The Author
This blog is written by a fencer, researcher, and instructor in the European Martial Arts from the period from the 14th until the 17th century. He is the instructor for any single handed weapon, and single handed weapon combinations at Zornhau, in Germany. Since 2009 he joined a second HEMA club Stahl auf Stahl, Frankfurt, Germany. He started his martial arts study and martial sports training in 1973 with Olympic fencing. Since then he studied various martial arts with some breaks mostly related to injuries resulting from that kind of leisure-time activity. His main studies had been and still are Fencing, Shotokan, Wing Chun, and Historical Martial Arts. Thanks to the superb teachers at Zornhau, he could quickly learn and evolve in the historical martial arts. To broaden his horizon and assure the quality of his own work, he is in constant exchange with other experts.
The author transcribes and translates the medieval and renaissance fighting manuals, and talks frankly about their contents at this blog. He strives for a ‘bullshido’ free interpretation of the work of the old masters. His interpretations are very down-to-earth and even though there may be younger and faster fencers, he is always ready to show what he is teaching in a very practical way.
He has given several national workshops and instructed at classes at international events. His favorite teaching subjects are Langes Messer (long knife), sword & buckler, and shield and spear. He would love to teach you in person how to use those weapons accordingly to the original sources. Alas he usually has a full schedule. But if you pay him the expenses and some alcoholic drinks he will see what he can do. Just contact him on Facebook or via mail to hans.thalhoffer{at}googlemail.com.
Dedication
The blog is dedicated to Hans Talhoffer a Fencing Master of the 15th century. You will find a growing lot of material for your own researches and for the training of the Historical European Martial Arts.
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.
