Fraternitas Baltica Explained

Fraternitas Baltica
Crest:FraternitasBaltica.jpg
Birthplace:Riga Polytechnic Institute
Status:Defunct
Defunct Date:1938
Successor:Curonia Goettingensis
Type:Social
Affiliation:P!K!
Scope:International
Emphasis:Baltic-German military
Motto:German: In Treuen fest (Strong in confidence)
German: Freundschaft, Frohsinn, Tugend, Wissen - soll man nie bei den Balten missed (Friendship, Happiness, Virtue and Knowledge, these are the things that none of Balts should miss)
Chapters:4
Address:7 Marijas Street
City:Riga
Country:Latvia

Fraternitas Baltica was a Baltic-German fraternity founded at Rīga Polytechnic Institute in Riga, Latvia in 1865. It was established as a collegiate fraternity but decided its members had to belong to Baltic-German military units after World War I. It was a member of Fraternity Presidium Convent (P!K!).

History

Fraternitas Baltica was founded by students at Rīga Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Riga, Latvia as Fraternitas Polytechnici Baltici. In 1867, Fraternitas Baltica founded the General Polytechnic Convention (APC), which led the social life in Polytechnic Institute.

In 1869 after disagreements, many students left the fraternity and founded Concordia Rigensis, which is still active today. During World War I, RPI evacuated to Moscow, and the fraternity suspended activity. In 1918, Fraternitas Baltica restored operations as a part of Baltic Technical College. Later that year, a decision was made that all of the active members had to belong to a Baltic-German military units.

In 1920, Fraternitas Baltica was registered as a fraternity of University of Latvia and was admitted to Fraternity Presidium Convent (P!K!). The fraternity left P!K! in 1932 in protest of the decision to use only Latvian language in their meetings. After leaving P!K!, Fraternitas Baltica ceased being a collegiate fraternity but continued to operate as a society that still used the name fraternity.

In 1938, Fraternitas Baltica ceased operations in Latvia and closed completely in 1939 with all the forced removal of its members to Germany. In 1959, Fraternitas Baltica members and other Baltic-German non-student fraternities founded Curonia Goettingensis, which is a continuation of Baltic fraternity traditions.

Symbols

The colors of Fraternitas Baltica were red, green, and gold. Its mottos were "German: In Treuen fest" or "Strong in confidence" and "German: Freundschaft, Frohsinn, Tugend, Wissen soll man nie bei den Balten missen" which translates as "Friendship, Happiness, Virtue, and Knowledge are the things that none of Balts should miss"

Chapters

Chapter Charter date and rangeLocationStatus
Rīga Polytechnic Institute1865–1914Riga, LatviaInactive
Baltic Technical College1918–19xx ?Inactive
1920–1932Riga, LatviaInactive
Riga, Latvia1932–Riga, LatviaInactive

References