COMMERCY

commercy, a town of north-eastern france, capital of an arrondissement in the department of meuse, on the left bank of the meuse, 26 m. e. of bar-le-duc by rail. pop. (1906) 5622. commercy possesses a chateau of the 17th century, now used as cavalry barracks, a benedictine convent occupied by a training-college for primary teachers, and a communal college for boys. a statue of dom calmet, the historian, born in the vicinity, stands in one of the squares. the industries include iron-working and the manufacture of nails, boots and shoes, embroidery and hosiery. the town has trade in cattle, grain and wood, and is well known for its cakes (_madeleines_). commercy dates back to the 9th century, and at that time its lords were dependent on the bishop of metz. in 1544 it was besieged by charles v. in person. for some time the lordship was in the hands of francois paul de gondi, cardinal de retz, who lived in the town for a number of years, and there composed his memoirs. from him it was purchased by charles iv., duke of lorraine. in 1744 it became the residence of stanislas, king of poland, who spent a great deal of care on the embellishment of the town, castle and neighbourhood. commers (from lat. _commercium_), the german term for the german students' social gatherings held annually on occasions such as the breaking-up of term and the anniversary of the university's founding. a commers consists of speeches and songs and the drinking of unlimited quantities of beer. the arrangements are governed by officials (_chargierte_) elected by the students from among themselves. strict rules as to drinking exist, and the chairman after each speech calls for what is called a salamander (_ad exercitium salamandris bibite, tergite_). all rise and having emptied their glasses hammer three times on the table with them. on the death of a student, his memory is honoured with a salamander, the glasses being broken to atoms at the close.