1478-1523 Marxbruder Nicklaus Bruckner

~ talhoffer

Nicklaus Bruckner the knife maker, entered the house of the Nürnberger Zwölfbrüderstiftung on Monday 6th of November 1519. The Nuremberg Twelve Brothers Foundations had been a non-profit organization, which should allow the old and no longer capable of working craftsmen a well-supplied age in a monk-like community. There Bruckner died on the 5th of April 1523. He had been a Master of the Marxbrüder as we can see by the Lion with the crossed swords displayed in the image of the Hausbücherniclas pruckner.

According to the books of the city council of Nürnberg he was licensed to hold Fechtschule in Nürnberg.

  • 20th June 1478 – Nicklaus Bruckner is allowed to have Fechtschul at Sundays after church services. But he shall make it orderly and modestly.
    „Item Niclausen pruckner ist vergönnt Schirmschule hie zu halten an den Sonntagen nach den predigen, doch das er es damit zuchtiglich und beschaidenlich halte“.
  • January 1479 – The Bruckner is allowed to have Fechtschul, but he shall see with the city guards that nothing improper happens.
    „dem pruckner ist vergonnt Schirmschul zu halten, doch das er mit dem Stattknechten verfug, das kein unzucht beschee“ –
  • later in 1479 – The Bruckner is allowed to have one Fechtschul between today and Carnival (the date of the begin of the Catholic fasting season).
    „dem pruckner ist vergönnt ein Schirmschul zu halten, zwischen hie und Vasnacht“
  • late in 1495 – Bruckner is allowed to have Fechtschul at Sunday Cantate (19th May), but it shall be done orderly.
    “dem Pruckner ist vergönnt ein Fechtschul zu halten auf Sonntag Cantate schirst, doch das es damit züchtlich gehalten werde“.

The family of Bruckner seems to follow the trade of knife makers and sword polishers. Niclaus Pruckner had probably a a son named “Friedrich Pruckner”. Friedrich was a “Schwertfeger” and was a citizen of Nürnberg according to the “Bürgerbuch” – Bürgerbuch de 1456—1534, M. S. 237, Fol. 12. There had been a Hanns Pruckner, a knife maker in Nürnberg  who died 1571 as a Geselle: “Hanns Pruckner, messerer. junger gesell ufm Seumarckt” according to “Die Inschriften der Friedhöfe zu Nürnberg”, Peter Zahn, 2000.

Sources used in this article:
Image scan made by Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg.
Zur Geschichte der Fechtschulen in Nürnberg, D.r Lochner, Stidienrektor in Nürnberg, in Anzeiger für Kunde der deutschen Vorzeit: Organ d. Germanischen Museums, Band 7, 1860.

Published by talhoffer

I am a dedicated fencer and researcher in the European Martial Arts from the period from the 14th until the 17th century. In jest I created the Facebook persona of Hans Talhoffer, a famous Fencing Master of the 15th century. Hans Talhoffer (Dalhover, Talhouer, Thalhoffer, Talhofer) was a Fencing Master, a Contract Combatant and a Consultant regarding Martial Arts and the Arts of War. He was born between 1410-1415 and lived at least until 1482 (latest mention of his name is 1489 in Munich Bavaria). He produced at least five surviving manuals to the arts of fencing and warfare which were copied several times. Talhoffer was a well educated man, who took interest in astrology, mathematics, onomastics, and the auctoritas and the ratio. He was ranked highly by his customers who paid a fortune to produce the manuals.

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