Pseudo-Hans Döbringer/Thomas Stoeppler In 2006

Here begins Master Liechtenauer’s Art of fencing with the sword on foot and mounted as well as with Armour and without.

At first, you should note and know that there is only one art of the sword, and this art may have been developed some hundred years ago. And this art is the foundation and the core of any fencing art and Master Liechtenauer understood and practiced it in its completeness. It is not the case that he invented this art – as mentioned before – but he has travelled many lands, willing to learn and experience the same real and true art.

And this very art is honestly real and true and it is about moving straight and simple, to the nearest target, taking the most direct way. For example, if someone intends to strike or thrust, it goes just like if a string would be attached to the sword and the tip or edge would be pulled to an opening of the adversary – who should be the target for the strike or thrust – resulting in taking the shortest way to the nearest target as possibly. That is why the same true fencing will never employ beautiful and wide parries nor large round moves which are just useful to entertain spectators.

There are some Leychmeister that tell they would invent new art and think that the art of fencing would get better day by day. I however would like to see just one who should come up with a fencing technique or a strike that is not part of Liechtenauer’s art. They just often try to change a technique just by giving it a new name, everyone just as he sees it fit. They also invent wide and large swinging moves and parries, and often use two or three strikes before the real strike. And all this just because they want to be praised by the uneducated people! They practice wide and beautiful parries and swings when they begin to fence for show, and execute long and far-reaching strikes slowly and clumsily and by doing this they miss and cannot recover again quickly – and thus exposing themselves easily. That is because they don’t have control and measure in their fencing; this really is not part of serious fencing. For school fencing and for practice using this may be useful, but serious fencing moves simply, directly and straight, without any hesitation and pause, just like a string or like everything would be exactly measured and calculated.

If someone intends to strike or thrust another who stands in front of him, no strike or thrust in any other direction or wide swings or many strikes will help. If he wants to bring it to a quick end, and yet hesitates and is slow, he should just leave the Schantze!

Therefore, he must instantly strike simply and directly to the man, at his head or body right to the nearest and most accessible target that he may reach there. And this he should do quickly and nimbly and better with one strike than with four or six, or spending precious time by looking and analysing. Also move lightly and nimbly.

The Vorschlag is a great advantage in fencing and you will hear more about this later in the text. Liechtenauer says only five strikes, with their following techniques are useful as opening methods for fencing. And he teaches these, according to the real art, to execute these straight and simply to the nearest and most accessible target as possible. And by this he leaves all the useless work and the newly invented methods of the Leychmeister that are falsely derived from his art.

Also know and note that one cannot really talk about fencing in a meaningful manner or explain it with written words, as some might like. You can only show it and instruct it by hand. So use all your senses and pay close attention to the art and practice it more for fun and play. so it will be ready for you faster for fencing seriously. That is because practice is better than art, your practice may very well be useful without art, but your art is useless without practice.

Also know that a good fencer should at first grip his sword safely in a secure manner with both hands between the cross and the pommel because this way he will hold his sword safer than by having one hand holding the pommel. He will also strike harder and more accurate this way if the pommel overthrows itself, swinging in behind the strike. This results in a much harder strike compared to having one hand at the pommel and drawing the strike. Drawing the strike this way is not as perfect and strongly, because the sword is like a pair of scales. If the sword is large and heavy, the pommel also must be heavy – just like on a pair of scales.

Also know when it comes to fencing one against another, he should be well aware of the adversary’s steps and be secure and well-trained with his own, just like he would be standing on scales. So he can step backwards or forwards, as appropriate, be adaptive and tread sparingly but also quickly and nimbly. Your fencing should be accompanied with a positive and resolute attitude and also with wits and your common sense and without any fear. You will learn about that later.

Also you need control and measure in your fencing as it is appropriate and you should not step too far, forwards or backwards, so that you don’t lose time while recovering from your first step. So you still can step as appropriate. Also it is often advisable to do two small steps instead of one long step, and often it is necessary that one has to do a little run with many small steps. Also doing an explosive step or a jump is often necessary.

That what one intends to execute for fun or in earnest, should be made strange and confusing to the eyes, so that the adversary will not notice what is going on. <16r> And then, if he manages to get to him, and he knows the measure and thinks the adversary can and will reach him now, so he should hurry to him without fear, quickly and nimbly, going for the head or body, not caring if he hits or misses. So he should win the Vorschlag and not let the adversary come to his own fencing. About this you will learn more in the general teachings.

Also one should preferably aim for the upper openings and less to the lower openings, and also above the cross and not below. So all fencing is much safer and the upper openings is much better (to reach) than the lower openings – except that it occurs that the lower opening is closer and then one should aim for the lower opening, but that doesn’t happen too often.

Also know that one should move to someone’s right side with his attacks instead of moving directly in from the front, because, when one knows of this method, practices and succeeds in doing this in all fencing or wrestling, he certainly is not a bad fencer.

Also know, when one wants to fence in earnest, he should plan a ready technique, whichever he like, and that technique should be complete and well-practiced. And he should take this seriously into his mind and will, just if he should say “That I want to do”. And then he must gain the initiative and with the help of God it will not fail. He succeeds in doing what he should do, if he bravely hurries and rushes in with the Vorschlag; about that you will later hear often.

Oh, all fencing
 requires the help of the righteous God
a straight and healthy body,
 a complete and well-crafted sword
before, after, weak, strong,
 indes the word you must remember,
strikes, thrusts, cuts, pressing,
 guards, parries, shoves, feeling, pulling,
winding and hanging,
 moving in and out, swipes, jumps, grabs, wrestles
wisdom and bravery,
 carefulness, deceit, and wits,
measure, concealment,
 sense, pre-anticipation, skillfulness
practice and positive attitude,
 movement, agility, good steps.
These verses
 should be your foundational principles
and these should permeate
 the whole matter
of the art of fencing.
 You should carefully observe these
and later
 you will especially
hear or read about these,
 and what each of these principles mean and contain.
Fencer this understand
 so the complete art will be revealed to you
of the whole sword
 and many good techniques.

Motus the word alone
 is the heart and the crown of all fencing
and the whole matter
 of fencing, with all principles
and the termini
 of the previously mentioned foundation

 will be quickly understood.
When one fences,
 he should be well instructed in these
And always stay in motion
 and don’t hesitate when you
begin fencing with someone
 So work righteously
and bravely with increasing speed
 one after another.
In one constant rush,
 without break,
that your adversary cannot come
 to strikes. It takes away his will
and causes him damage
 when he cannot get away
without being struck,
 however you can get away before him.
And after the teaching,
 which is written here,
So I tell you truthfully,
 no one defends safely
Have you learnt it,
 he will not come to strikes.

Here learn the frequens motus which paralyses your adversary in beginning, medium and end of all fencing according to this art and teaching. You should execute beginning, medium and end in one rush without break and without being stifled by your adversary and under no circumstances let him gain the opportunity to strike. This is the meaning of the two words vor and nach, which means Vorschlag und Nachschlag, striking him just like one.