Purple, white, and green—these were the colors shared by six young men who received their diplomas from the Oberrealschule (Upper Secondary School) in Münster in 1914. The colors adorned their caps and the sashes were slung across their chests. One of these young men was Arnold Ludger Brenninkmeijer (1894–1951), whose cap and sash are preserved in the Draiflessen Collection. While the form may have changed since then, students’ desire to present themselves as a cohesive group, and to celebrate the transition into adult life has remained the same. The role previously played by cap and sash has today been taken over by T-shirts and baseball caps with graduation logos. How have the forms of expression chosen by graduating classes changed over the course of the last century? How is the spirit of each age reflected in the customs and rituals of graduating classes?

The presentation in DAS Forum traces the changes in celebrations and rituals surrounding the graduation over the past 100 years.