Alchemia dimicandi,

oder aber,

“Ein Alchemia des Ernst=fechtens in zwölff Elementt,”

“An Alchemy of Fencing in Earnest, in Twelve Elements”

Alchemia dimicandi,

oder aber,

“Ein Alchemia des Ernst=fechtens in zwölff Elementt,”

“An Alchemy of Fencing in Earnest, in Twelve Elements”

vom Juncker v. A–

Karl E. Lochner, Diplomfechtmeister (ed.)

With an Introduction and Translation by J. Christoph Amberger

Secret Archives Press, LLC * Baltimore, Maryland

2017

© Copyright Secret Archives Press, LLC, 2017

ISBN: 9781520660639

First published in the United States by Secret Archives Press, LLC

All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy, or transmission of this text may be made without written permission of the copyright holder. The copying, scan-ning, uploading and distribution of this text via the Internet or via any other means without permission is illegal and punishable by law.

To my wife Joanna.

Without your support and patience over the past 37 years, I would have never achieved my dream of publishing this book.

Thanks also to Matt Galas, Scott Brown, Victor Markland, and Reinier Van Noort for assisting me in this endeavor.

Contents

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I. The Manuscript.............................................1

II. The Method................................................17

III.The Text.....................................................29

IV.The Translation..........................................41

References…………………………………. 53

Glossary of German Fencing Terms..............57

About the Author……………………………61

I.

The Manuscript

“Die Narren seind ohne Zahl und ohne Ziel.”

—Abraham a Sancta Clara (1707).

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In the early years of the 21st century, major libraries and collec-tions in Europe and North America digitized large parts of their collections. In the process, a number of formerly inaccessible

fencing-related texts have become known and available to a greater audience. In the Berlin Staatsbibliothek, for example, the notes of a Herr von Biberstein, unorthographically titled “Verze-

ichnis etlicher Stücken Des Fechtens ihm Rapier So ich zu Frank-furt an [d]er [O]der gelernett” , were publicized for the first time 1

ever. The two handwritten folio pages date from around 1593 and

were bound in, alongside other manuscripts, with von Conrad Gessner’s Schlangenbuch (1589), which provided the epistologi-cal backdrop for dating its creation.

Another (re-)discovery comes from the Universitäts- und Forschungsbibliothek at Erfurt/Gotha. It consists of seven pages of personal notes on thrust- and cut-fencing with the rapier that 2

were part of Christian Günther von Berlepsch’s Phrases ex variis autoribus quam studiosissimi collectae, a Hausbuch—a collection of unrelated texts deemed of interest or worth preserving to a lit-

erate collector of knowledge. While not entirely unknown to re-searchers, their brevity, lack of eye-catching illustrations, and

seemingly unreadable cursive handwriting had made them unat-tractive for independent analog publication. The value of these formerly out-of-sight manuscripts lies

not so much in any systematic method or novation in the practical

s.germ. fol. 1476, bound in with von Gessner’s Schlangenbuch (Sig. 2° 1

Lk 3626 R, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin).

Ms. FB Gotha, Chart. B 2117 (pp. 259r-260v and 285r-286v).2

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or scientific approaches they may represent, but rather in the au-thentic snapshot they provide of fencing it its respective contem-porary context, at what level fencing was practiced in real life at a

certain point in time, or at least what elements were taught to and deemed worth preserving by the respective author. Typically, these autographs can not be exactly dated, or

only dated within their biblio-chronological contexts, as part of other writings they are bound in with or refer to. However, the above-mentioned manuscripts have some-

thing going for them: They can be located, analyzed, and double-checked. This is not the case here.

From a historical and scientific point of view, the follow-ing text is highly problematic. Credible details as to its origin are quite literally non-existent, its provenance is suspect, its transcrip-

tion potentially flawed, its language puzzling to say the least. There are no records of it in any library, its inventory number, “numero AF4/1-16.Ms.4362”, has no parallel in the catalogs of

any known collection. There is no reference anywhere to the full name or identity of its author. The whereabouts of the original text

are unaccounted for. In fact, even the the original transcription has been lost. As if this wouldn’t be enough, the vagaries of early modern copying technologies have by now obliterated the very

copy of the “original” lost transcript. That early Xerox copy containing the text showed faded handwriting on ruled paper. The writing was in a cribbed, old-

fashioned German hand that was not quite Sütterlin but still re-tained enough elements of it, to place the scribe’s birth within the

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pre-World War II generation(s). (Not that that limits the pool of potential candidates by much...) When I first encountered it, back in the early 1990’s, I was

at the very beginning of my research and collecting activities into the then lesser-known aspects of European and, specifically, Ger-man fencing history. My main focus of interest was still on the

backgrounds of German cut fencing, and I had only a passing in-terest in the thrust fencing traditions of the Kreußlerian school. Accordingly, I freely admit to not recognizing the potential value

of my discovery when I made it. The Thermo-Fax front-printing paper that held the images of the pages—a technology that had been in widespread office use

well to the late 1960’s and beyond—by then was so brittle that each handling resulted in the loss of more and more marginal sub-stance. By the time I found it, the text on the image side had de-

graded into an almost uniform dark gray due to chemical deterio-ration of the image-forming coating, while the reverse left bril-liantly white pigment on my fingers every time I reluctantly was

forced to handle it. I managed to copy of what I was still able to read to a word-processing document—and then promptly forgot

about it as fatherhood and the increasing demands of a career as a publishing executive took over what little spare time I had. I recently came across the sad remains of that “original”,

which after 20 years in my library had turned into shreds of a powdery, brittle, chemically contaminated substance that was as easily identifiable as the remnants of a wasps nest as they resem-

bled paper.

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The trigger for my recollection that I still had it some-where in my library was a chat on the comparative target area of épée and smallsword with Mssrs. Tom Leoni, Christopher Tre-

ichel, and Victor Markland in the aftermath of the Baltimore Arms and Armor Collectors Association’s 2016 show. That social meet-ing took place at the Baltimore Fencing Center in Timonium,

Maryland. After an involved search, I managed to retrieve the digital file of my transcription on a by-then ancient Apple laptop, and was able to transfer it via activating an old AOL dial-up num-

ber, and email it to myself.

Speculative Provenance

Yet another word of caution: I represent the sole prove-

nance of this potentially 40-year-old photocopy of a handwritten transcription of a lost manuscript. The only biblio-chronological context of this photostat I proffer is the book I found it in: Die En-

twicklung der europäischen Trutzwaffen mit besonderer Berück-sichtigung der Sportwaffen by Karl E. Lochner, self-published by his widow Anna Lochner in Vienna in 1968. That book’s copy-

right notice indicates that the manuscript was concluded by 1949, four years before Lochner (also self-)published Die Entwick-lungsphasen der europäischen Fechtkunst (1953), and eleven

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years before his Waffenkunde für Sportfechter und Waffenlieb-haber (Vienna, 1960). 3

While the latter two titles are brochures rather than books,

totalling 41 pages and 67 pages, respectively, Lochner went to the trouble of having them professionally typeset and printed. Despite its girth of 330 pages, however, the 1968 volume is really properly

called the reproduction of a manuscript rather than a book: It was typed on a manual typewriter (and rather inexpertly at that). It is loosely unformatted, with stray tabs, migrating mar-

gins, and super-imposed letters where a typographic error had oc-curred in the pre-White Out era. Its format is DIN-A4 (i.e., slight-ly larger than the U.S. letter standard, with a beige cover on card

stock, and bound with textile tape. It was probably reproduced in a very small quantity of possibly only a few dozen copies. 4

Anna Lochner’s note indicates that she undertook the typ-

ing herself, based on her by then late husband’s handwritten man-uscript, whose first efforts, she indicates, dated back to the 1920’s.

Who was Karl Lochner?

I ordered these two titles in the very early 1990’s from the Akademie 3

der Fechtkunst Österreichs in Graz, Austria. That organization still of-fers them for sale at http://www.fechtmeister.org/literatur.htm. The 1968 work I acquired separately, but certainly prior to the period during which I published Hammerterz Forum, i.e., before 1994.

I hasten to add that this text, unlike the now-lost Xerox of the tran4 -script of the Alchemia, is still in my collection and available for inspec-tion.

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The Austrian Lochner identifies himself as a “Diplom-fechtmeister”, an accredited fencing master. According to his wife’s preface, he was born in Prague on May 25, 1900. In 1927,

he underwent the fencing master’s exam under the supervision and chairmanship of Adam Ritter von Sokolowski, then docent of fencing at the German university of Prague. Lochner also founded

the Barbasetti-Herren-Fechtclub (“Gentlemen’s Fencing Club “Barbasetti”) right after World War I and taught fencing until the end of World War II. The programmatic name of the club leaves

no doubt what fencing method Lochner was trained in. Lochner “arrived in Vienna in 1946”, during the expulsion of everyone and everything German from what first was to be-

come Czechoslovakia and, later, the Czech Republic. Anna Lochner calls Vienna “die Stadt seiner Ahnen”, the city of his an-cestors. A brief note in the curriculum for fencing instructors of

the Austrian fencing academy indicates that he “carried with him the last coat of arms of the Federfechter”, which was adopted by the Akademie der Fechtkunst Österreichs. 5

In the following decades, Lochner was involved in the re-constitution of the Akademie in Vienna in 1950, whose president

he was until 1960. In April of 1962, he attended the foundation of an International Fencing Master Academy in Basel, Switzerland. He may have died shortly after, as Frau Lochner refers to his bad

health at that point in time.

Laszlo, Herbert and Sonia Lehr- und Prüfungsstoff für die 5

Übungsleiter-Ausbildung im Fechten, Graz: Akademie der Fechtkunst Österreichs, n.y.; http://www.marozzo.info/fior15/phocadownload/pruefstoff_didak-tik_uel.pdf

!7

This little bit of biographic information offers plenty of speculative potential. Did Lochner (if it indeed was him who tran-scribed the original) encounter the text of the Alchemia in Prague,

possibly where he found the “last coat of arms of the Feder-fechter”, as the Akademie claims? Probably not, because other-wise he may have referred to it in either his own works. (He did

not.) However, since the manuscript of his larger work was fin-ished in 1949, and, according to his wife, his later brochures were “excerpts” from it that he published for the very specific audience

of “Sportfechter” (sports fencers)—a group generally not overly interested in the arcana of fencing history—he may have encoun-tered it in Vienna or possibly Graz after 1950 and not bothered

including or integrating it via reference or annotation. Possibly, his widow included a photocopy of his transcript in a copy of the 1968 work (which she herself had produced and almost certainly

distributed herself) before she mailed it to a colleague or other as-sociate of her late husband who she knew shared his passion. All these propositions are, of course, the most speculative

of all speculative hypotheticals. Other alternatives are possible. The Xerox may have been put inside the pages of my copy of the

book by any other previous owner, probably Austrian, possibly German, maybe even Swiss. Where the original transcript came from, who made it, and who created the original text will probably

never be cleared up. In addition to the text, the Lochner prove-nance should be regarded under the Italian motto of se non è vero, è ben trovato. I’ve attributed it to him to honor his now mostly

forgotten efforts as a fencing historian.

!8

The Language

As a native German and a long-time collector of old fenc-ing literature, I am very familiar with German-language texts on the art and science of fencing. I have read and analyzed many

dozens of them, and am knowledgeable enough to be earnestly compiling a concise and inclusive concordance and German-Eng-lish dictionary of the German fencing Kunstsprache. However, I

am not by any means an academic expert on historical German speech patterns and dialects, especially those reflected in the pre-orthographic phonetic, ideosynchratic and woefully un-edited

handwritings of anonymous authors of early modern eras. There-fore, I cannot offer any scientifically supported opinion on the hodgepodge of terms and turns of phrase I’ve encountered in this

text. All I can proffer by way of insight is that the author certainly was educated, if not exactly a scholar. The copy identified him as “Juncker von A—”, Junker being a lesser and politically mostly

insignificant German noble, much like the English “squire”. A’s abundant use of Latin clichés and phrases indicates that he had some training as a jurist or perhaps cleric, an impres-

sion reinforced by his contemplation of the practical legal conse-quences of “winning” a duel—execution, incarceration, or exile—insights not encountered in many contemporary works on the art

itself, but more so in legal and theological treatises. His advice not get involved with frivolous affairs of honor derives from the moral

same sentiment as Abraham a Sancta Clara’s “Fecht-Narr” (see Page 20):

!9

Aus der vermeinten Fecht-Kunst aber erwachsen nichts als Duellanten, wozu sich gleich schlagen liederliche Bechanten, mancher kann kaum ein Maas Wein ohne Raufen aussaufen (...) 6

The author’s use of fencing terminology indicates that he

was well-versed in the Italian and perhaps French methods of fencing as they are reflected in the fencing literature of the 17th

and early 18th centuries. However, it is difficult to pinpoint where his knowledge originated. Von A. compares the art of fencing to a craft (Handwerck)

and then decides it is not, but rather an obscure science compara-ble to alchemy. He indicates that there are no “recipes” or Zedel that could assist in the mastering of the craft. This term refers to

the brief written texts included in medieval and Renaissance illu-minated manuscripts and drawings that explain what is depicted or said, much like modern comic book “speech bubbles”.

Of course, the ancient illustrated manuals of Talhoffer con-tain just such Zedel or Zettel, and there are plenty of mnemonic rhymes in the Medieval and Renaissance German sources whose

purpose was assisting medieval students of the fighting arts to

“Out of the so-called Art of Fencing grow nothing but duelists, to 6

whom disreputable Bacchants attach themselves, some of them unable to quaff a tankard of wine without fighting.” in a Sancta Clara, Abraham Centi-folium stultorum in quarto, oder, Hundert ausbündige Narren in folio : neu aufgewärmet und in einer Alapatrit-Pasteten zum Schau-Es-sen, mit hundert schönen Kupffer-Stichen, zur ehrlichen Ergötzung, und nutzlichen Zeit-Vertreibung, sowohl frölich- als melancholischen Gemüthern aufgesezt: auch mit einer delicaten Brühe vieler artigen His-torien, lustiger Fablen, kurtzweiliger Discursen, und erbaulicher Sitten-Lehren angerichtet, Nürnberg: Weigel, 1709; 102.

!10

memorize important technical or perceptive aspects of that art. If von A. is unaware of these ancient methods of knowledge transfer, his own training may not have involved masters or instructors

trained in the old, imperially privileged brotherhoods of the Marxbrüder or Federfechter. Indeed, his references to those fenc-ing and teaching under the coat-of-arms of the lion and the quill,

are downright derisive: In his eyes they are Schelme, i.e., scoundrels or rascals, and their Master Liechtenauer is “the great-est rascal of them all”).

This said, his dismissive references to fencing masters in general, and some French and Kreußlerian mannerisms in particu-lar, lead me to believe that he had hands-on experience with both.

He anticipates (or possibly echoes) Friedrich Anton Kahn, who in 1739 wrote about the quite literally misguided fencing student, whose

voriger Lehrmeister hat ihm einen unfehlbaren Stoß, Volten, Paßaden, Rumpaden, Glißaden, Falcaden, und wer weiß was mehr vor Kunststücke gelernet: Anitzo aber höret er von dem zweyten, daß dieses alles meis-tens nicht besser zu achten sey, als in der Medicin das trinkbare Gold, die Panaceen, das Seegensprechen und alle die Künste, womit die Marktschreyer das gemeine Volk zu bezaubern pflegen. 7

Kahn, Friedrich Anton, Anfangsgründe der Fechtkunst, Göttingen: bey 7

Johann Christoph Ludolph Schultzen, 1739; p.40: “whose previous mas-ter taught him an infallible thrust, voltes, passadas, rumpades, glides, flanconnades, and who knows what other tricks; But now he hears from the new one that all this is to be regarded no higher than, in the field of medicine, potable gold, panacaeas, magic formulas and all the arts that the quacks enchant the common folk with.”

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It is his reference to “einge Jentscher” (“some people from Jena”) in the context of the forward inclination of the upper body, sub-headed [Vorbeugen des Oberkörpers] by the transcribist,

which may indicate his familiarity with the Kreußler school in Jena. This would put the origin of this writing into the latter half 8

of the 17th century.

Von A.‘s other clues toward a proper dating remain equally inexact and vague, although they provide a speculative glimpse into the author’s awareness and judgment of contemporary social

conditions: In particular, his reference to the

Principes und Fuersten, so sie denn wenig halten moe-gen vom Leben der canaille wen sie in den Krig ziehn und ihre battaillen schlagen auff den Feldern und äkern der gemeinen Bürgersleut und Pauren,

in its critique of prices laying waste the cities and fields of their

subjects during their wars and battles, is reminiscent of the much earlier era of the Bundschuh and the peasant revolts. It perhaps reflects a general and critical weariness of the squabbles of

princes and sovereigns after the end of the Thirty Years War, which had devastated Germany from 1618 to 1648, and could in-dicate that von A. may himself have experienced the effects of that

war, even if only in his youth.

Wilhelm Kreußler (1597-1673) was admitted to the brotherhood of the 8

Marxbrüder in Frankfurt in 1618 and opened a fencing school in Jena in 1620. He and two of his sons were called to become Fecht- and Exerci-tienmeister to the royal Saxon court in 1669.

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The unflattering reference to Princes and their inconsider-ate habits toward the lower orders makes it unlikely that von A. wrote this text with the intent to dedicate it to a princely benefac-

tor, unlike, for example, Siegmund Carl Friedrich Weischner (1702-1774). Weischner was a fencing master at Weimar from 1728 on-

ward, and as of 1757 taught fencing at the Gymnasium illustre. Weischner authored two printed books, published in 1764 and 1765 , that were based on an illustrated manuscript of his fencing 9

techniques that, in 1731, he had created for his patron, Duke Ernst August I von Saxe-Weimar und Saxe-Eisenach. (That manuscript has survived , thanks in part to it being

properly bound in book form and placed into the care of the prince’s library in Weimar. It is still located at the Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek in Weimar.)

The Alchemia lacks any of the servile and sycophantic dedications that are the hallmark of those aspiring to or engaged in princely service and patronage. It labels the masters teaching at

Court Fecht=Affn, “fencing monkeys”, a moniker not designed to make friends in high places. It might have been a private memo-

randum of technique, or the instructions of an uncle or godfather to his nephew or ward heading out to university.

Uebungen auf dem Fürstl. Sächsischen Hoffechtboden zu Weimar, 9

Weimar: Hoffmann, 1764, and Die Ritterliche Geschicklichkeit im Fechten durch ungezwungene Stellungen und kurzgefaßte Lehrsätze gezeigt, Verbesserte und vermehrte Auflage mit behörigen Kupfern, Weimar: Hoffmann, 1765.

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Von A.’s allusions to the penal consequences of dueling are reflected in the Hals- oder peinliche Gerichtsordnung of Charles V.: 10

Under Chapter CXL, that legal code specifies, “Was eine rechte Notwehr ist”, explaining the basic doctrine of what Anglo-American jurisprudence calls “Perfect Self-Defence”, which, if

reasonable under the circumstances, is still considered an excuse for homicide under most modern American criminal statutes:

If one carrying a deadly weapon or arms attacks, looks and hits, and the one under attack cannot escape without danger or injury of his body, life, honor, or good reputa-tion, then the latter may save his body and life with proper defense without penalty. Even if he kills the at-

Koch, Johann Christoph. Hals- oder peinliche Gerichtsordnung 10

Kaiser Carls V. und des H. Röm. Reichs nach der Originalausgabe vom J. 1533 auf das genaueste abgedruckt und mit der zweiten und dritten Ausgabe v. J. 1533 und 1534 verglichen: nebst dem horixischen Pro-gramma: wahre Veranlassung der P.H.G.O. und einer Vorrede, Mar-burg: J.C. Krieger 1824:

So einer jemand mit einem tödlichen Waffen oder Wehr vberlaufft / ansicht oder schlegt / vnnd der benötigt kan füglich ohn Fährligkeit oder Verletzung seines Leibs, / Lebens / Ehr vnd guten Leumuts nicht entweichen / der mag sein Leib vnd Leben / ohn alle Straff / durch ein rechte Gegenwehr retten. Vnd so er also den Benötiger entleibet / ist der darum nichts schüldig / ist auch mit seiner Gegenwehr / biß er geschlagen wird / zu warten nicht schüldig / vnangesehen / ob es den geschrieben Rechten vnnd Gewonheyten entgegen were.

The full text is available at Jan Schäfer’s excellent blog, http://fecht-geschichte.blogspot.de/2016/10/notwehrgesetzgebung-im-16-und-17.html.

!14

tacker, he is not guilty, and he is not required to wait until he is actually being beaten before fighting back, no matter if it is contrary to written law and usage.

Under that penal code, however, self defense still had to be proven. If the circumstances did not justify the killing—and en-gaging in a duel arguably did not indicate spontaneous self-de-

fense but the deliberate consensual choice of using deadly weapons and deadly force in circumvention of the law—the one responsible for the homicide “sol als ein Todschläger mit dem

Schwerd zum Todt gestrafft weren”—shall be punished with death by the sword (i.e., beheading) as a murderer.

Much like today, “imperfect self-defence” carried with it the very real danger of capital punishment or, if mitigated, life-long incarceration. In the alternative, the remaining option was

flight and exile from the jurisdiction where the homicide occurred. In summa, the oblique and direct references to the cultural, legal, and spiritual environment would place the origins of the text

into a somewhat unique context, close to the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries. Given the paucity of fencing-related publications in Germany between the 1630’s and the 1650’s and, after Paschen

had rattled off his multitude of titles into the void, again from 1670 to the first years of the 1700’s, this would make the man-uscript an important “missing link” and gap filler for fencing his-

torians. I’ve attempted to reflect the linguistic color of the original as closely as possible, providing translations of specific turns of

phrase wherever applicable, and also appended a glossary of the terms of art as they are used in the text.

!15

!

Figure 1: Illustration of the “Fecht=Narr” (Fencing Fool) of Abraham a Santa Clara, a negative, moralist reflection on the art of fencing, fencing masters, and fencers at the beginning the 18th century.

!16

II.

The Method

!17

Like his countryman Emil Beck 300 years later, von A. is a

reductionist if not a rational minimalist. That in itself is unsurpris-

ing, since his purpose is to provide a brief outline of recommenda-tions for encounters during which lives (most importantly, one’s own) were at stake, rather than an exhaustive academic treatise on

the art. He combines insights derived from experience, weighing and comparing other approaches taught by the fencing masters at court.

The core principle of von A.’s approach is the positioning: The recommended guard is formed by extending the weapon hand further than in the classical (French) tierce or out-

side guard. The point is slightly tilted at the opponent’s wrist, aim-ing right behind his hilt: Should the opponent advance or extend without paying attention to this position, he would impale his

hand, wrist or arm on the point. The recommended setting of the 11

blade within the hilt supplements this. (See below). This slightly diagonal position of the fencer’s blade in relation to the oppo-

nent’s presumably straight blade position also allows for rapid lifts or taking of the opponent’s blade, either in tierce or in seconde/octave. (This is very close to current épée concepts).

Other than most contemporary sources who advocate the engagement of the blades at weite Mensur, or wide distance, von

This may be the Vorlegen mentioned in Friedrich Anton Kahn’s An11 -fangsgründe der Fechtkunst, where he describes a duel between a mod-erately skilled bully and a frightened fencing novice. The attacking ren-contreur impaled himself on the beginner’s point as he forgot to observe that his opponent had taken out a weit ausgelegt guard position.

!18

A. advises that the fencer is to keep just out of distance, i.e., a few inches outside of the wide measure, from which the opponent would require to advance and lunge to engage or make blade con-

tact. The fencer remains watchful and collected and as a general rule responds to the opponent’s advances by yielding ground,

opening distance, and maintaing ground contact with his feet. Mobility is emphasized by pushing forcefully back from the ball and toes of his front foot, or shoving off equally forcefully and

accurately from his back foot, ready to execute short attacks or binds with his forte against the opposing blade, striking in tempo or countering. Lunges are kept short, focusing on adding hand

speed to the speed of the body by continuing the extension of the arm throughout the action. Especially notable when compared to other sources is the

total absence of the Lektioniren from the text, the customary and 12

almost binary recitation of “if he, then you”—the core of fencing and wrestling pedagogy throughout the Middle Ages and early

modern period, where every action (Stück or Lection) had a corre-sponding counter-action (Bruch or Contra-Lection) that were prac-

ticed with almost ritualistic observation of sequence.

Von A. refers to the Stucken, lit.: pieces, which in the older German 12

martial arts tradition are sets of skills very much resembling those transmitted today from coach to student in an individual lesson. While later German writers, especially the later Roux generations, scoff at the old-fashioned Lektionieren as unscientific and limited, they retain much of their didactic and pedagogical relevance in modern competitive fenc-ing, as individual lessons.

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Of course, it is neither the apparent intent of the author nor the scope of the text to be by any means exhaustive, beyond the 12 elementary consideration of what the author considers impor-

tant for surviving mortal combat with a hostile opponent.

The Weapons

The author clearly differentiates between weapons to be

used for self defense and those used for the duel. His advice to the traveler who might face highwaymen and robbers is more practi-cal than that offered by any contemporary scholar of the sword:

Carry a staff and pack a gun, or, even better, two guns. His opin-ion about the self-defense qualities what the Anglo-American tra-dition would call a “smallsword” (perhaps encompassing the 13

transition rapier) is equally practical:

Eÿn zierlich Hoff-degn wie wol sich die cavalirs ansteckn kan eygendtlich nits ausrichten gen ein reso-luten Strauckdieb wer dir an den Gurgel wil. Seÿ einge-denck dazs der Degen nur durch die Spitzz einwirken kann so du kein reutter=degen tregst das Holtz aber in ganzer leng dem Galgenluder auff dem Puckel tantzen kan unnd auch mehrn durch grosße Mülenreddern eÿn-hallt biet. 14

The German word Degen, much like its French equivalent épée or 13

espée, simply means “sword” and as such denotes a wide range of thrust and cut-and-thrust swords.

The Hofdegen can only injure with the point, but you can make a staff 14

“dance” on the backs of bushwhackers as you thrash them with grand molinelli!

!20

While unsuitable for “self defense”, the smallsword is a legitimate weapon for the more specialized combative scenario of the duel or affair of honor. Here, too, his advice is quite general,

but more specific than that of other German masters:

steck ein guten Degen zu dir, von gerater & genug beugsamer Klingen, nit mehr unnd nit vil kurtzer als vier lange Spañ vom Gefess zur spitzz. Hab Schwerdt-fegern setz die Klingen mit geringem Winkul unter= unnd inwärtts so dazs die Spitzz bei strackem Arme et-was nach lincks & gering nach unten zeuge. 15

While in his section of the weapons of the traveler, von A.

clearly differentiates between smallsword and Reiterdegen (a straight-bladed “broad”sword with both cutting and thrusting ca-pabilities), the exact blade configuration for this recommended

Degen remains unclear: He does not specify if the blade should be square (as in the modern foil), triangular (as in the modern épée), or flat, as in early Kreußlerian foils from Germany.

His vagueness regarding the specifications of the weapon is mirrored in the works of Anton Friedrich Kahn, who (as men-tioned above) was the first to write up and publish his own take on

the Kreußlerian school—first in 1739, then again in 1769. Kahn, too, is strangely non-committal when he talks about the weapons.

A “good sword” (gute[r] Degen) has a straight and “sufficient15 -ly” flexible blade, about four long spans (c. 80 cm) from the hilt to the point. He advises to have the blade “set” by the sword cutler, so that the point aims somewhat to the left and downward. This is one of the first historical indications of customizing the “setting” of a blade.

!21

In fact, he proffers no ideal dimensions or weight for a foil (or Rappir, as foils were called in 18th-and 19th-century Germany), only commenting that overly large weapons were the hallmark of

the Renommist or braggart . It would appear that, as long as you 16

had studied according to Kreußler's method, it just didn't matter what kind of weapon you had at your disposal.

There is also no specific reference to the hilt configuration: No mention is made if the weapon is to have the cup-and-crossbar design of the Kreußlerian foil, or could possibly have a flat leather

or even wooden disk, as in the German university students’ Paris-er or Tellerrapier. In 1798, Johann Wilhelm Roux (whose family, like that 17

of the Kreußlers, was to teach the system for more than a century) also is less than rigorous in his specifications:

Man hat deshalb ungefähr fünf Spannen als das gewöhnliche Längenmaß angenommen, wovon eine Spanne für die Angel und vier zu der Klinge selbst gerechnet sind. … Ob [das Stichblatt] platt oder hochgebogen i s t , mach t ke inen wirksamen Unterschied. ... Die Parirstangen, welche seitwärts einen kleinen Zoll über das Stichblatt hervorstehen, müssen wohl an demselben angeschweißt, und nicht zu

Since braggards probably wouldn’t carry foils, this reference must 16

apply to Degen.

Roux, Johann Adolph Karl Gründliche und vollständige An17 -weisung in der deutschen Fecht-Kunst, aus ihren innersten Gründen wissenschaftlich erläutert etc., Jena: Wolfgang Stahls Buchhandlung, 1798.

!22

schwach seyn. Ihre Entfernung [zum Stichblatt] beträgt eines guten Daumens Breite.

One usually assumes 5 Spans (1 Span = 20cm or 9", depending if it is a kleine or große Spanne), of which one span is allotted to the hilt, and the other four to the blade itself. … If the [dish]hilt is flat or domed makes no real difference. … The crossbar, which sticks out "a small inch" over the guard, have to be welded to the guard and not bee too week. Its distance to the hilt is about a thumb's width. (See also, FN27).

!

Figure 2: Johann Wilhelm Kreußler, fencing master at Jena and founder of the most influential fencing master dynasty in Germany.

!23

This corresponds to the blade specifications provided in the chap-ter on Fechtkunst in Johann Samuel Halle’s 1765 encyclopedia of arts, where he reports on the disadvantages of an over-long blade

and states:

Es muß die fechtermäßige Länge der Klinge vom Gefäße, oder auch zugleich mit dem Gefäße 5 Spannen lang seyn, eine Spanne nämlich für das Gefässe, Griff und Knopf, vier für die Klinge an sich. 18

Even in 1849 , Wilhelm Roux, is somewhat lackadaisical 19

in regard to technical specifications:

Das Rapier besteht aus einer 32 Zoll langen, gut gestählten Klinge.

The foil consists of a 32" long, well steeled (car-bonized) blade.

It is only at the end of the 19th century that the association

of fencing masters (dominated by Roux offspring) discovers the beauty of standardization:

Das Gefäß besteht aus einem Stichblatt, einer in flacher Glockenform gegossenen oder getriebenen Met-allscheibe, auf deren inneren Seite eine, die letztere et-

Halle, Johann Samuel, Werkstäte der heutigen Künste, oder die neue 18

Kunsthistorie, Brandenburg and Leipzig: Johann Wendelin and Johann Samuel, Halle, 1765; Vol. 4 (“Die Fechtkunst”, 363f).

Roux, Friedrich August Wilhelm Ludwig Die Kreussler ’sche 19

Stoßfechtschule. Zum Gebrauch für Academieen und Militärschulen, Jena: Druck und Verlag von Friedrich Mauke, 1849.

!24

was überragende Parierstange, vom gleichen Metall gefertigt, ruht, einem Griff aus Holz, mit Bindfaden umwickelt oder mit Fischhaut überzogen, und einem Gefäßknopf, durch welchen die einzelnen Teile des Rapiers zusammengehalten werden Das Stichblatt (die Glocke) soll nicht größer sein, als zur Deckung der Hand unumgänglich ist. Die Höhlung zwischen Parierstange und Stichblatt muß genügende Tiefe haben, damit der Zeigefinger zwischen Parierstange und Stichblatt (Glocke) eine bequeme Lage hat. ... Bezüglich der Länge des Griffes bleibt zu be-merken, daß derselbe die geschlossene Hand nur um ein Weniges überragen und beim Beugen der Hand nach unten nicht in das Gelenk stoßen darf (die langen Griffe der französischen Fleurets sind für unser deutsches Stoßfechten nicht zu gebrauchen). Der zylindrische Knopf muß genau dieselbe Rundung wie das Ende des Griffes haben. ... 84 bis 87 cm lange Klingen sind die geeignetsten. 20

The oldest Kreußlerian foil in the Amberger Collection

(see Figure 3, leftmost weapon) dates to the early 18th century, although dating is speculative. The blade is marked +++ SOLIN-GEN +++ (stamped into the blade), is short and flat and inserts

through a quadrangular hole in the guard. Interestingly, a leather pad is mounted between the crossbar and the blade, making it im-

Grüneklee, Robert, Roux, Ludwig Cäsar, et al. (writing as Verein 20

deutscher Fechtmeister) Deutsche Stoßfechtchule nach Kreußlerschen Grundsätzen, zusammengestellt und herausgegeben vom Verein deutscher Fechtmeister, Leipzig: Weber, 1892: Blades between 84 and 87 cm are recommended—and the long, French-style handles are totally useless for German-style thrust fencing!

!25

possible to have the index finger fit over the crossbar inside the guard as generally advised—but kindly preserving an imprint of how its original owner held it in his hand. If there ever was a

leather or cord wrapping around the hardwood handle, it has long been lost. The handle itself is long and not entirely unlike French handles of the period.

With no shoulder on the blade that would anchor it on the guard, the sidebar's role is to provide the resistance against which the rest of the hilt is fixed to the blade. There is no distinct ricasso

to the blade, the flat blade simply goes through the aperture in the guard. It is plausible that the hilt that von A. had in mind when he wrote resembled this foil (illustration below). However, other than

the setting of the blade we are left with no further specifications.

!

!

Figure 3: Kreußlerian foils, 1700-1900. Amberger Collection.

!26

!

Figure 4: Folly, wearing a Fool’s cap, arming two cantankerous young men, turning a drunken disagreement into murder and mayhem.

!28

III.

The Text

!29

Alchemia dimicandi

oder aber,

“Ein Alchemia des Ernst=fechtens in zwölff Elementt,”

vom Juncker von A—

Nun ist es mit der Fechterey im ernste nit wie mit dem Brotte backen. Dort gebets keiñ Sprücheleyn oder Zedeln welch-er dem Lehrpurschn beybeuth, zu welchen Theilen das Mehl mit deme Wasser & das Wasser mit der Hefen zuthan werde, damit am end immern ein knu-perig Laib aus dem Ofen zogen werde, seys nu Regen, seys Soñenschein. Das ohn-schimpf-flich Fechten zu Hoffe ist daher wol mer Alchemie denn Handw-erck, warumb die Fecht= & Klopff= & Exercitiien=meystern zu Hoffe uñd an die hohn Schuln und adligen-Akademiien zu-

malen was mit Goldpfuschern gemeyn ham als wie mit Offizirs und Soldatten. E& auch gle-ichviel ohnnütz Zeugs dabey entstehet mit viln Dampff und Rauch und Knall uñ Klappen. Seind die Hoeffe der Principes generaliter ortte wundersamer Wande lung wo e in dür r s Schneyderlin names Nepk. Schmitten mutirn kan in den gerümbten Herrn Faber. Doch seind auch deñ die welch sich unterstehn unterm Panir von deme leowen od. von der Feder zu lerhrn uñ zu fecht-en, zumeist arge gauckeler & Schelm, welch erzäln etzlich Stuk vom Magister Leichten-

!30

hauern, welcher dereinst under den alden Klopff=Fechtern der grözt Schelm gewest. Unnd seynd die Zumpftmeestern gen-eraliter, mit ihro narrigte Wehrn, [illegible] Paurn mit seim pflegel. Gebet es nun zween oc-casiones zu welchem man im ernste die Wapen ergreiff. Primo kommet das rencontrirn zu welchem zweyn Hetzköpff od. Sauffbeuteln die Degen zeugen & aneinander geratn, ohn Vor=sicht und Vor=besinnung, am breiten Steyn, od. in der Gossen, einer vielleicht gar mit dem Stock od. Pruegell, der an-der mit dem Degen wappnet, unnd balgen sich ohn regul in-t en t nur adver sar ium zu meucheln & zu sehrn. eyn Mansbildt von siñen & firmer ratio meydt solch Kumpaneÿ allemalen uñ kan niemahlen Parthey machn so eyn Trucken-boldt ihm ahn die Ehren kratzzen wolle.

Ein ander ist weñ zween sich nach der Regul meucheln wolln in demo duello, welches eyn wälsch Ohnsitt ist so sich in Teutschland ausbreyt hatt zusam mit der frantzösisch malaise. hiero idem meide bey weittem

ein Man voñ guter Vernumpft occasionem zur Stänckerey zu gebn. Geb ich aber bey das of-tentheÿls selbst ein groszer Man es ni t kan meiden, wann Schandtmäuler klappen & wie die Ratzen an der Ehr eim na-gen. So auch die Ehr im Manne daselb ruhet depreciret doch seyn fama so er die Mäuler ohngeschrenck reißen lesst. Memento bene, koñtst Du denn nit meiden mit von Parthie zu seyn, daso bedenck es ist nit alleyn Adversarius der Dir dan über die klingenspitzz in die Seelen blicket, sondern der Sensennman stehet ihm bey all-bereith dir den lebens=fadn zu schneydten mit jener falx welche die eynenn blindes fatum die andern ohnglück od. Zu=fall nenn. Uñd gedenck dass wedern Kunnsten noch Handwerck kan dem ohnglück gantz wider-wirckn.

Befiel also denn deyn Seel in GOttes Hand und sammel den Sinn dein beyden Feindt nem-blich zu widerstehn und observir die Stucken unnd Elementt wie folget.

***

!31

[Waffen des Reisenden]

Sagestu nun abern das es ein dritts gebe, wann der Reisende unterwegens von räubern und Weglagern und andern Galgen-fogeln befallen werde & sich so vertheidigen müsse. Da zu sag ich dasß auch hiero die Fürsicht regir und wenn du mit mehren andern & unter Tag reisest du den Beu-telschneydern die Lust nemest mit dir zu rauffen. Bisst aber allein, so steck ein guts Pistol zu dir unnd weis es wohl zu brauchen denn Knall und Rauch wirren den Feind unnd lassen dich selbst conter-attaqirn od. des Haasen Panir ergreiffen, worinnen kein Schand ist.

Besser Ding denn eyn pistol seind zween pistoln unnd trock-en Pulver in der Pfann. Hast aber kein Pistol so trag einn fes-ten Stab oder aber Stang wie dereinst die altten Klopff-Fechter zur Fechtschul tragen habñ, circa fünnef Schuch hoch und von hartem Eichen=Holtze. Eÿn zierlich Hoff-degn wie wol sich die cavalirs ansteckn kan eygendtlich nits ausrichten gen

ein resoluten Strauckdieb wer dir an den Gurgel wil. Seÿ eingedenck dazs der Degen nur durch die Spitzz einwirken kann so du kein reutter=degen tregst das Holtz aber in ganzer leng dem Galgenluder auff dem Puckel tantzen kan unnd auch mehrn durch grosße Mülenred-dern eÿnhallt biet.

***

[Waffen des Duells]

Tretst du also an dein Adversar-ium in Ehren=Handeln zu op-ponirn, so steck ein guten Degen zu dir, von gerater & genug beugsamer Klingen, nit mehr & nit vil kurtzer als vier lange Spañ vom Gefess zur spitzz. Hab Schwerdt-fegern setz die Klingen mit geringem Winkul unter= unnd inwärtts so dazs die Spitzz bei strackem Arme etwas nach lincks & gering nach unten zeuge. Dein Hand sëy starck & des Gefesses wol wohnet denn wen du schwachen Greiff aufweist wird dir adversarius den Degen aus der Hand hauwen. So du handtschuch an-habest, tauch Zeiger & Daum in

!32

Waszer, so kanstu die Kling besser regirn.

Follget nunmehro, die zwelff Element des sich ern-stlich balgens welche ich nenn die recht alchemia mit dem Tegen zu kempffen so es ums Leben gehet.

***

[Kampfplatz]

Primo: Bistu in loco duellis, seh nur gleich zu wie beschaffen die stett sey. Meid wol das Gras uñ die groben Steyn und such firmen Standt mit der Sonn im Nacken so du zutag fichtst. Habestu eynen Augenblick so reum die stolper-Steynn & knit-teln von die Bahn also du schlagst dem fatum ein kleins Schnittchen hinweg. Hastu die Bahn befreiet võ unrath so leg dich aus wo der Boden am ebendtsen und der Gruñd firm.

***

[Stellung]

Secundo: Hastu die Stellen zu dein Vertheidigung curiret, formir mit den Hacksen eyn

rechtn Winkul, die forder Schu=Spitzn auf adversarii Mit-ten gericht, den hintern Hacksn gleich dahinter. Spring auss dieser positio leicht in die Hoeh mit Beydn Fueß zugleich und itzo land mit beydn Fueß zugle-ich in positio welch die Natur dir ansaget, mit beuten knien. Denn wie ein Katz oder Bockelin landt ein man in per-fecter positur so er aus dem Sprung auff-wärtss die Erdn wieder rühret. Sihest Du nu nunter an dir merckest du, daß die Hacksen dir eineinhalben Schun aus einander sind und dein Naben od. umbilicum genaun in der Mittn sitzet. Siech das dein forder =knien so beut ist das es dir [die Sicht auf] dein Zegen versperret, halt aber dein Ober=corpus oprecht, dein Nas s t r a c k s g e n a d v e r s a r i u m gewandt. Dies neñ ich naturalis od. naturlich Positur von welch-er du mit groesztem Nutzen agirest, seys im offendirn seys im defendirn.

***

[Vorbeugen des Körpers]

!33

Nun sagn einge Jentscher daß man den Ober=corpus stark an der Hüpfte beuggen sol damit die Ribben ein Art thoracium oder lorica bilden, auff dass dem adversarius die spitzz abgleite so er dich treff. Ich aber denk das dies nichts bringe alls adver-sario dein Brust zu offerirn oder vorzuhalten, zudem es dir den fordern fusß ohn Gebühr beschweret. Willst du dein Ribben dich pantzern lassen, so blase dein Brodem aus durch die Nas wen du mit Tempo agirest.

***

[Haltung der Waffe]

Tertio: Wie du nun stest mit den fueßen propre, lasz dein rechten arm hengen mit der de-gen=Spitzz auf Dein forder schu-Spitz pointirnd, dein el-genbogn ohn spannung zweyn feust for der Hüpftn. Itzo, heb in auff und richt dein Zeiger und Spitz ad adversarium, die klin-gen in der waag-recht linea auff sein Mittn pointirend. So er nun daselbst posituram bezeuget, nemblich angulir dein spitz mit den Kupfen der finger daß dein

Degen=spitz recht hinter sein degen-gefeß und unter sein Faustgelenck zeiget, in halb rechten Winkul, und richt den arm so einn dazs zum vollende-ten Außstoße nur ein kurzer Spann fehlet. So er nun avan-ciret od. extendiret seyn arm will dir in die spitz lauffen ohn dass du vil beythun mußt. Ist dies ein positura was kan den kampff enden ab initio so dein Feyndt ein Heiskopf oder Cholericus sey oder hat ein par lectiones bezogen vom Fechtpfuscher. Deñ ein unfermer oder irater fechter, was die Frantzen ferailleur nenn, will immer ab initio agirn und offtmals rennet los auf eiñ bevor er sich vollends gesiñt.

***

[Fechtabstand]

Quarto: So du nun dein cor-pus in ultimam posituram habest, siech auf die mensur, daß ist, den Abstandt zum Adver-sario den du benöthigest in mit deiner Klingen zu sehrn. Wo die Fecht+meister lehrn daß du in der mensur stehest, ob eng ob

!34

weit ob fern, sag ich steh ausz-erhalb, so daß er wo er longiret oder aussfallt oder bloß avan-ciret mit dem fürtritt oder Pass, immer einen Zoll removiret von deim corpus sey. Hat er sich nun so ap-prochiret und zu kurtz ver-stossen und isst nun im retiriren begriffen beleg ihm sein Klin-genschwech mit deiner Stärckn von innwedig, ligir und cavir dein spitz unterhalb sein gefass idem angulir dein Faust=gelenck ausswendig zur rechten und dein Spitz inwendig zur lincken, dan forcirest du im Fürtretten sein klingen=Spitzz auszerhalb und zu oberst deiner rechten wo es dir kein Leids thun kan und trittst ein wie ein Keill der das Scheit auseinand springen lesst.

So sein Fürtritt ein Fainte od. Ferführung war beherrschest du nun sein kling und im radoppirn oder rimessirn stösset er sein Spitz wol weiter ab=we-gens von dir weg indes er in dein Degen laufft. Nota bene das im Stückn tertio du keinen unnd in quarto du nur einen tempo, nemblich im legirn thuest unnd dein Adversarius sich also daselb letzet idem er dir zusetzet.

***

[Folgen des Kampfes und wie man Strafe vermeidet]

Supra bemerckete ich das stehn sich zweyn genüber mit zucktem Degen, die scharffe Spitz auff adversarii Aug oder Herz gericht, so stehet immer der Todt inmitten. Doch es ist nit alleyn des Feyndes degen welcher dir den Todt bereitn kan sonders auch dein eigen Gewehr das GOtt bewahr dich den Feindt ersticht. Denn die Principes und Fuersten, so sie denn wenig hal-ten moegen vom Leben der canaille wen sie in den Krig ziehn und ihre battaillen schla-gen auff den Feldern und äkern der gemeinen Bürgersleut und Pauren, so sind sie doch bedacht dass niemanden ihnen ins Handwerck pfusche so das Leben eines Unterthan involvirt sey. So muszte mancher der honoris causa glücklich seyn Feindt erstochen hatt Kopff und Leben lassen quasi ein gemeiner Strolick und Todtschlager, oder lebte aus sein Jugend bei Wasser

!35

undt Brott im Gefängnuss ver-lustig seins Freyheit, Geldts und Guts, oder suchte sein Seelen-heil in exilio fern ab vom Vatter-land und den seynen eingedenck der schweren Straffen welche auffs Morden eins Ehrnmanns stünden. So difficile es also sey sich in medias res zu besinnẽ das dein eigen Leben durch Bezwingung des Feindts dem Todt verfalln mag so mein ich doch dass man es a priori ver-meyden kan, den Gegner töedtlich zu letzen und doch den Kampff zu endẽ ohn daß eim Leb und ehr verlustig gehn.

In tertio sagte ich an wie deñ der Degen zu halten sey, das heiszt, wagrecht zum boden, mit der Spitzz gen den Puls adver-sarii gericht.

Die ratio diser Positur ist solche: So sich zweyn mit blankem Schwerdt gegenüber sind ist das nechste Ziel der Klingen stracks hinter adversarii gefess, uneingedenck das einer habe ein längern arm od. sey g r ö s z e r g e w a c h s e n o d e r gewandter denn der andere. Ergo, das dir naheste Theil ad-versarii ist sein Hand.

Nun sagen die einen dasz man dem Feindt hüpsch ritter-lich den modus defendi lassen sol indem man ihm die Hand unversert lasse. Ich hingegn sag daß dies ein groszer Ohnsinn sey, denn wo man willens ist sein und seynes Feindts Leib und Leben zu risqiren isst ein Schnidt od. Stich in die Handt oder Arm ein wenings, den dieser kan und wird oft ohnhin durch Unacht unnd ohn intent ausgetheillt. Ist aber ein stich inn arm kein bagatel denn viel aufrecht Männer sind am Fol-genden eins solchen klaeglich eingangen od. habñ den arm gantz verlorn.

Helt man nun die Waffe wie supra und befleissigt man sich dieser positur a tempo oder im kurzen Nachstosse auff des Feindes attaqe so ist es nicht dein Schuldt wen adversarius dir in die Spitzen lauffet und man kan dir kein Strick draus drehn das er sich ohn Verstand unnd Fürsicht in Gefahr begebt, man könnt sonst den Steyn zei-hen das er eim den Zehen staucht oder den Igelmann so er sich in ein Stachelball rollt idem der Fuchs mit dem Maul nach

!36

ihm schnapt. Lassest du adver-sarium sich selbs letzen und nur iñ arm sehren & nicht im Hertzen so kanst du den Zwist ab initio enden und lädtst kein weltlich Schuldt auff dich welches die Obrigkeyt sich be-fleissigt zu ahnden.

*** [Avanciren und Retiriren]

Quinto: Liegstu nun propre im lager, in der rechten Distanz wie oben dargeleget, so halt den Feindt wol in Visir. Tritt er auff dich eyn, so weich zu+rück, auff dasz du die Distantz wahrest, & lasz die Motion deiner Füsz nit sein alwie ein Storkch od. ein wälsch Tanztmeisterlein od. eyn dresirter Gaul, doch laß die solen deiner Füsz auf den Boden p r e s s i r n & s t o ß i t e m rueck=wärts võ demo Balln und Zehn vom Forderfusz, sey’s ein Spann weit seys nur ein Zoll.

Rüecket Adversarius dir ab, verfolg ihmo mit fürsicht die Distantz wahrend, & auss dem h i n d e r = f u ß v o m B o d e n stoszend, Spann fuer Spann, Zoll vor Zoll. So er aber mit Ohn-

stüm auff dich eindränget, halt ihm die Klingen vor in linea und stosz ein klein Sprung vom forder=Fusz rücken-warts so dasz er dir in die Spitzen rennet mit der Handt od. mit den Forder=Arme. Od., so sein Vorstosz ins Leere laufft, ligir ihm die Kling von oben mit der sterck & treff ihn wo du kanzt aus dem Angul wie ich obenn beschreibet hab.

***

[Vom Ausfall]

Sexto: Geitz mit dem Ausfalle, denn so bringstu dich selben in Gefar. Giebt es nun eiñge, welch den arm gestreckt ham, befor sie im Ausfalle mit dem fusz fürtret-ten. Iszt dies aber ein ander Ohnsinn quia sinn uñ zweck vom Auszfallen iszt nit ein Lantzenrennen auff Schusters Rappn, sonndern iszt die Schnelle der Handt zur Schnelle des Beins zu addirn.

Iszt aber dein Arm zur Völle extendiret vor der Forder=Fusz aufffellt so iszt der Stosz mehr langzam denn wenn du im stehn stoszest. Feltztu zu kurtz so setz gleich nach, kanzt du aber auch

!37

den hinder=Arm nach hindn und zur rechten Seitten werffen, dann addirest du zweyn od. dreyn Zoll an dein Vortstosz.

***

[Vom Stoße]

Septimo: Der stosz kompt auss demo extendirn doch sieh dich woll vor dein ellnpogn nit zu ausswerts zu lüpffen od. ihn zuvor rueck zu zeugn, deñ so wirst du adversarium verfehln. Denkestu dir jedoch dasß der Stosz auss dem platzirn des Ortts generirt & nit aus dem Schlag der Fausst so wissñ dein Finger ihn mit sorgfaltt anzuset-zn, & heb dein Fordergeleck ann idem so der Stich sitzet.

***

[Vom Doppeln des Stoßes]

Octavo: Duplir dein Stosz so du kannzt deñ ein ander Stich der sitzt ist beszer denn einer der zu schwach aufftrifft od. ann ärmel od. Manschett hanget. Trifft dein Spitz auff ohn effect so zeug ihn zurueck ein Zoll. Hastu dein Fordergelenck

gehoben so schnel le t d ie Schwech und spitzz nach obñ dieselb distantz wie dus hoben hasst, & treffet dergestalten ein Stell ober den Fehlstosz wenn du wiederumb vollends ex-tendirest.

***

[Vom Anbieten der Klinge]

Nono: Fechten nun vil indem si adversarii Kling zu binden od. ligirn, od. pattirn od. pressirn od. glissirn trachten und bildt sich manch Fechtmeysterlin vil druff eyn dasz sin etudiante mag vil Kunst=stuck thun wie ein dresirter Aff so nur adversarius ihmo die Kling zu lässet. Giebstu aber dem Feyndt dein Kling so damit zu spieln, so verdienestu dasz er dir Dein Wapn auss der Faust schlag od. fliegen lasst als ein Fogelin unnd dich hernach letzet. Stehstu im rechten Lager wie ich supra hab beschribn, kan er dir nit nach der Klingen langen und klappen. Zum andren, mu-tirestu od. cavirstu mit kleinstem Zirkul um sin Spitzt herumb undt lasst ihm din Eisen nit

!38

faßsn, so meidstu sein Kling insbesonders sin Sterck unnd nimmstu ihm occasionem zu zeugen was er am Klingen=spiel lernet hat. Wo er nu aber nach dein Klingen langt, so musz er wol sin Handt mutirn was im die Blöß am Arme öffnen mag.

***

[Vom Parieren]

Decimo: Es iszt vil Gewees

um die best manir zu parirn, item, dasz du die Schneitd dazu nimbst, um fortiter adversarii Kling ein haldt zu bieten. Iszt dies aber ein ander Ohnsiñ von deme Fecht=Affn zu Hoffe, daweiln das flach der Sterck all des adversarii krafft aufnehme ohn dasz du dein eign Schneidt von ihmo abwendtst, & er sich, so er ein scharpff gewer füret, die eign Schneidt stumpff hawet. Wasz dein linck handt angehet, so haltzie als du wilzt, jedoch weg von adversarii Klin-gen, so du nit fingeren laszen wollst. Denn die leer handt helt an sich nichts ab unnd ist flucks durchrennt so du mit ir für dir hinwedelest.

***

[Vom Zirkulieren]

Duodecimo: Sagn nun vil dasz du muszt deine motiones klein machen und haben auch recht. Doch rennet der Feyndt ohnsinning und mit macht auff dir ein hast du kein Zeit grozß zu grübelen wie denn die Cavate gar zierlich und kunnstfertig ist z u m a c h e n m i t d e n fingers=kupfen. Da du dich aber generaliter auß der Distantz heltzt, haszt du den fortheil vom Gegner & tritzt nur ein wenings zurueck mit grosßem circul welcher ihm die Klingen ab-fanget, sodann angulir mit dein Kling ausswendigs und stosz ihm flucks die Spitzt wo du nur kanst. Den klein Zerkul hat nur wenings krafft, ein groszer kan schlagen gleich eim Mühlerad.

So seynd dies die zwölpf El-emennt vom zu=ernst fechten unnd mehre brauchstu nit, wo du dein Sinnung gehältst und den Friedñ wahrest.

!39

!40

IV.

The Translation

!41

Alchemia dimicandi

or,

“An Alchemy of Fencing in Earnest, in Twelve Ele-ments,”

by Squire A—

Fencing in earnest is not like making bread. There are no teaching rhymes or written notes that drill the apprentice what parts flour are to be mixed with the water, and what part yeast is to be added, so that you always pull a crisp loaf from the oven without fail. Fencing in earnest is more alchemy than craft, which is why the fencing and

exercise masters at court, the schools, and the knightly acad-emies, resemble the gold makers more than the officers or sol-diers. And, like the former, they teach much nonsense with lots of smoke and noise. The courts of the princes are generally places of miraculous conver-sions, where a skinny little tay-lor by the name of Nep[omu]k.

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Schmidt can mutate into the fa-mous Monsieur Faber. 21

However, those who profess to teach and fight under the coat-of-arms of the lion and that of the quill , are mostly great jug22 -glers and rascals, who tell of the many lessons by Master Liecht-enauer, who long ago was the greatest scoundrel among all the Klopf-Fechter. Generally, the masters [or-ganized in the fencing] guilds, with their foolish weapons, are [illegible] peasant with his flail. There are only two situations in which one takes to the sword. First is the rencontre in which 23

two hotheads or drunkards draw their swords and attack each other, without caution or pre-meditation, on a sidewalk or in the gutter, one maybe only

armed with a cane or stick, the other armed with a sword, and they scrap without rules, intend-ing only to kill and injure the opponent. A man of good sense and reason should always avoid such company and never make him-self a party when a drunk wants to scratch at his honor.

Another situation is when two want to kill each other according to the rules, in a duel, which is a bad French custom which has spread in German lands alongside with the French malaise. 24

Here, too, a man of good sense shall avoid giving offense, but I admit that often even a great man cannot avoid getting involved when slanderous tongues wag and like rats gnaw on one’s honor.

Both Latin faber and German Schmied mean “smith”. Upwardly mo21 -bile Germans did indeed “upgrade” their pedigrees by latinizing last names. Maybe a close comparison of Fabris’ repertoire with that of the Marxbrüder and Federfechter could help clarify this—since both groups indeed included many taylors, as well as furriers, shoemakers and other honorable trades.

i.e., the Marxbrüder and Federfechter22

A spontaneous and unregulated encounter.23

The “French disease”—syphilis.24

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Granted that honor resides within the man, one’s reputation suffers if one lets the distractors attack it without opposition.

Keep in mind, if you cannot help making yourself a party, it is not only your opponent who gazes into your soul across the sword’s point, but Death stands right beside him, ready to cut your life’s thread with that sickle that some call blind fate, others bad luck or accident.

And remember that neither art nor skill can com-pletely counter bad luck. Thus direct your soul to the Lord and collect your senses to withstand both enemies, and pay attention to the lessons and elements that follow.

***

[Weapons of the Traveler]

Now you may say that there is a third situation, when a traveler is

attacked by robbers and cut-throats and other gallows birds, and has to defend himself. I say that here, too, precaution ap-plies, and if your travel with others and during day time , you take away the cut-purse’s desire to tussle with you. However, if you are by yourself, carry a good pistol and know how to use it, because noise and smoke con-fuse the enemy and allow you to counter-attack or run away, in which there is no disgrace. Even better than one pistol are two, with dry powder in the pan. But if you don’t have a pistol, carry a stout staff or pole, like the old Maisters of Defense 25

carried into their contests, about five feet long and made of oak. A delicate court sword, such as the noblemen carry, can do very little against a resolute high-wayman who wants to murder you. Remember that the sword only injures with the point, un-

In his 1742, Curiöses Reit- Jagd- Fecht- Tantz- oder Ritter-Exercitien-25

Lexikon, Valentin Trichter uses Klopff-fechter to denote any member of a fencers guild who engaged in public Fechtschulen or contests for money, regardless of their association with either the Marxbrüder or Federfechter. Weischner’s 1732 manuscript uses Kloppfechter as syn-onymous with “naturalist”, which is clearly not applicable here.

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less you carry a broadsword, but the wooden staff can dance on the back of gallow’s bait with its entire length, and also can keep several attackers at bay with large moulinets.

***

[Weapons of the Duel]

When you are about to face your opponent in a duel, select a good sword, with a straight and suffi-ciently flexible blade, no longer or not much shorter than four spans from tip to hilt. Have the 26

sword cutler set the blade with a slight angle under- and inward, so the tip points a bit to the left and just a bit down with your arm extended. Your hand must be strong and well used to the hilt, because if you have a weak grip the opponent will beat the sword from your hand. If you wear gloves, dip your index finger and thumb

into water, then you can better direct the blade.

Comes now, the twelve Ele-ments of swordplay in earnest, which I have called the right Alchemy to fight with the sword when your life is at stake.

***

[Place of the Encounter]

First: Once you arrive at the agreed place of the duel, you must inspect the grounds imme-diately. Avoid grass and places with large pebbles and seek a firm spot with the sun in your back if you fight during the day. If you have a moment, remove rocks and sticks from your position, thus you’ve al-ready played a trick on fate. Once you have cleared your line of engagement from trip haz-ards, collect yourself and go on

Spanne (span) is an ancient unit of measure, denoting the distance 26

between thumb and index finger when both are extended out, or about 20cm. A blade like that would measure about 80cm from the guard to the point and approximates modern fencing blades, rather than period smallswords or foils (either of French or German manufacture), which tend to be shorter.

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guard where the ground is most even and firm.

***

[Positioning]

Second: Once you have pre-pared the place for your defense, form a right angle with your heels, the tip of your front foot aimed at the center of your op-ponent, the back heel right be-hind. Lightly jump up from this position, with both feet at the same time, and also land with both feet simultaneously in the position that nature dictates, with bent knees. Just like a cat or young buck, a man lands in perfect position after a small hop into the air. If you look down, you will notice that your heels are about one and a half feet apart and your navel is centered right in the middle. Look down your front knee and observe that it is blocking your sight of your toes. Now keep your body upright and turn your nose toward the opponent. This I call the natural position, from which you can attack and defend with great ease.

***

[Inclining the Body]

Some fencers from Jena advo-cate to bend forward your upper body by tucking in the hip, to make your [overlapping] ribs form a kind of cuirass from why the opponent’s point would glance off if he hits you. But I think this is not useful for any-thing but placing your chest closer to the opponent and weighing down your front foot. If you want to make your ribs close up, exhale through your nose whenever you perform an action.

***

[Holding the Sword]

Third: Once your feet are posi-tioned properly, let your right arm hang down straight, with the tip of your weapon pointing at your front toe, your elbow loose and about two fists in front of your hip bone. Then lift your hand and have index finger and tip point at the opponent, blade held horizontal at his center.

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Once he goes on guard, angle your weapon in with your finger tips, so your point is directed right behind his hilt and slightly under his wrist, at a 45-degree angle, and extend you arm so it is only a few inches short off a full extension. If he advances or extends his arm, he will run into your point without you having to do much. In this position, you can instantly end the fight if your opponent is a hot-head or choleric, or has taken a few lessons from a bad fencing in-structor. A naturalist or irate 27

fencer, which the French call ferailleur, always wants to take the initiative and often starts running at you before he has thought it through.

***

[Distance]

Fourth: Once you’ve properly put yourself on guard, take heed of the measure, that is, the dis-tance between you and the op-ponent that is required to hit him with your point. The fencing

masters teach that you remain in distance, be it close, medium, or far distance, I say stand out of distance, so that, if he lunges or advances with a step forward or pass, [his point] be always about an inch away from your body. Has he advanced like that and fallen short, and is about to re-cover, bind his blade’s foible with your forte from the inside, and move your point under his hilt, then angle your wrist out-ward and the point inward to your left, and with your advance force his point outward to your upper right, where it can do no damage to you, and step in like a wedge that makes a pice of fire-wood burst apart. If his advance turns out to have been a feint or deception you’re still dominating his blade and even if doubles his lunge or remises, he himself will push his point well away from you while running into your tip. Note that in Part three you perform no [active] action, and in this fourth part you only perform one ac-tion, the bind, and your oppo-

Pfuscher indicates an element of quackery or fraudulent conduct. A 27

Fecht-Pfuscher is literally a fencing hack.!47

nent injures himself by his own action.

***

[Avoiding Punishment]

Above, I remarked that when two men face each other with swords drawn, points aimed at the opponent’s eye or heart, Death stands among them. But it is not your enemy’s sword alone that can kill you, but your own weapon which, Lord be merci-ful, stabs the opponent to death. As little as the princes and po-tentates think of the common people when they go to war and fight their battles on the fields and meadows of the common citizens and farmers, they are as keen that nobody else interfere with the lives of their subjects. Many a man who killed his en-emy on the field of honor has lost his head and his life just like a common vagabond or murder-er, or wasted his life on water and bread in jail, having lost all money, freedom and property, or had to seek salvation in exile, far from home and his family be-cause of the severe punishment

called upon his head by the homicide of a gentleman. As difficult as it is to remember in the heat of battle that your own life may be lost because your defeated your enemy, I hold that you can avoid from the begin-ning to fatally injure your oppo-nent and yet end the fight with-out losing your own life and honor in the process. In the Third Part I told you how to hold your sword, hori-zontally, the tip pointing at his pulse. The reason for this posi-tion is that, when two face each other with drawn swords, the closest target is right behind the opponent’s hilt, no matter if one happens to have a longer arm or be taller or more nimble than the other. Which means that the closest opening is your oppo-nent’s hand. Some say that you should chivalrously allow your enemy to defend himself by not target-ing his hand. I respond that this is great nonsense, because if you’re willing to risk your and your opponent’s body and life in the first place, a cut or thrust into the hand counts for little, because it often occurs anyway

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by lack of care or by accident. 28

Yet even a thrust into the hand is not to be taken lightly, as many a stalwart man has died of its con-sequences or lost the entire arm. But if you hold your weapon like I described above and from here execute counters or short thrusts into the opponent’s at-tacks, you’re not to blame if he runs into your point, and no-one can accuse you when he incau-tiously and unreasonably endan-gers himself, otherwise one could blame the rock for stub-bing your toe or a hedgehog for rolling up into a ball when the fox nips at it. Permit your oppo-nent to injure himself, and in his arm, not his heart, and you can end the confrontation right after it began and don’t expose your-self to a secular offense for which the authorities would call you to account.

***

[Advancing & Retreating]

Fifth: If you stand properly on guard, in the right distance as I

explained above, keep a keen eye on the enemy. If he ad-vances, retreat to keep that dis-tance, but don’t let the motions of your feet be that of a stork or a French dance master or trained horse, but let the soles of your feet press down on the ground, and thrust backward from the balls and toes of your front foot, be it a span’s distance or just an inch. If the opponent retreats, follow him with caution, pre-serving the distance, thrusting forward from your back foot. Should he, however, tempestu-ously push into you, put out your point in line and push slightly back from your front foot so he runs with his hand or fore arm into your point. Or, once his attack misses, bind his blade with your forte from above and hit him from the an-gle that I described above.

***

[Lunging]

Sixth: Be cautious with your lunge, because it carries you

Indeed, Friedrich Anton Kahn relates just such an incident in his 1739 28

treatise. (See above).!49

within reach. There are some who extend their arm fully be-fore they strike out with the front foot. But that is another nonsense because the purpose of the lunge is not a jousting on foot , but it is to add the speed 29

of the hand to the speed of the foot. But if your arm is fully ex-tended before your front foot hits the ground, then your thrust is slower than if you thrust from a stand-still. If you fall short, immediate-ly follow up with another [lunge], but you also can throw your left arm backward and to your right, then you add two or three inches to your reach.

***

[Thrusting]

Seventh: Your thrust arises from the extension, but be care-ful not to raise your elbow out-ward or to pull it back, because this way you will miss the oppo-nent. However, once you tell yourself that a thrust means placing the point, not hitting

forward with your hand, then your fingers will know how to place it with care; raise your wrist once you’ve hit.

***

[Doubling your Thrusts]

Eighth: If you can, double your thrust if you can, because a second thrust that lands is better than one that hits weakly or gets stuck on the sleeve or cuff. If your point hits and has no effect, pull it back an inch. If you’ve raised your wrist, the foible and point will flick up the same dis-tance that you’ve raised your wrist and thus hits a place above where your failed thrust hit once you again fully extend.

***[Offering the Blade]

Ninth: Many engage by at-tempting to bind or beat or press or glide the opponent’s blade , and many a fencing master thinks highly of himself that his student can perform many a

Schusters Rappen, lit.: shoemaker’s black horse, a shoe.29

!50

trick like a trained monkey if only the opponent permits him to have his way with his blade. But if you permit your opponent to posses your blade to play with, you deserve that he knocks your weapon from your fist and makes it fly off like a little bird, and then hurts you. But if you stand in the proper ward, as I explained above, then let him reach for and cast after your blade. Just change your line of engagement or circulate with the smallest circle around his point and give him no purchase on your blade, then you avoid his forte and take away his opportu-nity to ply what blade play he’s learned. If he wants to reach for your blade, then he has to change his hand position and may lay open his arm to your blade.

***

[Parrying]

Tenth: Much ado is made about the best mode of parrying, namely, that you should take the edge [of your sword], to stop the opponent’s blade with greater force. That, however, is yet an-

other nonsense of the fencing monkeys at court, because the flat of your forte receives all the opponent’s momentum without you turning your own edge away from him and he, if he uses a weapon with a sharp edge, thus blunts his own edge. Concerning your left hand, hold it as you like but away from your opponent’s blade, unless you want to lose your fingers. Because the empty hand can’t really ward off any-thing and is quickly run through if you wave it in front of you.

***

[Beating the Blade]

Eleventh: If you want to beat his blade, observe how he holds his weapon. If he holds his sword with his thumb up, you have to beat strongly against his foible to have any effect at all. If his point jumps up high, feint with a straight arm at his thigh, if he then attempts to counter to your arm, bind his blade on the outside and right and thrust through his upper arm. Instead of beating, lift up his blade from below, then throw

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your point at his inside elbow, then double with the smallest pull-back so your point flips up at his upper arm; if he wants to counter you only need to exert pressure in fourth position, and he will yet again run into your point.

*** [Cavation Parries]

Twelfth: Many say that you have to keep your movements small and they are right. But if the opponent runs at you without sense but with might, you have no time to remind yourself to perform your circular parry nice-ly and according to art with your fingertips. But since you’re keeping yourself out of distance in general, you have the advan-tage over the opponent and only need to step back a bit with a large circle that catches his blade, then angle your blade on his outside and quickly thrust your point wherever you can. The small circle just has just lit-tle force, but a large one can strike like a mill-wheel.

These are the twelve ele-ments you need to fence in earnest and you don’t need any more if you grasp hold of your senses and keep the peace.

!52

References

Amberger, J. Christoph The Secret History of the Sword: Adventures in Ancient Martial Arts, Bur-bank, California: Multi-Media, 1999.

Beck, Emil Richtig Fechten, München, Wien, Zürich: BLV, 1990.

von Berlepsch, Christian Günther. “Phrases ex variis autoribus quam studiosissimi collectae”, n.d.; Ms. FB Gotha, Chart. B 2117 (pp. 259r-260v and 285r-286v). Universitäts- und Forschungs-bibliothek at Erfurt/Gotha.

von Biberstein, NN “Verzeichnis etlicher Stücken Des Fechtens ihm Rapier So ich zu Frankfurt an Der oder gelernett”, c. 1593; s.germ. fol. 1476, bound in with von Gessners Schlangenbuch (Sig. 2° Lk 3626 R), Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin.

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Grüneklee, Robert, Roux, Ludwig Cäsar, et al. (Verein deutscher Fechtmeister) Deutsche Stoßfechtchule nach Kreußlerschen Grundsätzen, zusam-mengestellt und herausgegeben vom Verein deutscher Fechtmeister, Leipzig: Weber, 1892.

Gumpelzhaimer, Georg Gymnasma de exercitiis academico-rum, Argentinae : Sumptibus Eberhardi Zetzneri, 1650.

Halle, Johann Samuel Werkstäte der heutigen Künste, oder die neue Kunsthistorie, Brandenburg and Leipzig: Johann Wendelin and Johann Samuel, Halle, 1765; Vol. 4 (“Die Fechtkunst”, 363f).

Kahn, Friedrich Anton Anfangsgründe der Fechtkunst, Göt-tingen: bey Johann Christoph Ludolph Schultzen, 1739.

Koch, Johann Christoph Hals- oder peinliche Gerichtsord-nung Kaiser Carls V. und des H. Röm. Re-ichs nach der Originalausgabe vom J. 1533 auf das genaueste abgedruckt und mit der zweiten und dritten Ausgabe v. J. 1533 und 1534 verglichen: nebst dem horixischen Programma: wahre Veranlassung der P.H.G.O. und einer Vorrede, Marburg: J.C. Krieger 1824;

http://fechtgeschichte.blogspot.de/2016/10/notwehrgesetzgebung-im-16-und-17.html.

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Laszlo, Herbert and Sonia Lehr- und Prüfungsstoff für die Übungsleiter-Ausbildung im Fechten, Graz: Akademie der Fechtkunst Österreichs, n.y.

Lochner, Karl E. Die Entwicklung der europäischen Trutzwaffen mit besonderer Berücksichti-gung der Sportwaffen, Vienna: self-pub-lished by Anna Lochner, 1968.

* Waffenkunde für Sportfechter und Waffen-liebhaber, Vienna: self-published, 1960.

* Die Entwicklungsphasen der europäischen Fechtkunst, Vienna: self-published, 1953.

Roux, Heinrich Friedrich Versuch über das Contrefechten auf die rechte und linke Hand; nach Kreuß-lerischen Grundsätzen; Jena, in der Cröker-schen Buchhandlung, 1786.

Roux, Johann Adolph Karl Gründliche und vollständige An-weisung in der deutschen Fecht-Kunst, aus ihren innersten Gründen wissenschaftlich erläutert etc., Jena: Wolfgang Stahls Buch-handlung, 1798.

Roux, Friedrich August Wilhelm Ludwig Die Kreussler’sche Stoßfechtschule. Zum Gebrauch für Acade-mieen und Militärschulen, Jena: Druck und Verlag von Friedrich Mauke, 1849.

Sancta Clara, Abraham a Centi-folium stultorum in quarto, oder, Hundert ausbündige Narren in folio : neu aufgewärmet und in einer Alapatrit-Pasteten zum Schau-Essen, mit hundert schönen Kupffer-Stichen, zur ehrlichen Ergötzung, und nutzlichen Zeit-Vertreibung,

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sowohl frölich- als melancholischen Gemüthern aufgesezt : auch mit einer deli-caten Brühe vieler artigen Historien, lustiger Fablen, kurtzweiliger Discursen, und erbaulicher Sitten-Lehren angerichtet, Nürnberg: Weigel, 1709, 101-104.

Schmidt, Johann Andreas Gründlich lehrende Fechtschule, oder Leichte Anweisung, auf Stoß und Hieb sicher zu Fechten, Nürnberg: bey Endter-ischen Consorten und Engelbrechts Witwe, 1713.

Gründlich lehrende Fecht-Schule, oder Le-ichte Anweisung, auf Stoß und Hieb sicher zu fechten, nebst einem curieusen Unter-richt vom Voltigiren und Ringen, Nürnberg : Endter u. Engelbrecht, 1749.

Seufert, Michael Der Skandal um die Hitler-Tagebücher, Frankfurt: Scherz Verlag, 2008.

Traxler, Hans Die Wahrheit über Hänsel und Gretel, Hamburg: Rowohlt Verlag, 1987 (1963).

Weischner, Siegmund Carl Friedrich Uebungen auf dem Fürstl. Sächsischen Hoffechtboden zu Weimar, Weimar: Hoffmann, 1764.

Die Ritterliche Geschicklichkeit im Fechten durch ungezwungene Stellungen und kurzgefaßte Lehrsätze gezeigt, Verbesserte und vermehrte Auflage mit behörigen Kupfern, Weimar: Hoffmann, 1765.

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Dictionary of German Fencing Terms

a tempo in the same tempo abrücken (v.) to move back, to retreat Abstand/t, der distance; see also, Mensur Adversarius opponent Angul, der angle angulirn (v.) also, anguli(e)ren (v.)

to angle the blade approchirn (v.) also, approchieren; to approach,

to move into proper distance or measure Attaque, die also, Attacke; attack attaquirn (v.) also, attaqui(e)ren, attacki(e)ren

to attack ausfallen (v.) to lunge aus/swendig (adv.) also, auswändig;

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on or from the outside avanciren (v.) also, avancieren; to advance beugsam (adg.) also, biegsam; flexible binden (v.) to bind; see also, ligirn Cavate, die circular blade action caviren (v.) also, cavieren; to perform a circular motion with the blade circul, der circle defendirn (v.) also, defendi(e)ren to defend Degen, der here, (small)sword, thrust or cut-and-thrust sword Degengefess, das also, Degengefäß, sword hilt Distan(t)z wahren (v.) to keep distance Doppeln, das doubling duplirn (v.) also, duplieren; to double extendirn (v.) also, extendi(e)ren to extend Fainte, die also, Finte; feint Faust, die fist, hand Faustgelenck, das wrist Fehlstosz, der a thrust that misses Ferführung, die also, Verführung; feint fintirn (v.) also, fintieren; to feint Fordergelenck, das wrist formiren (v.) also, formieren; to form, to assume a position fürtretten (v.) also, fürtreten, vortreten; to step forward, to advance Gefess, das also, Gefäß; hilt glissirn (v.) also, glissieren; to perform a gliding attack on the opponen’ts blade Grieff, der also, Griff

(1) grip (mode of holding) (2) handle

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hawen (v.) also, hauen; to beat, to execute a blow or cut inwändig (adv.) also, inwen/ndig; on or from the inside Klinge, die blade Klingenschwech, die also, Klingenschwäche; the blade’s foible or weak part Klingenspitze, die point (of the blade) Lager, das position, guard position ligiren (v.) also, ligieren; to bind or take the opponent’s blade lüppfen (v.) also, lüpfen; to lift, to raise Mensur(a), die fencing distance, space a fencer has to travel to hit the opponent Mühlredder, die (pl.) also, Mühlräder; lit.: mill wheels; moulinets or molinelli, sweeping circular cuts or blows mutirn (v.) also, mutieren; to change the blade’s line in

relation to the opponent Nachstoß, der counter attack offendirn (v.) also, offendieren; to attack opponirn (v.) also, opponieren; to oppose, to withstand Ortt, der also, Ort; the point pattirn (v.) also, pattieren, battieren; to beat the opponent’s blade platzirn (v.) also, platzieren; to place (a hit) pointirn (v.) also, pointieren; to point positio position, posture, guard positura position ultima positura the best posture, guard position Positur, die (guard) position pressirn (v.) also, pressieren; to pressure the opponent’s blade radoppirn (v.) also, radoppieren; to perform a

!59

radoppio, i.e., after a lunge, recover forward with the back foot near the leading foot to gain extra distance for the second and immediately following lunge Rencontre, das spontaneous duel without proper formalities rencontrirn (v.) also, rencontri(e)ren (v.) (1) to fence (2) to fence in earnest retirirn (v.) also, retirieren; to retrieat or move backward Spann/e, die span; old measure of length Spitz(e), die see, Klingenspitze Stärck/e, die also, Stärke, Klingenstärke; the forte or strong part of the blade Stozs, der also, Stoß; thrus strack(s) (adj.) straight verstossen (v.) to miss with a thrust Vorstoß, der attack Zirkul, der circle

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About the Author A native of West Berlin, Germany, Johann Christoph Amberger now

works as an attorney in Baltimore, Maryland. Amberger has been involved with fencing since 1984, when he signed up for his first fencing class (and met his future wife, Joanna) on the same day at the Uni-versity of Aberdeen in Scot-land. From 1994 to 2000, he wrote, edited, and published Hammerterz Forum, a quarterly newsletter devoted to historical fencing and European martial arts. His book, The Secret History of the Sword: Adventures in Ancient Martial Arts (Burbank, CA: Multi-Media, 1999) is still regarded favor-ably among practitioners of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA). A member of the Baltimore Fencing Center since 2003, Amberger has been coaching young fencers since 2008. Over the years, Amberger has compiled a sizable collection of historical fencing weapons and an-tiquarian books and artwork relating to fencing.

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