Association of Scientific Catholic Student Associations Unitas
In Unitas Association ( UV ), the oldest Catholic student and academic association in Germany, bringing together scientific Catholic student associations (WKSt.V.) consisting of many German and some foreign university sites. As a Catholic , non-beating , colorful corporation association , it consists of around 70 such student associations , divided into men's and women's leagues .
|
Association of Scientific Catholic Student Associations (WKSt.V.) UNITAS |
|
|---|---|
| coat of arms | logo |
|
|
| Basic data | |
| Surname: | Association of Scientific Catholic Student Associations (WKSt.V.) UNITAS |
| Abbreviation: | Unitas bandage, UV |
| Represented in: |
 Germany
|
| Foundation on: | December 8, 1855 (general association) |
| Place of foundation: | Bonn |
| Principles: | Virtus, Scientia, Amicita |
| Type of members: | Men's clubs, women's clubs (separate) |
| Religious orientation: | Catholic |
| Position to the scale : | not striking |
| Motto: | In necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas (In German: in necessary unity, in doubt freedom, in all but care for the neighbor) |
| Color status : | colorful |
| Total members: | approx. 900 active, 7000 old men and women |
| Association body: | unitas (four issues per year) |
| Website: | www.unitas.org |
history
The association developed from the Catholic student association Ruhrania, which was founded in Bonn in 1847 . Initially, membership was only open to theology students. The admission of members from other faculties was only possible with unanimity. In 1850 the name of the association was changed to Unitas . During this period the principles virtus , scientia and amicitia , which are still valid today , were developed.
In 1855 there was a second Coetus (old name for an association of the Unitas Association) in Tübingen . founded. The two associations (Bonn and Tübingen) founded the Unitas Association on December 8, 1855, which initially called itself "Gesamtverein". The first Catholic student association was founded. In 1859 the third association was founded in Münster. In 1860 the association's first general assembly (GV) took place, in which Bonn and Tübingen also took part. The 10th GV 1871 in Bonn-Poppelsdorf resolved not to require unanimity when accepting lay students. Now students from other faculties are also being accepted after non-theologians had previously only been accepted with a unanimous decision. The president (senior) still has to be a theologian. 1883 the previous "Catholic-theological student association Unitas" is changed to the name "Scientific Catholic student association Unitas".
As one of the largest corporate associations in Germany and Austria before the Second World War with almost 70 active local associations between Königsberg and Strasbourg, Innsbruck and Paris, it was forcibly dissolved as an "anti-state organization" in 1938 by the circular issued by the head of the Gestapo , Heinrich Himmler , after the association was forced to abandon the catholicity principle in 1934 by Reich law. In 1934 the Austrian section ("Unitas Association of Scientific Catholic Student Associations in Austria", UVÖ) was separated by mutual agreement, as it seemed difficult to imagine a common association between associations from Nazi Germany and Austria that was still free.
The association, which was re-established in 1947, currently has 40 Unitas associations at over 30 German universities. Since the 1970s, non-Catholic Christians have been able to take part in the club life of the UV and, if certain requirements are met, also obtain club-related rights; However, they still cannot become members of the association. As the first of the traditional corporation associations, the Unitas also opened up to female students. During the 119th General Assembly of the Unitas Association, which took place in Darmstadt in May 1996, Unitas accepted the student associations as members with equal rights. Mixed clubs are excluded.
The UV is not, like almost all German corporation associations, an association of independent associations, but a unitary association with a common constitution for all active, high ladies and senior clubs. All clubs therefore have the designation “Unitas” in front of their proper name and as the common colors since 1863 blue-white-gold, sometimes in different order. Today the UV consists of 40 active associations with around 900 students and 7,000 old men and women in 78 old men and women’s associations and 137 local circles.
From 1972 until its departure in 1986, the UV was represented as a founding member in the working group of academic associations . Today the Unitas is represented as a member of the Catholic Academic Work of Germany (KAD ) and in the central committee of the German Catholics (ZdK) . In addition to its membership in the Federation of German Catholic Youth (BDKJ) , the student association works with the other Catholic student associations in the Working Group of Catholic Student Associations (AGV) and in the European Cartel Association of Christian Student Associations (EKV) .
Principles as well as club and association life
According to its own statements, the UV wants to support the members of its associations in their striving for deepening in faith, scientific training and lifelong friendship across generations. With this, the Unitas sees itself as a living part of the church that wants to promote the ability to become mature laypeople. These common foundations of all Unitas associations are summarized in the three principles of the Unitas Association: Virtus (virtue), Scientia (science) and Amicitia (friendship). In today's context, virtus denotes church and social engagement, civil courage and a Christian lifestyle; Scientia the scientific nature in the sense of a broad knowledge base; Amicitia, finally, the active friendship among the federal sisters and federal brothers, the lasting bond of life. This also includes the correctio fraterna (mutual correction in the sense of frank criticism), which is not intended as humiliation or even exposure of the criticized, but as friendly advice after a mistake has been made.
The basics are concretized in association life as follows:
- The center of the Unitarian community is the common Eucharist , which is celebrated in the association festivals. The association festival, which consists of a Eucharistic celebration and a subsequent morning session with a scientific lecture, is celebrated in honor of the association's patrons Thomas Aquinas , Boniface and Maria Immaculate .
- In order to get a glimpse of the bigger picture of their own subject area, the members of the individual associations meet regularly for scientific meetings, which consist of a presentation on a current topic and subsequent discussion.
- The principles support the vital bond of active students as well as alumni, the "ladies and gentlemen". This covenant of life opens up the possibility of socializing with older or younger federal brothers and sisters, exchanging experiences and having contacts in many places.
Each Unitas association carries out its own semester program at the university location with a wide variety of religious, scientific and social events in line with these principles.
As a rule, a single club or a local association of several clubs takes over the suburb , the chairmanship of the UV, every year . The suburb presidium consists of the suburb president and (a maximum of three) other suburb clerks. The suburb represents the unified association internally and externally. The outward sign is the use of the UV standard. In 2005, Unitas Clara Schumann Bonn was the first women's association to take over the suburb of the UV.
Every Unitarian can experience the association community at the annual general assembly, the Hohedamenbunds-, Altherrenbunds- and active days or mutual visits. Many associations also have their own houses and offer their members affordable accommodation and a place for joint events. In addition to the annual general assembly, there are active days, regional conferences, seminars for club management and the Krone seminar on basic questions of Catholic social teaching and politics.
Motto and association symbols
The motto of the Unitas Association is: In necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas (In German: in necessary unity, in doubt freedom, but above all care for the neighbor).
In addition to the blue-white-gold flag (the order may vary at different university locations), the circle is the identification mark of the Unitas. The association circle contains the letters “v” ( vivat , es lebe ”),“ c ”( crescat , es grows”), “f” ( floreat , es blühe ”) and“ u ”( unitas ). The circles of the individual clubs also contain the first three letters, as well as one or two letters that stand for the club name.
The federal song of the Unitas Association is called Schall now, du Bundessang . The coat of arms of the Unitas Association contains the cross as a symbol for Virtus , the owl as a symbol of Scientia and the hands as a symbol of Amicitia . Most of the club's coats of arms also have these symbols, usually also the respective city coat of arms.
literature
- Ernst Hans Eberhard : Handbook of the student liaison system. Leipzig, 1924/25, pp. 244–245.
- Bernhard Grün, Christoph Vogel: The Fuxenstunde . Manual of Corporation Studentism. Bad Buchau 2014, pp. 159–160, ISBN 978-3-925171-92-5 .
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Image of the association circle ( Memento from March 11, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
