Analysis of the Liechtenauer Poem

The analysis of the Liechtenauer fencing poem was the first step to create a critical edition based on content and linguistic aspects. The preconditions that lead to this method of analysis had been discussed in the article entitled: The Path to the Origininal Poem of Master Liechtenauer. For the analysis of the Liechtenauer version I …

The path to the original poem of Master Liechtenauer

If we compare the versions of the Zedel by Master Liechtenauer to each other, and to the poem originated by Magister Beringer we will recognize at first sight the different number of verses. Same happens in comparison of the Nürnberg Hausbuch with most of the other variants of Liechtenauer Zedel. Comparing Versions by the Word …

Reconstruction of Historical Martial Arts

"Reconstruction is the process of creating or recreating something more or less non-existent or unknown,” as German Wikipedia defines it. In the reconstruction of an old text or image, we fill in gaps left intentionally or unintentionally by the author. In Historical Martial Arts these are movements that we recognize as necessary in order to …

Treatises to the Long Knife (Langes Messer)

The Long Knife (Langes Messer) is a cut and thrust weapon from the Middle Ages, which enjoyed great popularity as a weapon of defense especially in the 15th and 16th centuries. There are several instructions in fencing books for the Long Knife.  In the following article I have listed most fencing books which I have …

Five Rules Of Footwork

The first rules of the common laws of fencing in the most prominent manuscript on Liechtenauer fencing tells us about the geometry of fencing and how we should step. It is a chapter about correct footwork. In general it tells us that the art of fencing is not in jumping forward and hit with the …

Translator’s Problem: a “Stück” of Fencing

When we come to the translation of fencing books we will find that there are sets of combined body motions mostly done solo or together with a partner. But how are those sets of motions described by images and text are to be translated? In German they are named “Stück” which is a very flexible …

Explaining the German fencing terms by simple means of wrestling

Explaining the Liechtenauer five words and other German fencing terms is a very simple thing if you look at them from the perspective of a wrestler. There are reasons why the manuscripts state that all fencing stem from wrestling. I like to give you some examples using the images and plays of the great 16th …

Of buffaloes and peasants not knowing to feel the sword

Keith Farrell is one of my favorite author and sword companion especially if it comes to teach me the Scottish way of fencing from the later centuries than my late medieval sources. In his latest post "Reconsidering the buffalo" he reminded me of a fencing term that I explored some years ago but never brought …

A man wrote a fight-book. It’s incredible what happened 500 years later.

In the paper "Limits of Understanding in Historical European Martial Arts Studies" my friend Eric Burkhart introduced a variation of the Semiotic Triangle to the field of Historical Martial Arts Research. The Semiotic Triangle is an old concept found already with Plato and Aristotle in which an real life object (or a matter) is associated …

The danger of the attack – a translater’s problem

The sources we use to reconstruct the historical martial arts are written in a language that is not fully understandable to us. Words change meanings or have multiple meanings and so we need to interprete not only the martial art, it already starts with interpreting the text in a critical manner. This includes reading it …