystkongres took place. Reckon about eighty students show up at the Krystcongressen.

In the first years after its foundation in 1930, the central activities of the Federaasje were organized in the town of Leeuwarden. From 1935 onward, however, Franeker became the heart of the Federaasje’s activities. Between 1585 and 1811, Franeker had its own university—until Napoleon closed it down—a most fitting historic location. Franeker University drew students from across Europe. Among them was the Frisian statesman Pieter Stuyvesant who, besides attending lectures, was also known to frequent the bawdy taverns and brothels of Franeker and nearby Harlingen. Perhaps even in the company of the notorious Polish professor Jan Makowski, and—who knows—Makowski's brother-in-law Rembrandt van Rijn as well. For more on Stuyvesant’s student escapades, see our blog post Harbours, Hookers, Heroines, and Women in Masquerade.

By the way, from 2017 the Academy of Franeker (re-)opened its doors. An initiative of among others Groningen University and the municipality.

The old tavern De Bogt fen Guné on Vijverstraat St. in the town of Franeker became the weardshûs ('inn') of the Frisian students of the Federaasje. Remarkably, De Bogt fen Guné is the oldest surviving student tavern in the Netherlands, functioning as an inn since 1598. In 1686, it acquired its present name, literally translated as 'the corner of Guinea.' The name refers to the Gold Coast of West Africa, where the Dutch amassed considerable wealth during the so-called Golden Age of the Republic—much of it through the transatlantic slave trade.

As a side note, a former chairman of the student association F.F.J. Bernlef opened his own tavern/inn in the Westhoek, in the far northwest corner of Friesland, called the Friezinn. Coincidence? Incidentally, it was a less enduring venture than De Bogt fen Guné, existing only between 2020 and 2025. Nevertheless, the innkeeper of the Friezinn—a name that translates as 'Frisian woman/Frisian inn'—made genuine efforts to promote Frisian culture and certainly cannot be accused of not trying.

Back to the heartbeat of Frisian students for their origin and culture, what we started with this blog post.

The picture is not a rosy one. Frisian student associations, in the Netherlands in particular, are becoming fewer and fewer, with only F.F.J. Bernlef in Groningen, W.S.S.F.S. in Wageningen, Corps Frisia Göttingen, and Corps Friso-Cheruskia in Karlsruhe showing significant vitality. The German fraternities, meanwhile, do not appear to maintain a tradition of Frisian ideological orientation. The same holds true for the old nationes Frisia of the Dutch student associations Vindicat Atque Polit in Groningen and Minerva in Leiden.

The King's Grave

Returning to the beginning of this blog post.

With only four members remaining, D.S.S.F.S. Aldgillis likely lacks the strength to halt the disrespectful tossing of stones on King Aldgillis’ grave in the town of Stavoren or to create a proper monument for this early-medieval king of Frisia. The chairman of D.S.S.F.S. Aldgillis, Andries de Boer, has announced that the student association will make a pilgrimage to the king’s grave on 18 May 2024. It remains to be seen whether the Federaasje, together with other student associations and Frisia corpora, will join the pilgrimage that day—to raise their Fahnen and banners for one of their former kings once more. May the student hearts of Frisian lullos ('dickheads'), Corpsbrüder, and frat boys beat once again for Frisia!

To end with the former heraldic devices of respectively Corps Frisia Breslau and Corps Frisia Frankfurt am Main:

VIRTUTI SEMPER CORONA!

GLADIUS ULTOR NOSTER!

Note 1 — For more backgrounds on King Aldgillis, king of Frisia, check out our blog post The biography of Aldgisl, unplugged.

Note 2 — Students at Groningen University originating from the port town of Harlingen had united themselves in the SEUN S.D.I.D.S.S.! in the mid '90s. Seun or Ouwe Seun means 'son' and 'old son' respectively, and is a nickname for citizens from Harlingen. The abbreviation stood for: si'k die in de Súderhaaf'n soademietere! The classic quote of ouwe seunen (i.e. Harlingen citizens) said when someone needs to watch his or her steps, which translates into: 'I shall throw you in the southern harbour son!' Each year, on 30 December, they used to organise a great eating and drinking bacchanal. A night true to the rules of the Dutch artist society of the Bentvueghels in Rome centuries ago.

Saying people from Harlingen are Frisian is considered an act of war. Already in the ninth century writer Waling Dykstra (1895) recorded a story whereby a person from Harlingen who stayed in Holland was asked: “Aren’t you Frisian, sir?” He replied: “Please your apologies, because I’m a Harlinger”. Therefore, we have not listed SEUN S.D.I.S.S.S.! in this blog post.

Note 3 — We have contacted the Federaasje foar Fryske Studinteferienings based in Groningen by e-mail to learn if they had more activities and initiatives besides the Krystkongressen, but we have not received any response from them. Maybe with Christmas later this year!

Note 4 — One of the Frisian bastards also created a print for F.F.J. Bernlef in the early ’90s:

Interested in the story of the early-medieval bard Bernlef, check our blog post One of history’s enlightening hikes, that of Bernlef.

Note 5 — Useful (e-mail) addresses:

Akademische Verbindung Frisia (AV Frisia Hannover), Oeltzenstraße 23, 30169, Hannover, Germany — webmaster@avfrisia.de

Akademische Verbindung Frisia (AV Frisia Kiel), Beselerallee 22, 24105, Kiel, Germany —avfrisia@gmail.com

Corps Frisia Braunschweig, Adolfstraße 2, 38102, Braunschweig, Germany — cc@frisia.de

Corps Frisia Göttingen, Nikolausberger Weg 78, 37073, Göttingen, Germany — kontakt@corps-frisia.de

Corps Friso-Cheruskia, Parkstraße 25, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany — corps@friso-cheruskia.de

DSSFS Aldgillis, Delft, the Netherlands — dssfs.aldgillis@gmail.com

Federaasje fan Fryske Studinteferienings, Tuinstraat 22, 9711 VD, Groningen, the Netherlands — foarsitter@federaasje.frl

F.F.J. Bernlef, Tuinstraat 22, 9711 VD, Groningen, the Netherlands — eksterne@bernlef.frl

G.H.O.B.V. It Bernlef Ielde, Pilotenespel 7, 8923 BE, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands — contact@itbernlefielde.nl

Selskip Frisia, Vindicat Atque Polit, Grote Markt 27, 9712 HS, Groningen, the Netherlands — frisia@vindicat.nl

Studentenverbindung Burschenschaft Frisia, Alexandraweg 14, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany — schriftwart@burschenschaft-frisia.de

Technische Burschenschaft Frisia Hamburg, Kirchenalle 49- 51, 20099, Hamburg, Germany — ade.goerke@t-online.de

WSSFS Wageningen, Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN, Wageningen, the Netherlands — wssfs@wur.nl

Suggested music

Foreigner, Cold As Ice (1977)

Cliff Richard & The Young Ones, Living Doll (1986)

Jiskefet, Lullo’s – Er zit een haar in mijn glas (1996)

Frisia Coast Trail.com

The 1,000 mile coastal hike for people with fear of heights
and interest in 2,500 years of living on the sharp edge of land and sea