This 90-minute workshop explores the distinctive German sabre traditions of the 19th century, drawing from both military and civilian fencing systems. Participants will be introduced to the structured cutting methods and tactical principles developed within the Berliner Turnschule and the broader German fencing culture of the period.
Instruction will be based on the works of key historical masters, including Ernst Friedrich Seidler’s Fechten mit dem Säbel und dem Kürassierdegen (1843), Ernst Wilhelm Bernhard Eiselen’s Das deutsche Hiebfechten der Berliner Turnschule (1818), and August Wilhelm Ludwig Roux’s influential sabre treatises. These sources present a system grounded in disciplined mechanics, efficient cutting, and practical application.
The workshop will also examine elements of the German Mensur tradition, offering insight into its ritualized structure and its contribution to timing, measure, and committed cutting actions.
This session is suitable for practitioners interested in historical sabre systems, whether encountering German sabre for the first time or seeking to deepen their understanding of its technical and cultural foundations.
Equipment Requirements: Any single-handed cutting sword is suitable. A limited number of loaner sabres will be available. Mask and gorget are required.