KDStV Franconia Aachen
A Catholic, non-fencing, colour-wearing German student corporation at RWTH Aachen, founded in 1898 and a member of the Cartellverband (CV).
Last updated September 28, 2026
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Overview
KDStV Franconia Aachen (Katholische Deutsche Studentenverbindung Franconia zu Aachen im CV) is a Catholic, non-fencing, colour-wearing German student corporation based in Aachen and historically rooted at RWTH Aachen University. Founded on 17 October 1898, it is a member of the Cartellverband der Katholischen Deutschen Studentenverbindungen (CV), Europe's largest association of Catholic academics. Its members are known as "Aachener Franken" and its official abbreviation is FcA. The corporation describes itself as a lifelong community of current and former students of all Aachen higher-education institutions and all disciplines, bound by shared values, the student years in Aachen and lifelong friendships. It reports over 125 years of history, more than 450 members, of whom around 40 are active students. Franconia is a Catholic student corporation that wears colours but does not fence; it forbids its members from participating in duels and Mensuren. Ordinary membership is open to male, Catholic students who command the German language, feel connected to German culture and study at an Aachen higher-education institution. The corporation is explicitly non-political, committed to the German Basic Law and distances itself from any form of extremism, emphasising tolerance, diversity and respectful interaction. As a Catholic corporation it welcomes people of all origins. Its principles are summarised as religio (commitment to the Catholic faith), amicitia (friendship) and patria (love of fatherland), reflected in its coat of arms and Zirkel. The corporation is part of the Aachener Cartellverband (ACV), a local association of seven Aachen CV corporations, and has contributed to the founding, re-founding and relocation of several local corporations. It maintains a connection house, the Frankenhaus, in the Ludwigsallee in Aachen, and organises a semester programme including the well-known Frankenparty. In May 2003 it decided to open membership to students of other Aachen higher-education institutions beyond RWTH Aachen.
History
The KDStV Franconia was founded on 17 October 1898 in Aachen as a CV corporation. On 20 November of the same year its statutes were approved by the Senate of the Technische Hochschule Aachen, giving it recognition as a corporation at the university. On 18 December 1898 it was admitted to the Cartellverband (CV) under the sponsorship of KDStV Bavaria Bonn. Oswald Höhl became the corporation's first Philistersenior from 1906. From 1906 to 1907 Franconia held the Vorort (CV chairmanship) with Paul Hurck as Vorortspräsident. On 12 January 1908 the Studentenheimverein Franconia was founded with the aim of enabling the corporation to acquire a house, since from 1898 to 1911 corporation events took place only in inns such as the Wehrhafter Schmied and the Reichshof. In April 1911 a house at Turmstraße 36 was acquired. During the First World War no colours were worn in public. On 1 January 1917 the Frankenhaus was closed, and in 1918 it was seized, which restricted but did not stop corporation activities. On 9 March 1920, because of an overly large Aktivitas, Franconia founded the daughter corporation KDStV Kaiserpfalz zu Aachen. In 1924 the Schwarz-Grün-Gold (SGG) appeared for the first time as the corporation's magazine. In 1926 the Frankenhaus was re-inaugurated. During the Nazi period Franconia helped to vote out the leadership of the Cartellverband of Catholic German student corporations because that leadership had not directly assured Adolf Hitler of its loyalty in 1933. On 3 November 1935 the last Kneipe in full colours took place because of the restructuring of corporations at that time. On 1 June 1936 the Aktivitas was dissolved by the Altherrenschaft, in 1937 the Frankenhaus was sold and in 1938 the Altherrenverein was forcibly dissolved. In 1945 the Altherrenverband was re-founded. On 24 February 1947 the Gruppe Amicitia was founded, which later became the Gruppe Roland. In May of the same year the Altherrenverband took over sponsorship of this Gruppe Roland and handed it the corporation colours. In November 1947 a new house at Kruppstraße 12 was bought (the house is today the seat of KDStV Makaria). On 31 May 1949 the Gruppe Roland was renamed the Aktivitas of KDStV Franconia and on 28 June 1950 it was again recognised by the Rector and Senate of RWTH Aachen. In 1954 the property at Turmstraße 36 was repossessed and in 1957 the house at Ludwigsallee 101 was bought, which was then inaugurated as the new corporation house at the 60th Stiftungsfest in 1959. In May 1999 Franconia celebrated its 100th Stiftungsfest at the Eurogress Aachen. In May 2003 the assembly of all members decided to open Franconia: as a student corporation at the Aachen study location, Franconia is historically rooted at RWTH Aachen, but now students of other Aachen higher-education institutions are also allowed to join. On 30 June 2008 Franconia became the 2,000th member of the Aachen Karls- und Dombauverein. Franconia is part of the Aachener Cartellverband (ACV), a local association of seven Aachen CV corporations: KDStV Franconia, KDStV Baltia, KDStV Makaria, KDStV Marchia, KDStV Kaiserpfalz, KDStV Bergland and KDStV Ripuaria. Through the ACV, additional programme items in the semester programme are coordinated with the other Aachen CV corporations. Franconia has contributed to the founding, re-founding and relocation of local corporations: in 1920, because its Aktivitas was too large, KDStV Kaiserpfalz was founded as a daughter corporation; when KDStV Bergland moved from Freiberg to Aachen in 1925 due to low membership, members of Franconia helped form a new board; in 1951 KDStV Saxo-Thuringia Dresden (now in Bochum) was re-founded in Aachen with the help of the "Franken"; and in 1953, when student corporations were banned in East Berlin, KDStV Makaria Berlin moved to Aachen and members of KDStV Franconia and KDStV Marchia helped it in the former house.
- 2008
Becomes the 2,000th member of the Aachen Karls- und Dombauverein on 30 June.
- 2003
In May the assembly of all members decides to open membership to students of other Aachen higher-education institutions.
- 1999
Celebrates its 100th Stiftungsfest in May at the Eurogress Aachen.
- 1959
The new corporation house is inaugurated at the 60th Stiftungsfest.
- 1957
The house at Ludwigsallee 101 is bought.
- 1954
The property at Turmstraße 36 is repossessed.
- 1950
Again recognised by the Rector and Senate of RWTH Aachen on 28 June.
- 1949
Gruppe Roland renamed the Aktivitas of KDStV Franconia on 31 May.
- 1947
Gruppe Amicitia founded on 24 February (later Gruppe Roland); Altherrenverband takes over sponsorship in May; new house at Kruppstraße 12 bought in November.
- 1945
The Altherrenverband is re-founded.
Products and positioning
Catholic, non-fencing, colour-wearing student corporation at RWTH Aachen within the Cartellverband (CV), emphasising religio, amicitia and patria.
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