School traditions of Selmec
School traditions of Selmec are originated from Kingdom of Hungary, Selmecbánya (today Slovakia, Banská Štiavnica) and they are closely associated with the students of the Academy of Selmec. The traditions exist since 1735, when the institution was founded and named to Bergschola. The school had students from all over Europe and the Habsburg Empire. When education started, the newcomers did not have an opportunity to have an accommodation or a medical treatment, therefore they were supported by the older ones. But the newcomers had to undergo several probes and also an ’exam’ to be in favour with older students. The traditions helped to create a solidarity and a communion between them. The traditions are also originated in the system of guilds back to the 12th and 14th century. Nowadays, the spirit of the traditions are kept alive by students of Hungarian universities such as those in Miskolc, Sopron, Dunaújváros and Székesfehérvár.
The main components of the tradition are the various uniforms, special evenings, songs and the Salamander by graduating students.
Uniforms
The ancestor of all uniforms were the miners’ uniform. The function of it was to protect the miners at work. However, the uniforms are now different according to the several professions and faculties:
Gruben
Uniform of the miners and the metal workers. It is black with a velvet.
Auf or aufhauer
Uniform of the metal workers, mechanics, organisers and teachers of technical subjects. It is coloured black or blue with a colorful velvet.
Walden
Wore by the foresters, woodcutters and geodesists. It is fawn-coloured with a green, black or blue velvet.
There are other uniforms, which firstly appeared in the year 2000 at the University of Miskolc. These are:
Juratus for the jurists
Individual economist costume for the economists
Bocskai and Kazinczy individual costumes(in Hungarian: egyenviseletek) for arts students
Stefania for the medical faculty
Besides, the uniforms can have patches or accessories such as a long stem called ’fokos’ (Hungarian). Today, these function only as ornaments.
Special evenings and songs
Originally, the special evenings, (in Hungarian: szakestek) were organised to discuss the features of professional issues. Nowadays, these issues gave way to civilised fun. There are still several remarks made by students on these evenings about professional issues, but these were made in a rather funnier way. Only the ’baptised’ and invited students can participate in the special evenings. The students usually sing songs together during the event and there are so-called office-holders with names of Latin-German origin. Some of them are wearing a ribbon and they are holding particular duties during the evening.
Salamander
It is the farewell ceremony since 1830 by the university leavers who keep the spirit of the school traditions. In the course of it, the graduating students participate in a procession which traditionally takes place through the city centre and they are holding torches and lamps while they are singing songs which are originated from Selmec.