Hans Majestet Pinnsvinet
Coordinates: 60°23′22″N 5°19′22″E / 60.3895°N 5.3227°E
Hans Majestet Pinnsvinet (eng. His Majesty the Hedgehog), or Erinaceus europaeus minor, Rex et Inspirator, is the high protector of Studentersamfunnet i Bergen (eng. Bergen Student Society). The Majesty appeared in 1935, one year after the Student Society was founded. To appoint an animal as protector is a tradition in norwegian student organisations, dating back too 1859 when Norwegian Students' Society in Oslo selected a pig as their highest protector.
The hedgehog is also head of Pinnsvinordenen (lat. "Ordo Erinacei"), a order of honour awarded to selected former members of the Student Society for their commitment and work for the organization. The order started as a parody of the royal orders and academic ceremony. The only human to receive the highest decoration of Pinnsvinordenen is Olav V of Norway, who was the Crown Prince of Norway at the time of the ceremony.
References
- The information in this article is based on that in its Norwegian equivalent.