SHFA Programs

Kunst des Fechtens

• White Ribbon Class
• Messer and Dussack
• Dagger and Grappling
• Meyer by the Book

La Verdada Destreza

Scienza d’Arme

The Philosophy of Battle

The martial art of the medieval and renaissance Germanies.  "Kunst des Fechtens" also known as "The Art of Combat or the Art of Fencing", was developed sometime around 1400 and is attributed to Master Johannes Liechtenauer. He is said to have "learnt and mastered the Art in a thorough and rightful way, but he did not invent and put together this Art. Instead, he traveled and searched many countries with the will of learning and mastering this rightful and true Art." His teaching were recorded in a mnemonic poem called a Zettel and later masters in the tradition wrote extensive commentaries on the meaning of the poem.

These teachings became the dominant form of martial art throughout the Germanies. Over time it grew and expanded, changed as much by pressures from without as from within. In 1570 Joachim Meyer, one of the last masters in the tradition published an extensive work "Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens" or "A Thorough Description of the Art of Fencing" that forms the basis for our training.

The art is a complex one with the Longsword at its core. However other weapons are present within the system including the Dussack and Messer, cutting weapons held in one hand; the sidesword or rappier (as he called it), a primarily thrusting weapon held in one hand; dagger and grappling; staff weapons and more. 

Our Kunst des Fechtens classes come in two forms. One uses modern pedagogy to teach the art in an efficient and safety focused manner, while the other deals with the teachings of Joachim Meyer as they are recorded in his texts, allowing students to experience what it was like to learn to fence during the renaissance. 

For more information please check our Schedule.