German students, members of mostly right-wing fraternities called “kämpfende Verbindungen,” used to fence fiercely. When they were cut on the face, they tended the wound with salt to make sure there would be a good scar.
While my encounter with a sharp-knifed dermatologist wasn’t intended to leave a scar proving my masculinity, I’ve got something that reminds me of those students.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
About Scott Abbott
Ph.D. in German Literature from Princeton University, 1979. Then I taught at Vanderbilt University, BYU, and Utah Valley State College. At Utah Valley University, I'm Director of the Program in Integrated Studies and former Chair of the Department of Humanities and Philosophy. My publications include a book on Freemasonry and the German Novel, two co-authored books with Zarko Radakovic (published in Serbo-Croatian in Belgrade), and translations of a book by Austrian author Peter Handke and of a catalogue of an exhibit called "The German Army and Genocide." More famously, my children are in the process of creating good lives for themselves: as a model and manager, as a teacher of Chinese language, as a watershed scientist and science writer, as a jazz musician, as a corrections officer, as university students, and as parents. I share my life with UVU historian Lyn Bennett and our yellow dog Blue. Some publications at http://works.bepress.com/scott_abbott/
My father had dueling scars, all over his face, acquired in Tuebingen during his days studying medicine and physics. The middle class boys making believe they were medieval knights. Fortunately yours won’t deface you as badly as his did his. x m.r
LikeLike
You have a photo of your father? I’d love to see his face.
And the word “deface” is a good one.
LikeLike
I lost all my photos nearly ten years ago during a flood, but am askng relatives. xmr
LikeLike
hope the cells behave. sounds & looks serious.
this schmiss/scar stuff is overrated. but ‘deface’ is indeed a good word.
LikeLike
thanks, it ought to be okay with a couple of fine dermatologists watching it.
lyn has begun to call me scarface, which makes me feel manly in that way i was socialized to feel.
LikeLike
Do you have the original photo of the fraternity-student?
LikeLike
no, the photo from the internet
LikeLike