The Schweizerischer Studentenverein (Swiss Student's Society, abbreviation SSS; French: Société des Etudiants Suisses) is a society of colour bearing students of both genders and at the same time a federation of student corporations which are called sections. Its members are students and former students of high schools, universities and universities of applied sciences in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Italy. Formerly, sections also existed in Belgium, France and in the Czech Republic. Its motto is virtus, scientia, amicitia! History The SSS was founded on August 31, 1841, as the federation of the catholic-conservative, colour-bearing and non-duelling corporations of Switzerland. Its insignia are since 1851 a red-white-green ribbon and since 1861 a red hat. The member corporations are free to choose any shade of red and the type of hat. The first four sections were founded in 1843: GV Zähringia (in Fribourg), GV Suitia (in Schwyz), AV Semper Fidelis (Lucerne) and AV Helvetia Friburgensis (Freiburg im Breisgau). There are not only sections in German-speaking regions but also in French speaking Switzerland and in other countries. Originally, the SSS was a political movement of catholic-conservative students and therefore implicitly the antipode of the Schweizerischer Zofingerverein, which had a progressive-liberal political setting. The SSS intended to gather Christian, conservative forces against liberalism and radicalism. Nevertheless, after the Sonderbund War of 1847 it were members of the SSS who contributed to Switzerlands unity. The SSS always meant to be a society of politically active members. Nearly all members of the Swiss Federal Council of the CVP were members of the SSS. This orientation to catholic conservatism diminished more and more since 1970. Officially, the SSS is no longer affiliated to the CVP and nowadays open to other political parties. In 1873, during the time of the Kulturkampf, the SSS became a society limited to Catholics. It was only in 1977 that this principle was changed to "christian". Consequently, the SSS is now also open to Protestants again. Since 1968 women are allowed to join the society, too. The SSS has a friendship agreement with the CV and the OCV. It is a member of the EKV. Organisation As of today, the SSS has 69 sections in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Italy. This makes it the biggest society of colour-bearing students in Switzerland. It has 1100 active members and 7500 veterans. The SSS was founded as a central society, not as a fusion of individual corporations