Johannes Lecküchner

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Johannes Lecküchner
Born ca. 1430s
Nuremberg, Germany
Died December 31, 1482
Herzogenaurach, Germany
Occupation Fencing master
Priest
Education Baccalaureus
Alma Mater University of Leipzig
Influences Johannes Liechtenauer (?)

Johannes Lecküchner (or Hans Lebkommer; ca.1430s – 1482) was a 15th century German cleric and fencing master. He was born in the Nuremberg area, and in 1455 he was inscribed at the University of Leipzig. In 1457, he received the title of baccalaureus, and he was consecrated as a Catholic acolyte in 1459. At some point before creating his first manuscript in 1478, Lecküchner was consecrated as a priest. From 1480 until his death on December 31, 1482, he was employed as a communal priest in Herzogenaurach, Germany.[1]

Some 19th century scholars have previously assumed that the name "Johannes Lecküchner" was a corruption of Johannes Liechtenauer, the grand master of the German school of swordsmanship. However, biographical information from historical records, as well as the colophon in the manuscript itself, thoroughly disproves this theory. Lecküchner's system of messer fencing does, however, seem to be related to the longsword teachings of Liechtenauer from the previous century. His teachings are organized in a similar fashion using similar terminology, and often his epitome is nearly identical to that of Liechtenauer.

Two fencing manuals commissioned by Lecküchner are preserved, the Codex Palatine German 430 produced in 1478, and the CGM 582 produced in 1482. The latter he completed on 19 January 1482, the year of his death. The CGM 582 mentions in its introduction that a previous draft had been produced,[citation needed] which is presumed to be a reference to the CPG 430. It is the CPG 430 and not the CGM 582 that seems to be the source for all later versions of Lecküchner's teachings. A slightly abridged version of this treatise was included by Hans von Speyer in the MS M.I.29 in 1491, and similar (but not identical) abridged versions were used by Paulus Hector Mair for his massive compendia in the 1550s and by Lienhart Sollinger for the CGM 3712 in 1556.

The version of Lecküchner's treatise in Codex Speyer is accompanied by brief notes by a Master Andreas explaining how its terminology relates to Liechtenauer's longsword,[2] perhaps indicating that by this time Lecküchner's teachings had been integrated into the Liechtenauer school of fencing. This notion is further supported by the appearance of fragments of Lecküchner's epitome in Peter Falkner's treatise of ca. 1495.

One final note of interest is that in 1531, printer Christian Egenolff published a fencing anthology entitled Der Altenn Fechter anfengliche kunst, and included in it a brief treatise on the messer attributed to a Master Hans Lebkommer. "Lebkommer" seems to be a misspelling of Lecküchner, and the text appears to be a summary of Lecküchner's treatise, intermingled with the messer teachings of Andre Paurñfeyndt (uncredited).

Contents

Treatises

Additional Resources

References

  1. Lorbeer, Julia and Carsten (in German). "Johannes Lecküchner - der fechtende Pfarrer". Ochs: Historische Kampfkünst e.V., 2002. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
  2. Speyer, Hans von. Untitled [manuscript]. MS M.I.29. Salzburg, Austria: Universitätsbibliothek Salzburg, 1491. ff 5r-7r


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