Joachim Meyer was a Free-Fencer from the City of Strasbourg (now in France) but he was born in Basel (now in Switzerland), He published a wonderful book called "A Thorough Description of the Free Knightly and Noble Art of Combat" in 1570 which covered the Longsword, Dusack, Polearms, dagger/Wrestling and Rappier, this was re-published again in 1600 by the widow and possibly her new husband or brother (Appolonia whom Joachim Meyer married on 4th of June 1560 and who would later remarry on April 14th in 1572 to a Hans Kuele bestowing upon him the status of Burgher and also Meyer's substantial debts incurred in creating this book) Joachim Meyer was a Messerschmidt (knife maker) and Free Fencer. He petitioned the city of Strasbourg no less than 6 times for the right to organize a Fechtschule (1561, 1563, 1566 and 1568). According to correspondences between the tutor and brother of Appolonia Meyer (Antoni Rulman) and the Duke of Mecklenberg who lived in Schwerin, Joachim Meyer died, probably of disease on feb 24th in the Dukes service after arriving on Feb 10th 1571 to take his position as Master of Arms for the Duke. A letter announcing his death was sent by the Duke to the City of Strasbourg.
A Facsimile of Meyer's Fechtbuch 1600 Edition is Available here
http://www.higginssword.org/guild/study/manuals/meyer/index.html
The Dusack is a peculiar little weapon that was very popular in Central Europe in Meyer's time, it was most probably descended from the Lange Masser or Long Knife, a German form of the Falchion. According to the man himself the Dusack was after the Longsword the most used weapon of the German people at the time. He also says the Dusack is the origin and basis of all weapons that are used with one hand, making it much more than a simple descendant of the Messer/Falchion. He says of the Dusack that it is so nearly related to the longsword that the greater part of the techniques that are used in the sword with both hands, are executed with in the Dusack with one hand.
According to some sources the Dusack was one of the most, if not the most popular fechtschule bouting weapon. This makes the sheer lack of surviving examples of the Dusack all the more perplexing. There is in existence only one metal Dusack from this time period that I know of from Eastern Europe ( and there is some doubt concerning its categorization as a Dusack). This could be because the Dusack came in 3 materials, Metal, Wood and Hard Leather. Stringent weapons possession laws in Germany at the time could have created a situation where the lower classes would use a wooden or leather Dusack as a personal defense tool thereby circumventing laws banning swords. The relatively low quality of the Dusack as a weapon also made its preservation unlikely. Whatever the reason the Dusack was clearly a weapon whether its function was as a training tool for the Messer or whether there in fact were weapons known as Dusacks. The Dusack as a weapon can be used as a stickfighting (stochfechten) art with just a little modification based upon the tool used and some rethinking of the concepts to fit a non-bladed weapon.
It has been suggested that the Dusack is not a weapon at all but merely a training device for the Messer/Falchion, which of course it is to a certain extent, as it is also a short one handed weapon. But I stop short of dismissing it as a weapon in and of itself without much more evidence of its use which was quite wide spread. I see it as a final evolution of the short cutting weapon from the Messer/Falchion an evolution that would eventually lead to the Cutlass and Saber of later centuries. I also consider it not inconceivable that the Dusack itself was a weapon.
The Dusack comes in various shapes and designs, from a more curved blade with a significant short edge to a straight weapon with a pronounced point for thrusting. I recommend the MRL metal Dusack even though I feel it is way too heavy for the Job at hand. Several vendors now sell wooden Dusacks and they can be made with a little woodworking skill as one of our study group members did. In fact I prefer his wooden versions to the metal MRL Dusack. A large Machete can also be substituted in a pinch.
This is a very fast weapon that requires agile footwork and quick responsive defenses. As always flanking the opponent with traversing footwork is desirable but can be rather difficult due to the speed of the weapon. The Dusack as a fighting tool seems to require deft angling, swift footwork, well timed parries and voids to be consistently effective.
Body Positiong in the Dusack:
The off-hand is held in several positions by Meyer in the Dusack book.
On the hip with the Palm, or on the hip with the fist. Paml on the belly covering the stomach and palm held vertically in fron of solar plexus. The off-hand is used often to assist in defensive actions and to assist in strikes. Footwork is deep in keeping with the needs of a power striking art. The thumb is used extensivly by Meyer to assist in all manner of cuts and parries.
Primary Dusack Guards
Zornhut - Wrath Guard
This is a deceptive guard used to entice out the opponent from his defenses. This guard can be done on both sides and is very effective when used in conjunction with other guards like the Bow/Bogen as instructed in the section of the Dusack book. Using Umschlagen/Umschnappen (blade control around the head) the Dusack can jump around the head quickly to cut at deceptive angles or quickly parry. The Zornhut with the Dusack mirrors the Longsword Zornhut in that it is done on both sides both on and off the shoulder depending on if you are in motion or coming to rest.
Stier - Steer
The Stier is also done on both sides as with most guards given to us by Meyer. The right side Stier is very effective as a defensive posture to intercept in-coming Oberhaus. Later in the Dusack devices Meyer mentions the Stier on the left side as being basically opposite to the first picture of this guard on the left (below). The picture on the right represents a mid-step position stepping either forward or backward or perhaps even switching side with the guard. The second hand supports the blade on the back edge to give a very solid parry and this supporting hand can also be used to assist in a strike.
Mittelhut - Middle Guard
The Mittelhut is only done on the left side, which is according to Meyer himself. However he goes on to contradict himself on this later in the book in the section on Devices where clearly a right side Mittelhut is also seen , however briefly.
The Mittelhut is an excellent setup for the Constrainer cuts that cut away the opponents weapon from the side or strike at his hands. In this way the Mittelhut sets up the Constrainer cuts with a step forward, back or traversing to the sides facilitating Angling to strike at the hand or batting away the in coming attack to Rinden over the head with a counter strike (Duplieren).
Eber - Boar
The Boar is a pulled back guard only done on the right side, it allows quick forward attacks with edge and point, by pulling back it adds a layer of deception to the range you are fighting in. The left hand is held in front of the chest in preparation for off hand assistance.
Wechsel - Change
The Change is the natural end result of a Zornhau strike, its use is much the same as the Change guard with the longsword, threatening short edge strikes or thrusts from the low position whilst also providing an excellent start position for a short edge parry.
Extra Primary Guards
In keeping with Meyer's views on the connection between Rappier and Dusack we include Vom Tag on left and right and from directly above. As the high guard is for cut and thrust we also include Ochs from left or right to fill out the single sword.
Secondary Dusack Guards
Wacht - Watch
The Wacht is the High guard of the Dusack, the left hand is placed on top of the right hand which grips the blade, the left hand can then assist in the strike or be used to catch your right up when in shoots up into the Wacht from below. This guard is done on both sides.
Schnitt - Slice
The Schnit is the pflug of the Dusack, done on both sides it covers the centerline and is one of the best defensive guards. Just as with Pflug in the longsword, when in doubt withdraw in to the Schnit and most attacks will be covered.
Langort - Longpoint
The Longpoint is the thrusting position you go to from any guard when thrusting, Notice its not a Lunge as we know it in modern fencing at all but a more shallow lunge which keeps you still well balanced to give and receive cuts.
Bogen - Bow
The Bow is the hanging guard of the Dusack, it deftly covers you from attack and is excellent in the set up of a quick counter cut after a parry as instructed in the devices.
Bastey - Bastion
The Bastion is an enigmatic guard, the description is somewhat murky and no pictures are referenced. Above is the closest I could find. I believe the Bastion is the Obler/fool guard of Dusack, the above version being a twist on Olber which turns the hand to make use of the effective Dusack hand guard. Essentially I see this guard in 2 versions, Olber and the below.
Einhorn - Unicorn
I add a Einhorn/Unicorn position based upon the following two images which show a blade in transition during a strike which fits the position of Einhorn in longsword.
It may not be a guard at all but its is a frequent position you get into when cutting around so it is worth a mention.
Below I include the quick study guide and the cutting targets I use for reference when training Dusack, It includes the primary and secondary strikes.
A quick note about the Dusack drills described by Meyer:
Meyer includes an excellent set of drills in his Dusack section, we use this drill not only for Dusack but for Longsword as well.
The straight cuts drill uses the primary strikes (scheitelhau, zornhau, mittelhau and unterhau) with precise footwork to create an all encompassing drill that covers most directions and cutting methods.
The drill has 2 variables, The Guard and the Cutting Method.
Any guard can be used for this drill with of course various complications which arise due to the one handed nature of the weapon, generally speaking I use cross steps on the left to facilitate the switch overs. The cutting methods refer to our method of striking which can be Full Cut, Half Cut, opposition (zucken), change cutting and a blend of opposition and change cutting together . Full Cut refers to a cut that goes through the target and comes out on the other side of the angle, this teaches good cutting form and power. Half Cut is the strike to the center of the target which teaches control, The opposition (zucken) strikes bounce from angle to angle and the change cuts cut through on one angle and comes back on another with no interruption of the strikes flow. The only rule is that you never come back on the same line as you just cut. Both the opposition and change cuts are the beginnings of the deceptions with the Dusack. It should also be noted that the change cut pretty much breaks apart and destroys all the common sense organization of footwork and body that the drill entails as the change cuts defies any sort of organization and one much really just do with feeling and indes.
The drill goes like this, (I will explain the first revolution through the Schietelhau strike zone using the Wacht guard and the cut thru method.)
Start in Wacht with left foot forward and take a passing step forward with your right leg and cut straight down in the Schietelhau and let it flow out onto your left side and up over your head in preparation to cut again to the same target, do so with a gathering step forwards (rear foot steps up then front foot mirrors the distance forward) cutting all the way through again and then repeat the gathering step/cut forwards one final time for a total of 3 cuts forward.
Now step back with the passing step backwards with the right foot into the original left foot forward Wacht position. Now you repeat going backwards.
Take a passing step backwards with the left leg and cut thru with scheitelhau, then take a backwards gathering step (front foot steps back then rear foots mirrors the distance backwards) with a Scheitelhau cutting thru to cut again from above as we did before to finish in right foot forward Wacht (left Wacht). This completes the right side cutting drill forwards and backwards, now we do the same on the left side.
Note: Meyer does not actually mention the use of this drill on the left side, however in keeping with some of the footwork shown in the plates (cross steps) I add the left side of the drill to train the type of footwork you use when sitting in the Mittelhut on the left.
On the left Side now with the right foot forward in Wacht, step a cross step and cut Schietelhau on the vertical line and quickly bring it up again and step forward with the right foot and again with a quick cross step cut a 3rd time and end in the cross step in Wacht position. Take a step back with the left leg (uncrossing the legs) and now begin the backwards portion of the left side.
Take a step back with the right leg, behind the left and cut Schietelhau, bring it up to Wacht position and take a quick step back with the leg uncrossing the legs and cut on the vertical line, again cut for a 3rd time and step back behind your left with your right ending with the legs crossed in the Wacht position. Now turn on the balls of your feet to the right and uncross your legs to finish in the original Left foot forward Wacht position that you began this entire drill from.
This completes the full rotation of the Schitelhau strike on both sides, forwards and backwards. There are 3 more strikes (4 if you use short edge) and you can change the cutting methods as I have described earlier as well as do this drill from any of the guards. Be warned however that the left side can get confusing with some of the more tricky guards.
Meyer's Six Cuts
Stand with your right foot forwards at all times and cut a right to left zornhau, change the cut back from the left to right across the middle line and then cut back from right to left again from underneath with an upward diagonal cut and follow it again from left to right with the left to right upward diagonal cut. Cut again from right to left across the middle line and finish the six cuts with a left to right vertical cut. Use a step for each cut and keep the right foot forwards. the cuts should flow smoothly from one to another.
Other Important Concepts
Parts of the fight
Judicious use of the simple but complex concept of the parts of the fight is an absolute necessity to increased fighting skill with the Dusack. This includes many diffrent handworks like, Changing, Failing, Sliding, Setting Off and feeling and the methods of parrying (Provoker, Taker and Hitter) which also relates to striking as well with the concept of ABzug, the withdrawal which can begin with forward or backward movement to successfully fight in the After. Another application of Abzug necessary to Dusack fighting is the ability to charge in and hit but then escape his follow up strike. This requires disciplined footwork and sure defensive parries and distance awareness.
Mike Cartier
"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
