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Augsburg Group

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Augsburg Group
Cod.I.6.4º.2 32v33r.png
Bauman Fechtbuch, ff 32v - 33r
Author(s)
Compiled by
Illustrated by
Date ca. 1470s
Genre
Language Early New High German
State of Existence Original hypothetical; several fragmentary
copies exist
Manuscript(s)
Concordance by Michael Chidester
Translations

The Augsburg Group is a series of 15th and 16th century German manuscripts that describe a common set of techniques and seem to have originated in the area of Augsburg, Germany. It has been suggested that these treatises define a local fencing tradition native to that city. The first two components of the Bauman Fechtbuch are the oldest entry in the group, and certain later treatises are dependent on it, particularly that of Albrecht Dürer. Other texts, such as the Goliath Fechtbuch, contain similar illustrations but significantly different text. Still others contain only versions of the illustrations with no text, such as the Berlin Picture Book, or only versions of the text with no illustrations, such as the manuscript of Gregor Erhart.

Despite the existence of several fencing manuals describing these teachings, there are few known masters of this tradition. In fact, the only known master whose connection to the tradition is certain is Antonius Rast, a former Captain of the Marxbrüder who left a partially-completed fencing manual upon his death in 1549. This manuscript was later acquired and completed by Paulus Hector Mair, and it seems to have influenced his own writings to some extent.

Another Augsburg master, Jörg Wilhalm, also produced many manuscripts and influenced the writings of Gregor Erhart and Paulus Hector Mair, but connections between his writings and this textual tradition are tenuous at best.

Treatises

The Wrocław Codex 1246 disappeared during World War Ⅱ and cannot presently be integrated into this concordance. Fortunately, Friedrich Dörnhöffer referenced this text extensively in his 1909 edition Albrecht Dürers Fechtbuch. In the transcription, he included notes where the text of the Codex 1246 differs from that of the MS 26-232; those notes have been preserved in this compilation, indicated by footnotes with the abbreviation Br.

While the Berlin Picture Book contains a wealth of high-quality illustrations, it draws on multiple sources aside from the Augsburg tradition including Hans Talhoffer's writings and a series of anonymous sword and buckler images. Because of this, images which don't overlap other works in the tradition can't be verified as belonging to it and thus are omitted here.

Additional Resources

The following is a list of publications containing scans, transcriptions, and translations relevant to this article, as well as published peer-reviewed research.

References

  1. dauchen : drücken, niederdrücken.
  2. Im Fechten gibt es den Zwerhau, der in dieser Handschrift als Twir bezeichnet wird, in anderen Quellen aber auch Twirch geschrieben wird, von zwerch = schräg, quer. Zum einen würde diese Bedeutung in Verbindung mit dem Ringen hier keinen wirklichen Sinn ergeben, zum anderen wäre die Schreibweise mit „b“, auch wenn dieses stimmlos gesprochen werden kann, äußerst ungewöhnlich. Im Rheinischen Wörterbuch findet sich dagegen der Begriff Pirch = Pferch = Einzäunung. Diese Bedeutung ergibt im Ringen mehr Sinn und könnte hier evtl. mit „Umklammerung“ übersetzt werden.
  3. 5. plötzlich, unversehens.
  4. es fehlt die „fünfft tbirch“, Dafür hat das Stück zwischen der drit und der vierdt tbirch keine Nummerierung.
  5. der erste Buchstabe (p) ist nicht sauber geschrieben. pern stossen = Bärenstoß?
  6. hier zu lesen als: fringt = ringt.
  7. The addition is difficult to read on the document, but results from the Table of Contents
  8. von äbich: abstehend, verkehrt (Deutsches Wörterbuch of the Brothers Grimm)
  9. The following pictures are marked with numbers underneath. As on the original the numbering is difficult to read, it was omitted in the transcription of the plays.
  10. das „b“ bei „nymbt“ wurde nachträglich aus vermutlich ursprünglich „y“ verbessert
  11. alt: fulcrum
  12. das „h“ ist über das vermutete „g“ geschrieben
  13. Text from subsequent image, per the statement "This passage belongs to the previous device, those belong hereafter."
  14. Text from subsequent image, per the statement "This passage belongs to the other devices before."