a monogram containing the fraternity's initials and the letters v, c, and f for the Latin words ('live, grow, flourish') or ('long live the circle of brothers'). In fraternity documents, members sign their names with a after their signature. have their origin in abbreviations, by student orders of the 18th century, to show their affiliation in written documents. Today, are often used on clothing or other personal items. Sometimes, the fraternity's coat of arms is also incorporated into objects, such as headgear or the (fencing rapier). Many fraternity members can be identified through their , or by less obvious codes such as a certain style of dressing, e.g. Timberland boots and polo shirts. Furthermore, rare figures of speech can give the hint that a person is a member of a . Coat of arms Studentenverbindungen's coats of arms do not strictly follow heraldic rules, their use started around the year 1800. The escutcheon is often divided in four, Burschenschaften's most commonly by a cross. These fields are filled with various non heraldic symbols, for example with the fraternity's colors, the Zirkel, allusions to their university or city and other regional heraldic elements, also symbols for friendship and eternity, that are taken from Freemasons and antiquity. Kneipe More elaborate uniforms are usually worn at a Kneipe or, more formally, Commers, a kind of gathering only still preserved at Studentenverbindungen. Such events can happen regularly but specially during holidays, for example to celebrate Christmas, to commemorate a deceased Verbindungs-brother, or in remembrance of historic events or important dates in the fraternity's history e.g. the founding day of the fraternity (Stiftungstagskneipe). During these gatherings, the crowd of members and guests present are presided over by the Chargierte (see above), with the Senior conducting the gathering, executing certain rituals, from as simple as welcoming guests, holding speeches to performing the so-called Landesvater ("father of the country"). The latter is a ceremonial where a sabre is pierced through the Couleur-bearing headgear of the participants in a complex ritual, accompanied by a ceremonial chant. While such rituals are only performed on the most solemn of occasions and thus very rare, a Kneipe commonly involves the lighter sides of life, such as rampant beer consumption and uninhibited singing of traditional student songs, of which some can be bawdy for the standards of time. Thus, this allows to get to know otherwise daunting members on a personal level