This month's stein commemorates a student's membership in a
student association. The song you hear is Gaudeamus igitur
juvenes dum sumus. Put away your German dictionary, it is Latin,
the language of scholars. The translation is "Let us rejoice
therefore while we are young," which seems appropriate to start
the New Year. This was a favorite drinking song of the German
students. The words for this song, including the English
translation, can be found in reference 1. This month's stein
belonged to a member of Landsmannschaft Verdensia at Göttingen
University. This ½ liter faceted, blown glass stein has seven
columns in the front that alternate between frosted and clear
glass. The coat-of-arms of the association is hand painted in
enamel. The thumb lift is a winged helmet. A star is cut into
the bottom of the stein. As with most glass steins, there is no
indication of the maker. The colors of the student association
are black, white and black, as shown in the plumes on the
helmet. The four quadrants in the shiel