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Augsburg Group

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Nuremberg Group
Cod.I.6.4º.2 20v21r.png
Codex Wallerstein, ff 20v - 21r
Author(s) Principal unknown
Antonius Rast
Compiled by Albrecht Dürer
Paulus Hector Mair
Illustrated by Principal unknown
Albrecht Dürer
Date ca. 1470s
Genre Fencing manual
Wrestling manual
Language Early New High German
New Latin
Archetype(s) Currently lost
Manuscript(s)
First Printed
English Edition
Dörnhöffer, 1909.
Concordance by Michael Chidester
French Translation.png
German Translation.png
Slovenian Translation.png
Spanish Translation.png

The Nuremberg 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 Nuremberg, Germany. It has been suggested that these treatises define a local martial arts tradition native to that city, which would be a subset of the mainstream German style. The first two sections of the Codex Wallerstein are the oldest entry in the group, and it's possible that the later treatises are dependent on it, particularly that of Albrecht Dürer. However, this issue is complicated by the fact that the first grappling section of the Glasgow Fechtbuch, which is comprised of material not drawn from Wallerstein, contains much of the remainder of Dürer's work.

Despite the existence of several fencing manuals describing these teachings, there are few known masters of this tradition. A master Hartman von Nuremberg is mentioned by Paulus Kal as a member of the Society of Liechtenauer,[1] but no writings of his that might demonstrate a connection to the tradition are known to exist. Despite attempts by a few modern writers to connect Albrecht Dürer to the Marxbrüder fencing guild, there is no evidence suggesting that he was anything but a master painter, and it seems unlikely that he practiced the techniques in his book.[2] 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.

Treatises

The Wrocław Codex 1246 was lost during World War II and cannot presently be integrated into this composite. 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.

Additional Resources

References

  1. Kal, Paulus. Untitled [manuscript]. Cgm 1507. Munich, Germany: Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, 1470.
  2. Amberger, J. Christoph. "The Death of History: Historic European fighting arts in the Mis-information Age". Fencers Quarterly Magazine. Retrieved 12 October 2010.