Here's a Translated list of Official Documents that can be found starting on Page 70 of the Atldeutschen Fechter und Spielleute from 1901.
by Alfred Schaer:
From Augsburg:
- Confirmation of Ordinances through the Magistrate from the years 1568, 1596 and 1611 presented.
- Fencing Rules of the Town Council, from 9 January 1596 and from 13 Jan 1611.
- Town Council decision to the Abolishment of Fechtschulen in the year 1700. From Breslau:
- School Regulations from 1570 which forbids High School Students from visiting Public Fechtschulen.
- Approval of the Town Council for the holding of a Fechtschule (with SwordClinking Games, through the Pageantry of the Fencers) 5 Apr 1598.
- First Town Council Regulations of the Fechtschule from 9 Sep 1606.
- Renewal of the Town Council regulations from 6 Dec 1614 and from 9 May 1615
- Town Council Regulations about the days of Yore, and that which was forbidden to the Fechtschules 24 Feb 1616.
- Renovations of Patents of the Town Council by reasons of a Fechtschule 5 Apr 1625.
- Revision of the same Patents on 22 Feb 1642
- Last Town Council Decree concerning the Fechtschulen 6 Dec 1674. From Coslin: (Pomerania)
- Enforcement of Authority from 7 Sep 1666, which Forbids Fighting on Sundays. From Danzig:
- Apprentice Certificate for the Marbruder Joseph Georg Koppel from Leipzig 22 Jun 1682. From Frankfurt am Main:
- Petition by the MarxBruders to the Senate on 6 Sep 1574.
- Updated Petition of the same MarxBruders layed before the Senate 19 Apr 1578
- Written Complaints by the Marxbruder to the Senate of Discrimination through the emerging of other Fencers, 1578.
- List of Masters of the Long Sword, within this city, of the Hardhitting Marxbruders from the year 1583.
- Rules of the Marxbruder set on 31 Mar 1653.
- Confirmation of the same through the Town Hall 13 Oct 1660.
- ? or Transsumpt?? of the Town Hall to the privileges from 1669 (1670?) 22 Sep 1671. From Leipzig:
- Official Ordinance about the Fencers from 1567. From Mainz:
- Apprentice Certificate for the Federfechter Rudolf Gebhardt from Magdeburg 27 Jan 1719. From Nurmberg:
- Approval of the Town Council to the Holding of Fechtschulen was granted on the following dates:
Fastnach 1477, on 20 Jun 1478, Middle of January 1479, on 9 Oct 1479, on 17 Mar 1487,
4 Oct 1492, 3 Oct 1493, 19 Apr 1494, just short of Christmas 1495, and in the year 1561.
- Ban on Fechtschulen running forward from end of Jul 1503, to the years 1551 and 1585, Also 20 Jul 1691.??
- Ordinance about the Fechtschule of 1553
- 22 Fechtschulen Reimen or Poems 1579
- Town Council Ordinance about the High Cost of Admissions to the Fechtschulen from 23 Apr 1609.
- Decision about the use of the Spectator's Money from 1628
(after completion of the new Fechthauses)
- Town Council decision to cease all Fechtschulen from the year 1698. From Prague:
- Fechtschule Ordinance of the Town Council from 28 Jul 1597 (in Czech language) requesting the Holding of a fechtschule of the Federfechter and MarxBruder
- Statute and Ordinance of the FreiFechter of the Feder established on 4 Aug 1606.
- Written Invitation to the First Fechtschule of the FederFechter held on 10 Feb 1608.
- Master's Probation Period Document of the FechtMesiter Heinrich Schotte 15 Jun 1608.
- Master's Probation Period Document of the Federfechter Adolf Hagenauer from Vienna from 15 Jun 1735. From Ulm:
- Approval of the Fechtschule of the Kurschners through a TownCouncil Protocol from the year 1514!!!! [WOW clear reference to the Early Marxbruders!!]
- Town Council Ordinance about the Fechtschulen themselves from 1589.
- Revision of these Ordinances from the years 1590 and 1602.
- Other Town Council Ordinances from the years 1607, 1609, and 1613.
- Written Complaints on the Matters of the Fechtschulen to the Magistrates from year 1616.
We see many intersting things if we are to believe these documents did exist. I believe they did. The author is an absolute purist when it comes to his writing style. Alfred Schaer would not have embellished. He was a strict German, proud of his Heritage. And was exceedingly knowledgeable about the Old History of the FechtKunst or Fighting Arts of Germany, through his own personal experience with the TurnKunst. These documents appear to reveal that the Fechtschulen was winding down by the end of the 17th century. Perhaps there was no longer a need for these Sword skills, when so many Guns were emerging. And yet into the early 18th century, we see Federfechters Masters Probation period documents that are dated 1735!! Interesting.... if the Fechtschulen were gone, than I wonder what these guys were doing? Yet another avenue to explore. Of utmost interst is the clear reference to the Kurschners in 1514 no less, this is an extrememly rare and early mention of what was to become the Marxbruder. Article and Translation by Kevin Maurer
"Everyone thinks differently from everyone else, so he behaves differently
in combat" -Joachim Meyer, Kunst des Fechten, 1570
"For as we are not all of a single nature, so we also cannot have a single style in combat, yet all must nonetheless arise and be derived from a single basis." -Joachim Meyer, Kunst des Fechten, 1570
"Who despises me and my praiseworthy craft,
I'll hit on the head that it resounds in his heart."
--Augustin Staidt, Federfechter
"The Truth in Combat is different for each individual.... Truth lies outside of All Fixed Patterns." -Bruce Lee
