May Wine & May Festivals The Romans celebrated the spring-flower Floralies festival in the beginning of May. Since the Middle Ages on May 1st festivals were held to welcome spring throughout Europe. For centuries, the night from April 30th to May 1st was...
The Salamander Ritual “The salamander” is a drinking ritual that includes the knocking (and rubbing) of glasses on the table before or after drinking together, sometimes both. It is a widespread “Zutrinken” ritual among student associations,...
Schmollis & Fiducit In student associations, the term “Schmollis” (also: Smollis, Schmolles) is used since before 1795 to initiate a drinking ritual called “Brüderschaft”, meaning “brotherhood drinking”. Schmollis is confirmed...
Drinking “Brüderschaft” Drinking “Brüderschaft” (brotherhood drinking) is a widespread drinking custom in many countries indicating switching to a personal form of address by means of drinking. This custom is to link arms holding the glass...
All About Drinking Songs Drinking songs are songs sang during the consumption of alcoholic beverages mostly praising or mocking the latter. Often they are composed as a strophic song or as a canon. Drinking songs can be found in almost every culture on earth. The...
Jus Potandi – the Right To Drink In the 17th century the text “Jus Potandi” or in German “Zechrecht” was written by an anonymous German author calling himself Blasius Multibibus (translating to Blasius, the heavy drinker). Jus Potandi is...
