Camera obscura Oldenburgensis

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Circle Aktivitas from 1893
Circle of the Camera Obscura Oldenburgensis
 Aktivitas from 1893
Summary
Founding: 1848
School: Old high school in Oldenburg
Place: Oldenburg
Abbreviation: CoO
Colors : Boy colors Fuxen colors
Website: camera-obscura-oldenburgensis.de

The Camera obscura Oldenburgensis (CoO) (also: Camera obscura for short ) was founded in 1848 by students from the old grammar school in Oldenburg . She's after Primary! Markomannia zu Rastatt from 1824, the Primary! Teutonia zu Rastatt from 1842 and SV Absolvia zu Bayreuth from 1833 the fourth oldest still existing school association in Germany.

history

In 1848, after the other European nations, the revolutionary jolt passed through the German-speaking part of the continent, which resulted in the first all-German democracy , in the Paulskirche assembly. The Grand Duchy of Oldenburg had a lot of catching up to do, because apart from the tiny Principality of Hessisch-Homburg it was the only area of ​​the former Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation that did not yet have a constitution . This was solemnly promised by the monarchs after the wars of freedom of 1815 that their peoples had won . The literary society and its sons there saw themselves as the spearhead of the pre-revolutionary Enlightenment, insofar as they attended the primes of the local Latin schools, today's old grammar school. In opposition to princely domination and absoluteness, they founded a school association as a national defense and sports club. Since there was already an authority-related student association called Camera clara (Latin clarus "bright, clear, clear"), the new association was called Camera obscura (Latin obscurus "dark, hidden, unclear"). Its principles were and are to this day freedom and democracy as well as tolerance in contrast to absolutism .

The student association contradicted the bourgeois and educational ideas of an idealistically minded time in its existence, its behavior and the type of meeting and was therefore subject to constant repression by the school authorities until the Weimar period . As an institution that is extremely unusual in schools, it is closely linked to the sociological structure and lifestyle of the small royal seat of Oldenburg : the working class was almost completely absent, and the majority of the petty bourgeoisie sent their sons to secondary school. The upper classes, which were geared towards social demands, remained almost to themselves.

When in 1860 the idea of ​​the camera obscura was expanded to 16 other northern German cities ("Camera Magna"), the clashes between opponents and supporters increased. From the point of view of the state government, the camera obscura had a national interest in German unity that went beyond Oldenburg and thus a renunciation of small states . Even newspapers, such as the conservative, monarchist Neue Hannoversche Zeitung, took part in the dispute and tried to prevent the expansion of the Camera Magna by publishing statutes and unobjective presentations. The title of the edition published on September 21, 1863 reads: "A comical parody of the serious political movements of the time is available to us in the statute of a primary school, which attempts have been made to set up in Oldenburg and local high schools." (new Hannoversche Zeitung, September 21, 1863). In Oldenburg , the confrontations culminated several times in state parliament debates with the Minister of State and column-long letters to the editor in the newspaper.

More and more important civil servant positions in Oldenburg, such as members of parliament, church or judges and even that of the state minister, came into the hands of old men of the camera obscura. Since parts of the population still spoke out against the existence of the camera obscura, they had to keep a low profile and could only act in secret.

In the course of time, rites and behaviors of the student associations were increasingly adopted , such as B. the general beer comment . Nevertheless, various customs of their own have been preserved, which differ significantly from those of the student associations. At the same time, early student customs have been preserved in an unadulterated way (for example the Fuxenritt).

The First World War ended all discussions about the pros and cons of connections. The CoO was suspended. Many of its members passed the so-called Notabitur and volunteered to take up arms.

With the Weimar period , the persecution subsided. The director and liaison teacher of the old grammar school are present at liaison events, which did not mean an unqualified affirmation, but was accompanied by social tolerance. The pub system came to the fore alongside literary and cultural aspects.

After the National Socialists came to power , the camera obscura, like all connections, was banned. Initially, attempts were made to continue the liaison system, but this failed due to massive persecution and interrogation and ultimately also punishments by the Gestapo and the school authorities. An attempt was made to ensure continuity by founding the secretly kept Camera interna.

After the Second World War , the camera obscura was reconstituted in 1948. In addition to the preservation of tradition, the main goal is a genuine friendship between its members.

In addition to the CoO still exists in Oldenburg students connect Prima Oldenburgensis of the 1891st

Membership structure

Traditionally, the active members of the CoO are recruited from the student body of the humanistic old grammar school in Oldenburg. The members came almost exclusively from Oldenburg civil servants , merchants or officers' families , and even today the proportion of members from long-established Oldenburg families is very large. Until the National Socialists came to power , the high administrative officials and the judiciary in the Grand Duchy (until 1918) and the Free State of Oldenburg were almost all members of the CoO. Significantly, this did not change anything about the repeated bans by the school authorities.

In the meantime, students from other Oldenburg high schools are also being accepted. In the statutes, however, it is stipulated that at least 2/3 of the active students must be students at the Old High School in Oldenburg .

Colours

The boys' colors of the CoO are black, red and gold, the colors of the German Revolution of 1848. The colors of the foxes, on the other hand, are blue and red, the colors of the coat of arms of the old Grand Duchy of Oldenburg and reflect the bond with the homeland.

Outstanding members

literature

Web links

Commons : Camera obscura Oldenburgensis  - collection of images, videos and audio files