German Longsword 1 - Meetup Longsword 1 rev 4... · 2013. 10. 24. · German Longsword 1 Initiate, 4th Revision This workbook looks at the four primary guards for German longsword

German Longsword 1

Name: ___________________ Scholars of Alcalá 4th Revision

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German Longsword 1

Initiate, 4th Revision

This workbook looks at the four primary guards for German longsword as well as the normal attacks you can make

from the guards. These are known as the Vier Leger or Four Camps.

Prerequisites

This text assumes that you have already reviewed the Instructions and Footwork Supplement.

Contents Lesson 1 – Basic Concepts ............................................................................................................................................................................ 3

Lesson 2 – Ochs, the Ox ............................................................................................................................................................................... 6

Lesson 3 – Pflug, the Plow ........................................................................................................................................................................... 10

Lesson 4 – Alber, The Fool’s Guard ......................................................................................................................................................... 16

Lesson 5 – vom Tag or From the Roof .................................................................................................................................................... 20

Lesson 6 – Langort or Longpoint .............................................................................................................................................................. 24

Bibliography ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 28

Next Steps ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 28

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Lesson 1 – Basic Concepts

Parts of the Schwert/Sword

Knopf: Pommel

Ort: Point

Creutz: Quillons / Gefeß: Hilt

Heft: Haft / Bint: Grip

Klinge: Blade

Stercke: Strong

Schweche: Weak

Lange Schneide: Long Edge

Kurtze Schneide: Short Edge

Stepping

Sigmund Schining ein Ringeck

This is the longsword's first lesson; that you shall learn to cut properly from both sides, so that you can fight

strongly and correctly. When you want to cut from the right side, stand with your left foot forwards; and when

you want to cut from the left side, stand with your right foot forwards. If you cut with an Oberhau from the right

side, follow after the cut with your right foot. If you do not do this then the cut is poor and insincere, because

your right side lingers behind. Then the cut becomes too short and cannot follow the correct arc down towards

the other side, in front of the left foot.

Similarly the cut is incorrect if you strike from the left side and do not follow after the cut with the left foot. So

mark well, from which side you strike, that the foot follows after the cut. In this manner you can perform all of

your techniques correctly and with strength. And in the same way should all the other cuts be performed.

The Primary Cuts The three basic cuts are:

Oberhauw – High cut (Lines H, A, B)

Mittle – Middle or Horizontal Cut (Lines G, C)

Underhauw – Low Cut (Lines F, E, D)

The basic cuts may be performed with either the long or short edge. As a general rule, step

with the right foot for cuts from the right (Lines B thru D) and the left foot for cuts from the

left (Lines F thru H). For vertical cuts step with either foot.

The abbreviations on the chart refer to the cutting lines.

Sch: Scheittellini – Parting Line

Zor: Zornlini – Wrath Line

Zw: Zwerchlini – Thwart Line

Üb: ubersich steyget lini

~ 4 ~

The Primary Guards

Liechtenauer

Four wards alone,

Hold onto those, and curse the vulgar.

Ochs, Pflug, Alber, vom Tag,

there are no others for you.

While other guards will be discussed by Liechtenauer and others, these four form the basis of the German longsword

tradition.

Langort – Longpoint Longpoint is mostly used as a transitional guard through which

one passes on the way to another guard.

Most cuts will pass through Langort on their way to completion.

Four Openings The body is divided into four openings: upper-left, upper-right,

lower-left, and lower-right. Likewise the head is divided into four

openings. This is shown in the diagram for Langort.

Thrusting As you can see in this illustrations from Talhoffer’s 1467 book, thrusting can be done by either leaving the hands in their

natural position or by moving the left hand to the pommel of the sword. The latter is often used to change a cut into a

thrust at the last moment.

http://grauenwolf.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/image9.png

http://grauenwolf.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/image.png

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Parrying As in many other fencing traditions, German masters placed special emphasis on parries that simultaneously counter-

attack.

Liechtenauer

Do not strike at the sword, but always to the openings, to the head, the body if you wish to remain unharmed. If

you hit or miss, always search for the openings, in all teachings turn the point to the openings.

Joachim Meyer

Be first aware that the parries are twofold, the first is without any particular advantage and is resorted to only for

blocking parries from which you cannot do more with your weapon in that you oppose your opponent’s strike to

avoid being damaged, but then seek not to damage him, but only to withdraw as you wish without being injured

by him.

[…]

The second art of displacing is when you parry and injure your opponent with one strike, which the ancients

undertook with special praise, from which these spoken words grew: “A proper fencer parries not. As his

opponent strikes so he too strikes. As his opponent steps so he too steps. As his opponent stabs so he too stabs.”

Sign Man It is traditional for fencing schools to have a sign man posted on the wall. This is used to act as a visual reminder of the

cuts and what lines they occur on. Using the space below, label the cuts and openings.

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Lesson 2 – Ochs, the Ox


The first guard. The Ox.

Hold it like this: stand with the left foot forwards, and hold your sword beside and slightly in front of the right side

of your head, and let the point hang towards his face.

Joachim Meyer

The upper part of the combatant is allotted to the Ox, and as that has two quarters, the right and left, so one

can divide the posture of the Ox into two parts, namely the right and left. The right Ox is done thus: stand with

your left foot forward, and hold the sword with the hilt up by your head on the right side, so that your point

extends toward your opponent’s face. For the left Ox, position yourself opposite to this, that is, stand with your

right foot forward, and hold your sword with the hilt by your head on the left side as I have said. Thus you have

both Ox guards or postures; this posture is depicted on the left side of Image B.

These illustrations from Paulus Hector Mair show both the left and right Ochs. Note how the left Ochs doesn’t have the

arms crossed.

Guard Analysis In the space below, note the characteristics of the guard. Include any variants you see in the images and/or text,

Guard Variant Lead Foot Stance Width Stance Length Weight Hand Location

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Right Ochs

Cuts

H A B

G

C

F E D

Parries

B A H

C

G

D E F

Thrusts

Parries

Above Above

Left

Righ

t

Left

Righ

t

Below

Below

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Left Ochs

Cuts

H A B

G

C

F E D

Parries

B A H

C

G

D E F

Thrusts

Parries

Above Above

Left

Righ

t

Left

Righ

t

Below

Below

~ 9 ~

Review

Draw your own fencers standing in Left and Right Ochs

1. Does it feel more comfortable to have the quillons straight up and down or more of an angle?

2. Which is better for attacking?

3. Which is better for defending?

4. Do you prefer to “unwind” your arms when you thrust from Right Ochs?

5. Do you use a passing step when thrusting? Or do you just step forward without changing your lead foot?

6. Are there any cuts that feel better when stepping wide (i.e. to the side)?

7. When stepping backwards?

8. Do you feel your lower body is adequately protected in this guard?

9. Do you prefer to stand more upright? Or is a lower, wider stance better for you?

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Lesson 3 – Pflug, the Plow


The second guard. The Plough.

Hold it like this: stand with the left foot forward, and hold your sword with crossed hands beside and slightly

above your right knee, in such a way that the point is towards his face.

Joachim Meyer

The lower part of the combatant belongs to the Plow, and as that has two quarters or two sides, right and left, so

the Plow is called right or left. Both are in essence merely the position of a thrust from below. Execute the right

Plow as follows: stand with your right foot forward, hold your weapon with the hilt by your forward knee, and am

the tip or point at your opponent’s face as if you intended to thrust at him from below; thus you are in the right

Plow. If you stand with your left foot forward and do the same thing, then you are in the left Plow. And the right

Plow is also illustrated in the same image [B] on the right.

Notice how Ringeck prefers his Pflug to be retracted while Meyer has it extended.

Here are two more examples, one from Solothurner and the other two from Paulus Hector Mair.



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Wide Right Pflug Dskfj slfkjs dlfjsdl kjsdflksdjflsdkjfsldkfjsdlkfj a;dkfl ;lfkjas ;kjsd;f lksdjflk;dsjf;dklsfjsdklfj sflk;jsd ;fds

Cuts

H A B

G

C

F E D

Parries

B A H

C

G

D E F

Thrusts

Parries

Above Above

Left

Righ

t

Left

Righ

t

Below

Below

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Narrow Right Pflug

Cuts

H A B

G

C

F E D

Parries

B A H

C

G

D E F

Thrusts

Parries

Above Above

Left

Righ

t

Left

Righ

t

Below

Below

~ 13 ~

Narrow Left Pflug

Cuts

H A B

G

C

F E D

Parries

B A H

C

G

D E F

Thrusts

Parries

Above Above

Left

Righ

t

Left

Righ

t

Below

Below

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Wide Left Pflug

Cuts

H A B

G

C

F E D

Parries

B A H

C

G

D E F

Thrusts

Parries

Above Above

Left

Righ

t

Left

Righ

t

Below

Below

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Review

Draw your own fencer standing in Pflug

1. Do you feel safer in Ringeck’s or Meyer’s Pflug?

2. Is it easier to cut from Ringeck’s or Meyer’s Pflug?

3. Is it easier to thrust from Ringeck’s or Meyer’s Pflug?

4. Do you raise your sword before using Oberhauws? Or do you just aim lower?

5. When someone thrusts at you, do you thrust in return?

6. Do you feel your head is adequately protected while in this guard?

7. Do you prefer to stand more upright? Or is a lower, wider stance better for you?

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Lesson 4 – Alber, The Fool’s Guard


The third guard. The Fool.

Hold it like this: stand with your right foot forwards, and hold your sword with outstretched arms in front of you

with the point towards the ground.

Joachim Meyer

The Fool in my opinion takes its name from the word Alber, which is to say ‘simple-minded’, since from this guard

no proper stroke can be readily achieved, unless one gathers for a new cut after the opponent’s cut has been

caught by means of a parry, which is truly the part of a fool and simple man, to allow someone to strike him

without a prepared counterstroke. It is performed thus: stand with your left foot forward, and hold your sword

with the point extended toward the ground in front of you before your forward foot, such that the short edge lies

above, the long edge below. Thus you lie properly in this guard, as you can see in the same image [C] on the

right.

Notice how Ringeck prefers his Alber somewhat to the side while Meyer extends it directly forward. Also note that

Ringeck prefers the right foot forward while Meyer prefers the left.



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Right Alber

Cuts

H A B

G

C

F E D

Parries

B A H

C

G

D E F

Thrusts

Parries

Above Above

Left

Righ

t

Left

Righ

t

Below

Below

~ 18 ~

Left Alber

Cuts

H A B

G

C

F E D

Parries

B A H

C

G

D E F

Thrusts

Parries

Above Above

Left

Righ

t

Left

Righ

t

Below

Below

~ 19 ~

Review

Draw your own fencer standing in Alber

1. Do you prefer the point to be straight forward or off to the side a bit?

2. Do you prefer to have a balanced posture or to lean forward like Meyer?

3. Were you able to make your partner miss by shifting your weight backwards?

4. When your partner cut your head, did you have a tendency to thrust him in the chest at the same time?

5. If so, were you able to do so safely? Or was it a “double-kill”?

6. Do you try to deflect downward cuts by battering them away with your short edge?

7. Do you try to block downward cuts by turning over your sword and catching them with long edge?

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Lesson 5 – vom Tag or From the Roof This is also known as Tag, which means Day.


The fourth guard. From the Roof.

Hold it like this: stand with the left foot forwards, and hold your sword at your right shoulder. Or hold it with

outstretched arms above your head. And how you shall fence from these guards, you will find described in this

book.

Joachim Meyer

The guard of the Day, which is also called the High Guard [Oberhut], is executed in the following manner: stand

with your left foot forward, and hold your sword up over your head so that the point extends right upwards, as

shown by the figure on the left in Image C. Now any attack that is delivered from above is said to be executed

from the Day or High Guard; therefore this posture is called the Day.

In modern speech, we refer to the two variants as “Right vom Tag” and “High vom Tag”.

Some right-handed fencers like to adopt a posture they call “Left vom Tag”. For the right-handed fencer this involves

having the Short edge facing forward instead of the Long edge. As this posture is not found in either of the German

longsword systems covered by this workbook, no worksheet for it will be provided.



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Right vom Tag

Cuts

H A B

G

C

F E D

Parries

B A H

C

G

D E F

Thrusts

Parries

Above Above

Left

Righ

t

Left

Righ

t

Below

Below

~ 22 ~

High vom Tag

Cuts

H A B

G

C

F E D

Parries

B A H

C

G

D E F

Thrusts

Parries

Above Above

Left

Righ

t

Left

Righ

t

Below

Below

~ 23 ~

Review

Draw your own fencers standing in Right and High vom Tag

1. For defending yourself, do you prefer Right vom Tag or High vom Tag?

2. For attacking, do you prefer Right vom Tag or High vom Tag?

3. Did you feel that High vom Tag left you exposed to low cuts?

4. Did you feel that High vom Tag left you exposed to thrusts?

5. Do you prefer to hold your Right vom Tag close to the body or do you push your arms out some?

6. Were you able to thrust from high vom Tag? If so, did you have to let go with one hand?

~ 24 ~

Lesson 6 – Langort or Longpoint

Joachim Meyer

Stand with your left foot forward, and hold your weapon with your arms extended long in front of your face so

that your point stands toward your opponent’s face; thus you lie in the guard of the Longpoint, as shown by the

figure in Image A.


Before you come too close to him in Zufechten, set your left foot forwards and hold the point towards him with

outstretched arms towards the face or the chest. If he cuts at you from above and down towards your head, wind

with the sword against his cut and stab him in the face.

Joachim Meyer

Hans Talhoffer



~ 25 ~

Right Langort

Cuts

H A B

G

C

F E D

Parries

B A H

C

G

D E F

Thrusts

Parries

Above Above

Left

Righ

t

Left

Righ

t

Below

Below

~ 26 ~

Left Langort

Cuts

H A B

G

C

F E D

Parries

B A H

C

G

D E F

Thrusts

Parries

Above Above

Left

Righ

t

Left

Righ

t

Below

Below

~ 27 ~

Review

Draw your own fencers standing in Langort

1. Do you feel safe when resting in Langort?

2. At the beginning of this workbook we said that all cuts go through Langort. Did that turn out to be true?

3. Can you use this position to change the direction of your cut?

~ 28 ~

Bibliography [name?], 1467, by Hans Talhoffer

Fundamental Description of the Noble and Knightly Art of Fencing, 1570, by Joachim Meyer. Translation by Jeffrey L.

Forgeng and Mike Rasmusson

Johannes Liechtenauer. Translated by David Lindholm, Jeffrey Hull, and Keith Farrell

MS Dresden C 487, circa 1504-1519, by Sigmund Schining ein Ringeck. Translated by Keith Farrell.

MSS Dresden C 93 and C 94, 1542, by Paulus Hector Mair. Translated by Keith Myers

Next Steps

German Longsword 1

Mair s German Longsword 2

Ringeck s German Longsword 2

Meyer s German Longsword 2

Documents

German Longsword 1 - Meetup Longsword 1 rev 4... · 2013. 10. 24. · German Longsword 1 Initiate, 4th Revision This workbook looks at the four primary guards for German longsword