COMMERS (from

See also:

• LAT

Lat. commercium)  , the German term for the German students' social gatherings held annually on occasions such as the breaking-up of term and the anniversary of the university's founding . A Commers consists of. speeches and songs and the drinking of unlimited quantities of beer . The arrangements are governed by officials (Chargierte) elected by the students from among themselves . Strict rules as to drinking exist, and the chairman after each speech calls for what is called a salamander (ad exercitium Salamandris bibite, tergite) . All rise and having emptied their glasses hammer three times on the table with them . On the death of a student, his memory is honoured with a salamander, the glasses being broken to atoms at the close .