Schlaraffia is a worldwide

German-speaking German ( ) is a West Germanic language mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Italian province of South Tyrol. It is also a ...

society founded in Prague (then

Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central-Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, ...

) in 1859 with a pledge of

friendship Friendship is a relationship of mutual affection between people. It is a stronger form of interpersonal bond than an "acquaintance" or an "association", such as a classmate, neighbor, coworker, or colleague. In some cultures, the concept o ...

art Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no generally agreed definition of wha ...

and

humor Humour (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English) or humor (American English) is the tendency of experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement. The term derives from the humorism, humoral medicine of the ancient Gre ...

. The Schlaraffen, an exclusively male organization (many men of a mellower age and in secure positions), meet in midwinter (1 October – 30 April in the northern hemisphere) once per week in their Schlaraffen castle (equipped in the style of a knight's tavern from the Middle Ages) for "Sippungen" (gatherings which take place in the fixed ceremonial form of a knight's play). In doing so, everyday life is satirized as well as kept alive through recitations of literary and musical forms. An antiquated language with its own vernacular for everyday things (Schlaraffen Latin — for example; "powder pot" for tobacco pipe, "gasoline horse" for car, "castle monster" for mother-in-law) gives the Sippungen their own humorous note. The approximately 280 " Reychs" (local clubs) stay in close contact with one another. Each Schlaraffe is always welcome in every Reich in the world. Reichs currently exist in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Sweden, the United States, Canada, Mexico,

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

, and Australia. The total number of Schlaraffen amounts to about 10,000. New members must be introduced by a Schlaraffe (godfather), complete a probationary period before a general vote is recorded, and start their career as a knave, which leads from the position of squire to knight. Important artists were and are Schlaraffen (for example,

Franz Lehár Franz Lehár ( ; hu, Lehár Ferenc ; 30 April 1870 – 24 October 1948) was an Austro-Hungarian composer. He is mainly known for his operettas, of which the most successful and best known is ''The Merry Widow'' (''Die lustige Witwe''). Life ...

Gustl Bayrhammer Gustl Bayrhammer (12 February 1922 – 24 April 1993) was a German actor. He appeared in more than 70 films and television shows between 1964 and 1993. He starred in the 1970 film ''o.k. (film), o.k.'', which was entered into the 20th Berlin ...

Richard Bruno Heydrich Richard Bruno Heydrich (23 February 1865 – 24 August 1938) was a German opera singer (tenor), composer, and founder of the Halle Conservatory. A talented musician since childhood, Heydrich would find great success as a musical teacher, through ...

Leopold Matzal Leopold Charles Matzal (August 13, 1890 – November 22, 1956) was a 20th-century Austrian-American visual artist. He was a Realism (arts), realistic painter, known in New York City and northern New Jersey for his society Portrait painting, port ...

Peter Rosegger Peter Rosegger (original ''Roßegger'') (31 July 1843 – 26 June 1918) was an Austrian writer and poet from Krieglach in the province of Styria. He was a son of a mountain farmer and grew up in the woodlands and mountains of Alpl. Rosegger (or R ...

and many more). Their 'mascot' is the

eagle owl The American (North and South America) horned owls and the Old World eagle-owls make up the genus ''Bubo'', at least as traditionally described. The genus name ''Bubo'' is Latin for the Eurasian eagle-owl. This genus contains 19 species that ar ...

(''Bubo bubo'') symbolizing wisdom, virtue, and humour (the owl itself presents knowledge and wisdom). In 1874, the association's organ ''Der Schlaraffia Zeyttungen'' appeared for the first time in Leipzig. It still appears today several times a year.

References

External links

Homepage der Schlaraffia

Homepage der Schlaraffia FiladelfiaChapters in North-America Homepage Schlaraffia Vimaria (85), Weimar / Germany
{{Authority control Organizations based in Prague Clubs and societies in Germany Organizations established in 1859 Culture in Prague 1859 establishments in the Austrian Empire German diaspora