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Difference between revisions of "Johannes Liechtenauer"

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<poem><small>1</small>
 
<poem><small>1</small>
  
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{{section|Page:MS Chart.A.558 018r.jpg|2|lbl=-}}
 
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{{section|Page:Cod.44.A.8 003r.jpg|2|lbl=-|p=1}} {{section|Page:Cod.44.A.8 003v.jpg|1|lbl=3v|p=1}}
 
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| <br/><br/>
 
| <br/><br/>
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{{section|Page:MS Chart.A.558 018r.jpg|3|lbl=-|p=1}}<br/>{{section|Page:MS Chart.A.558 018v.jpg|1|lbl=18v|p=1}}
 
{{section|Page:MS Chart.A.558 018r.jpg|3|lbl=-|p=1}}<br/>{{section|Page:MS Chart.A.558 018v.jpg|1|lbl=18v|p=1}}
−
| {{red|b=1|Das Ist ein gemaine ler des langen Swerttes /}}
+
| {{section|Page:Cod.44.A.8 003v.jpg|2|lbl=-}}
−
<poem>
 
−
 
 
−
Wildu kunst schauen {{red|/}}
 
−
Sich linck gen und recht mit hawen {{red|/}}
 
−
Vnd linck mit rechten {{red|/}}
 
−
Ist das du starck gerest vechten {{red|/}}
 
−
wer nach get hauen {{red|/}}
 
−
Der darff sich kunst wenig fräwen {{red|/}}
 
−
Haw nahent was du wild {{red|/}}
 
−
kain wechslär kumpt an deinen schilt {{red|/}}
 
−
zw° kopff zu° leib {{red|/}}
 
−
dÿe zegt nicht vermeÿd {{red|/}}
 
−
Mit gantzem leib
 
−
vicht was du starck gerest treÿben {{red|/}}
 
−
Hör was da slecht ist {{red|/}}
 
−
Vicht nicht oben linck {{red|/}} So du recht pist {{red|/}}
 
−
Vnd ab dw linck pist {{red|/}}
 
−
Im rechten aug sere hinckes {{red|/}}
 
−
Vor und nach dy zway ding {{red|/}}
 
−
Sind aller kunst ain vrsprinck {{red|/}}
 
−
Swech vnd sterck {{red|/}}
 
−
Inndes {{red|/}} Das wort do mit mit merck {{red|/}}
 
−
So magstu lernen {{red|/}}
 
−
Mit kunst arbaitten vnd weren {{red|/}}
 
−
Erschrickstu gern {{red|/}}
 
−
kain vechten nÿmmer gelerñ {{red|/}}
 
−
ffünff häw lere von der
 
−
rechtñ hant {{red|/}} wer dy were
 
−
denn wir geloben {{red|/}}
 
−
In kunsten gerñ zw° lon</poem>
 
 
| '''[2r] {{red|Hie lert der talhofer ain gemaine ler in dem langen Schwert von der zetel etc.}}'''
 
| '''[2r] {{red|Hie lert der talhofer ain gemaine ler in dem langen Schwert von der zetel etc.}}'''
 
<poem>{{red|W}}iltu kunst schowen
 
<poem>{{red|W}}iltu kunst schowen
Line 635: Line 605:
  
 
<small>26</small></poem>
 
<small>26</small></poem>
−
| {{red|b=1|This is the text:}}<br/><br/>
+
| <p>{{red|b=1|This is the text:}}<br/><br/></p>
−
<poem>Wrath Stroke, Crooked, Thwart,
+
 
−
:Squinter and Scalper,
+
<p>Wrath Stroke, Crooked, Thwart,<br/>
−
Fool parries
+
&emsp;Squinter and Scalper,<br/>
−
:chasing, overrunning gives strokes,
+
Fool parries<br/>
−
change through, pull,
+
&emsp;chasing, overrunning gives strokes,<br/>
−
:run through, slice off, press the hands,
+
change through, pull,<br/>
−
hang, wind with the openings;
+
&emsp;run through, slice off, press the hands,<br/>
−
:strike, catch, slash, thrust with jabs.</poem>
+
hang, wind with the openings;<br/>
 +
&emsp;strike, catch, slash, thrust with jabs.</p>
 
|  
 
|  
 
| {{section|Page:MS Chart.A.558 018v.jpg|2|lbl=-}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Chart.A.558 018v.jpg|2|lbl=-}}
−
| {{red|b=1|Das Ist der text /}}
+
|  
−
<poem>
+
{{section|Page:Cod.44.A.8 003v.jpg|3|lbl=-|p=1}} {{section|Page:Cod.44.A.8 004r.jpg|1|lbl=4r|p=1}}
−
 
 
−
Zorñ haw krump twer {{red|/}}
 
−
hat schiler mitt schaitlar {{red|/}}
 
−
Alber vorsetzt {{red|/}}
 
−
Nach reysen vber lauff häw setzt {{red|/}}
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
Durch wechsel zuck {{red|/}}
 
−
durchlauff {{red|/}} Abschneid hende druck {{red|/}}
 
−
heng wind mit plösen '''[4r]''' {{red|/}}
 
−
Schlach vach streich stich mit stössen</poem>
 
 
| '''[2v] {{red|Die tailung der kunst nach dem text den nähsten weg zuo dem mann zuo schlahen oder zuo stossen}}'''
 
| '''[2v] {{red|Die tailung der kunst nach dem text den nähsten weg zuo dem mann zuo schlahen oder zuo stossen}}'''
 
<poem>Zorn how du krump wer
 
<poem>Zorn how du krump wer
Line 813: Line 773:
  
 
<small>31</small></poem>
 
<small>31</small></poem>
−
| {{red|b=1|The Wrath Stroke}}
+
| <p>{{red|b=1|The Wrath Stroke}}</p>
−
<poem>Who strikes at you above,
+
 
−
:the Wrath stroke threatens him with the point.
+
<p>Who strikes at you above,<br/>
−
If he becomes aware of it,
+
&emsp;the Wrath stroke threatens him with the point.<br/>
−
:take it away above without fear.
+
If he becomes aware of it,<br/>
−
Be strong against it;
+
&emsp;take it away above without fear.<br/>
−
:wind, thrust. If he sees that, take it down.
+
Be strong against it;<br/>
−
Note this:
+
&emsp;wind, thrust. If he sees that, take it down.<br/>
−
:strike, thrust, posture, soft or hard,
+
Note this:<br/>
−
Instantly, and Before and After.
+
&emsp;strike, thrust, posture, soft or hard,<br/>
−
:Your War should not be in haste.</poem>
+
Instantly, and Before and After.<br/>
 +
&emsp;Your War should not be in haste.</p>
 
|  
 
|  
 
| {{section|Page:MS Chart.A.558 018v.jpg|3|lbl=-}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Chart.A.558 018v.jpg|3|lbl=-}}
−
| {{red|b=1|Der zorñ haw /}}
+
| {{section|Page:Cod.44.A.8 004r.jpg|2|lbl=-}}
−
<poem>Wer dir öberhäwt {{red|/}}
 
−
zorñhaw ort dem drawt {{red|/}}
 
−
wirt er es gewar {{red|/}}
 
−
Nÿm oben ab öne far {{red|/}}
 
−
Piß starck her wider {{red|/}}
 
−
wind stich sicht <del>leger waich oder</del> ers nÿm es nyder {{red|/}}
 
−
Das eben merck
 
−
haw stich leger {{red|/}} waich oder hert
 
−
Inndes {{red|/}} vnd var nach
 
−
an hürt {{red|/}} Dein krieg sey nicht gach {{red|/}}</poem>
 
 
| {{red|b=1|Das ist vo dem zornhow der underschid}}
 
| {{red|b=1|Das ist vo dem zornhow der underschid}}
 
<poem>wer dier Oberhowt
 
<poem>wer dier Oberhowt
Line 992: Line 943:
  
 
<small>35</small></poem>
 
<small>35</small></poem>
−
| {{red|b=1|[The War]}}
+
| <p>{{red|b=1|[The War]}}</p>
−
<poem>Who to the War tends above,
+
 
−
:gets ashamed below.  
+
<p>Who to the War tends above,<br/>
−
In all winding
+
&emsp;gets ashamed below.<br/>
−
:learn to find stroke, thrust, and slice.
+
In all winding<br/>
−
Also you should
+
&emsp;learn to find stroke, thrust, and slice.<br/>
−
:Apply stroke, thrust, or slice,
+
Also you should<br/>
−
in all encounters,
+
&emsp;Apply stroke, thrust, or slice,<br/>
−
:if you want to fool the masters.
+
in all encounters,<br/>
−
</poem>
+
&emsp;if you want to fool the masters.</p>
 
|  
 
|  
 
| {{section|Page:MS Chart.A.558 018v.jpg|4|lbl=-}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Chart.A.558 018v.jpg|4|lbl=-}}
−
| <br/>
+
| <p><br/></p>
−
<poem>Wes der krieg {{red|/}} Rempt
+
 
−
oben nÿden {{red|/}} wirt er beschempt {{red|/}}
+
{{section|Page:Cod.44.A.8 004r.jpg|3|lbl=-}}
−
In allen winden {{red|/}}
 
−
Haw stich schnÿdt lere vinden {{red|/}}
 
−
Auch soltu mit
 
−
prufen {{red|/}} Haw stich oder schnÿd {{red|/}}
 
−
In allen treffen {{red|/}}
 
−
den maisterñ wiltu sy effen {{red|~}}</poem>
 
 
| <br/>
 
| <br/>
 
<poem>waß der krieg rempt
 
<poem>waß der krieg rempt
Line 1,123: Line 1,068:
  
 
<small>37</small></poem>
 
<small>37</small></poem>
−
| {{red|b=1|The Four Openings}}
+
| <p>{{red|b=1|The Four Openings}}</p>
−
<poem>Four openings know,
+
 
−
:aim: so you hit certainly,
+
<p>Four openings know,<br/>
−
without any danger
+
&emsp;aim: so you hit certainly,<br/>
−
:without regard for how he acts;</poem>
+
without any danger<br/>
 +
&emsp;without regard for how he acts;</p>
 
|  
 
|  
 
| {{section|Page:MS Chart.A.558 019r.jpg|1|lbl=19r}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Chart.A.558 019r.jpg|1|lbl=19r}}
−
| {{red|b=1|Dÿe vier plossen /}}
+
| {{section|Page:Cod.44.A.8 004r.jpg|4|lbl=-}}
−
<poem>Vier plössen wisse {{red|/}}
 
−
Reme so schlestu gewisse {{red|/}}
 
−
An alle vare {{red|/}}
 
−
An zweÿfel wie er geparr</poem>
 
 
| '''[3r] {{red|von den vir plößen}}'''
 
| '''[3r] {{red|von den vir plößen}}'''
 
<poem>{{red|vier plöß wisse
 
<poem>{{red|vier plöß wisse
Line 1,218: Line 1,160:
  
 
<small>41</small></poem>
 
<small>41</small></poem>
−
| {{red|b=1|To Counter the Four Openings}}
+
| <p>{{red|b=1|To Counter the Four Openings}}</p>
−
<poem>If you want to avenge yourself,
+
 
−
:break the four openings with skill:
+
<p>If you want to avenge yourself,<br/>
−
double above,
+
&emsp;break the four openings with skill:<br/>
−
:transmute below correctly.
+
double above,<br/>
−
I say to you truthfully:
+
&emsp;transmute below correctly.<br/>
−
:no one can defend himself without danger;
+
I say to you truthfully:<br/>
−
if you have correctly learned,
+
&emsp;no one can defend himself without danger;<br/>
−
:he will scarcely manage to strike.</poem>
+
if you have correctly learned,<br/>
 +
&emsp;he will scarcely manage to strike.</p>
 
|  
 
|  
 
| {{section|Page:MS Chart.A.558 019r.jpg|2|lbl=-}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Chart.A.558 019r.jpg|2|lbl=-}}
−
| {{red|b=1|Dye vier plossen zw prechen /}}
+
| {{section|Page:Cod.44.A.8 004r.jpg|5|lbl=-}}
−
<poem>Wildu dich rechen {{red|/}}
 
−
Dye vier plöss kunstlich prechen {{red|/}}
 
−
Oben duplir {{red|/}}
 
−
Nyden recht mutir {{red|/}}
 
−
Ich sag fur war {{red|/}}
 
−
Sich schützt kein man ane far {{red|/}}
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
Hastu vernomen {{red|/}}
 
−
zu slag mag er klain kummen</poem>
 
 
| {{red|b=1|Die vier plöß brechen}}
 
| {{red|b=1|Die vier plöß brechen}}
 
<poem>wiltu dich rechen
 
<poem>wiltu dich rechen
Line 1,396: Line 1,329:
  
 
<small>48</small></poem>
 
<small>48</small></poem>
−
| {{red|b=1|The Crooked Stroke}}<br/><br/>
+
| <p>{{red|b=1|The Crooked Stroke}}<br/><br/></p>
−
<poem>Crooked on him with nimbleness,
+
 
−
:throw the point on the hands.
+
<p>Crooked on him with nimbleness,<br/>
−
Who performs the crooked well,
+
&emsp;throw the point on the hands.<br/>
−
:with stepping he hinders many a stroke.
+
Who performs the crooked well,<br/>
−
Strike crooked to the flats
+
&emsp;with stepping he hinders many a stroke.<br/>
−
:of the Masters if you want to weaken them.
+
Strike crooked to the flats<br/>
−
When it clashes above,
+
&emsp;of the Masters if you want to weaken them.<br/>
−
:Then move away, that I will praise.
+
When it clashes above,<br/>
−
Don't do the Crooked, strike short,
+
&emsp;Then move away, that I will praise.<br/>
−
:Changing through show with this.
+
Don't do the Crooked, strike short,<br/>
−
Strike crooked to who irritates you,
+
&emsp;Changing through show with this.<br/>
−
:the Noble War will confuse him,
+
Strike crooked to who irritates you,<br/>
−
that he will not know truthfully
+
&emsp;the Noble War will confuse him,<br/>
−
:where he can be without danger.</poem>
+
that he will not know truthfully<br/>
 +
&emsp;where he can be without danger.</p>
 
|  
 
|  
 
| {{section|Page:MS Chart.A.558 019r.jpg|3|lbl=-}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Chart.A.558 019r.jpg|3|lbl=-}}
−
| {{red|b=1|Der krump haw /}}
+
|  
−
<poem>
+
{{section|Page:Cod.44.A.8 004r.jpg|6|lbl=-|p=1}}<br/>{{section|Page:Cod.44.A.8 004v.jpg|1|lbl=4v|p=1}}
−
 
 
−
Krump auff behende {{red|/}}
 
−
wirff dein ort auff dye hende {{red|/}}
 
−
krump wer wol setzt {{red|~}}
 
−
'''[4v]''' {{red|/}} Mit schriten vil haw letzt {{red|/}}
 
−
Haw krump zu° flechen {{red|/}}
 
−
Den maisterñ wiltu sy swechen {{red|/}}
 
−
wenn es glitzst oben {{red|/}}
 
−
So stand ab das wil ich loben {{red|/}}
 
−
krump nit kurtz haw {{red|/}}
 
−
Durch wechsel do mit schaw {{red|/}}
 
−
krump wer dich Irret {{red|/}}
 
−
Der edel kriegk in vor wirret {{red|/}}
 
−
Das er nicht weiß vor war {{red|/}}
 
−
wo es sey ane far</poem>
 
 
| {{red|b=1|von krumm // wiedre schnyd da kumm}}
 
| {{red|b=1|von krumm // wiedre schnyd da kumm}}
 
<poem>
 
<poem>

Revision as of 00:33, 14 March 2017

Die Zettel
The Recital
Johannes Liechtenauer.png
Full Title A Recital on the Chivalric
Art of Fencing
Ascribed to Johannes Liechtenauer
Illustrated by Unknown
Date Fourteenth century (?)
Genre
Language Middle High German
Archetype(s) Hypothetical
Manuscript(s)
First Printed
English Edition 		Tobler, 2010
Concordance by Michael Chidester
Translations

Johannes Liechtenauer (Hans Lichtenauer, Lichtnawer) was a German fencing master in the 14th or 15th century. No direct record of his life or teachings currently exists, and all that we know of both comes from the writings of other masters and scholars. The only account of his life was written by the anonymous author of the MS 3227a, one of the oldest texts in the tradition, who stated that "Master Liechtenauer learnt and mastered the Art in a thorough and rightful way, but he did not invent and put together this Art (as was just stated). Instead, he traveled and searched many countries with the will of learning and mastering this rightful and true Art." He may have been alive at the time of the creation of the fencing treatise contained in MS 3227a, as that source is the only one to fail to accompany his name with a blessing for the dead.

Liechtenauer was described by many later masters as the "high master" or "grand master" of the art, and a long poem called the Zettel ("Recital") is generally attributed to him by these masters. Later masters in the tradition often wrote extensive glosses (commentaries) on this poem, using it to structure their own martial teachings. Liechtenauer's influence on the German fencing tradition as we currently understand it is almost impossible to overstate. The masters on Paulus Kal's roll of the Fellowship of Liechtenauer were responsible for most of the most significant fencing manuals of the 15th century, and Liechtenauer and his teachings were also the focus of the German fencing guilds that arose in the 15th and 16th centuries, including the Marxbrüder and the Veiterfechter.

Additional facts have sometimes been presumed about Liechtenauer based on often-problematic premises. The MS 3227a, often erroneously dated to 1389 and presumed to be written by a direct student of Liechtenauer's, has been treated as evidence placing Liechtenauer's career in the mid-1300s.[1] However, given that the 3227a may date as late as 1494 and the earliest records of the identifiable members of his tradition appear in the early 1400s, it seems more probable that Liechtenauer's career occurred toward the beginning of the 15th century. Ignoring 3227a as being of indeterminate date, the oldest version of the Recital appears in the MS G.B.f.18.a, dating to ca. 1418-28 and attributed to an H. Beringer, which both conforms to this timeline and suggests the possibility that Liechtenauer was himself an inheritor of the teaching rather than its original composer (presentations of the Recital that are entirely unattributed exist in other 15th and 16th century manuscripts).

Treatise

Liechtenauer's teachings are preserved in a brief poem of rhyming couplets called the Zettel ("Recital"). These "secret and hidden words" were intentionally cryptic, probably to prevent the uninitiated from learning the techniques they represented; they also seem to have offered a system of mnemonic devices to those who understood their significance. The Recital was treated as the core of the Art by his students, and masters such as Sigmund Schining ain Ringeck, Peter von Danzig zum Ingolstadt, and Jud Lew wrote extensive glosses that sought to clarify and expand upon these teachings.

Twenty-one manuscripts contain a presentation of the Recital as a separate (unglossed) section; there are dozens more presentations of the verse as part of one of the several glosses. The longest version of the Recital by far is found in the gloss from MS 3227a, which contains almost twice as many verses as any other. However, given that the additional verses tend to either consist of repetitions from elsewhere in the Recital or use a very different style from Liechtenauer's work, they are generally treated as additions by the anonymous author or his instructor rather than being part of the standard Recital. The other surviving versions of the Recital from all periods show a high degree of consistency in both content and organization, excepting only the version attributed to H. Beringer (which is also included in the writings of Hans Folz).

The following tables include only those manuscripts that quote Liechtenauer's Recital in an unglossed form. Note that in the case of Beringer and Folz, the verse is presented in an alternative sequence; they have been reordered to match the others in this rendition, but you can find the original layout in their articles.

In addition to the verses on mounted fencing, several treatises in the Liechtenauer tradition include a group of twenty-six figuren ("figures")—single line abbreviations of the longer couplets, generally drawn in circles, which seem to sum up the most important points. The precise reason for the existence of these figures remains unknown, as does the reason why there are no equivalents for the armored fencing or unarmored fencing verses.

One clue to their significance may be a parallel set of teachings first recorded by Andre Paurñfeyndt in 1516, called the "Twelve Teachings for the Beginning Fencer".[17] These teachings are also generally abbreviations of longer passages in the Bloßfechten, and are similarly repeated in many treatises throughout the 16th century. It may be that the figures are a mnemonic that represent the initial stage of mounted fencing instruction, and that the full verse was taught only afterward.

Additional Resources

References

  1. ↑ Christian Henry Tobler. "Chicken and Eggs: Which Master Came First?" In Saint George's Name: An Anthology of Medieval German Fighting Arts. Wheaton, IL: Freelance Academy Press, 2010. p6
  2. ↑ Kein eindeutiges z.
  3. ↑ The first letter has been corrected so that the word is ambiguous to identify.
  4. ↑ Written larger than normal.
  5. ↑ In the Bavarian dialect: freien = freuen, a freit = eine Freude.
  6. ↑ Gotha inserts the title Das ist der krieck in this position, but no other version separates it in that way.
  7. ↑ Between "Dupliere" and "doniden" there is a lack of space, possibly the "d" was added later.
  8. ↑ Corrected from »Im«.
  9. ↑ There is probably a missing letter here, making it "durchwechseln".
  10. ↑ W has been corrected to V.
  11. ↑ Erster Buchstabe schwer zu lesen. Eve. Könnte auch "in" heißen.
  12. ↑ This appears in place of the Durchwechseln verse.
  13. ↑ "oder"
  14. ↑ The meaning is unknown, but may be a part of the bridle.
  15. ↑ There are dots above the e, but it is not clear whether it really is an umlaut.
  16. ↑ "Vecht" (sound shift b→v)
  17. ↑ Andre Paurñfeyndt, et al. Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey. Hieronymus Vietor: Vienna, 1516.
Early Germanic Traditions
Common Fencing Johannes Liechtenauer reversed.jpg
Wrestling
Liechtenauer
Tradition
Beringer Verse
Augsburg Tradition
Other Works
Fabris Tradition
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