>>281211756
>>281211773
>>281212458
you are thinking mainly of the Corps, the fraternities that where and to a large extent still are noble only.
There's also the Burschenschaften who are a lot more egalitarian, pro democratic (certainly during that era) and nationalist. The Landsmannschaft are only concerned about where you are from and had a broad selection of class back grounds in their membership.
The Burschenschaften where founded by a mix of merchants and middle class sons that couldn't get into the Corps and didn't like the Landsmannschaft because they where localist and didn't support German nationalism.
As a result nearly all the people getting expelled after the 1848 rebellion where Burchen.
Being an expelled Burche would neatly explain why he's in the UK but still wants to make sure that his children are raised as Germans. Because he's a German nationalist in exile before the creation of Germany. His wealth are in part due to his family and that he's educated.
but in the end it's just fandom, oh God what have I become.
