Mensur Fechten

[Matthew_Anderson]

Man, don't these guys look like they're having a good time?



I guess that's what happens when you aren't allowed to move your feet and have to just stand toe to toe and bash away at each other. But they did get some cool scars, which I understand women find very attractive. <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" />

[Doug Marnick]

Great pic!
The guy on the far right seems to be enjoying the bloodshed. I laughed when I saw the wounded fencer clinging to his buddy's arm. Perhaps he passed out after the picture was taken? <img src="/forum/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />

[Jeffrey Hull]

What is shown and what you described is why I came to understand that Mensur-fencing is not martial art but rather sabre-masochism.

[JeffGentry]

Hey Jeffrey

Mensur-fencing is not martial art but rather sabre-masochism.

That is my understanding of it also, From what i hear and read it is all about the scar and not howling in pain afterward's is supposed to show how manly you are.

Me personaly i think the whole thing show's how stupid you are just MO.

Jeff

[Matthew_Anderson]

Exactly Jeff, by the early 20th century, when this picture seems to have been taken, this type of "fencing" was very ritualized and more about display and bravado than practicing any sort of effective, martial activity. I just think it's a funny picture.

[Nathan Dexter]

And what in God's name possessed them to do that?!? <img src="/forum/images/icons/shocked.gif" alt="" />

[s_taillebois]

What led them to do that...the same cultural attitudes which led them into Verdun, the Somme, Paschendale, Cambrai and etc.
The combination of lingering residuals from the Napoleonic arme blanch (or the even older chansons) and early 20th centuries industrial society...wasn't a good one for them. They were too close to one, and not far enough from the other to know what they were getting into...

[Craig Peters]

The same thing that leads Rugby players to brag about the fact that it's safer not to wear a cup when playing Rugby... <img src="/forum/images/icons/shocked.gif" alt="" />

[JeffGentry]

I read the Book by the sword about a year before finding ARMA and the author of that book said while researching it he was in Germany and went to one of these supposedly they still do them and they are very underground event's, The above author said it is illegal.

So if what he said is true it is still going on, i have heard it rumored that the scar on Heidric Himmler's face was from participation in a mensur how true that is i do not know.



Jeff

[Brad Patrick]

There's an article in Financial Times magazine (why there I don't know) about kids still doing this in 2004.

http://www.jonathan-green.com/portf_dueling.html

'Was Sehrt, Das Lehrt' apparently doesn't apply to these guys.

[JeffGentry]

Hey Brad


Interesting article, I just cannot see how it "proves" anything as far as being a man or being mentaly tough, there are alot of people out there who are sadist and masochist who pretty much do the same thing ie: scarring or being scarred, so to me this is pretty much the same thing whether they will admit it or not.

To me it indicate's some serious mental or emotional problem's when you want to "fence" with only the face exposed just so that you can scar someone or be scarred to prove how manly you are or think you are.

Jeff

[Jeffrey Hull]

The fact that the Financial Times would do an article about that dreck, rather than the real and admirable resurgence of practice at Renaissance Martial Arts, only goes to prove that the elitists who run that greed-encouraging rag are only interested in showing their number-shuffling readership how to slum-it in a way which appeals to the perversion-seeking of richy-rich masochists.

[Cornelius Engelhardt]

Yes, it's still happening. It's not illegal and it's not a secret thing nor is it done to get a scar or impress the ladies.

To me and most people who have been fencing a mensur, a scar shows that you made a mistake while fencing - nothing to be proud of.

Before judging something you don't kow about, please inform yourself:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mensur

If yu have further questions, I'm you man.

[Mike Cartier]

Yes, it's still happening. It's not illegal and it's not a secret thing nor is it done to get a scar or impress the ladies.

To me and most people who have been fencing a mensur, a scar shows that you made a mistake while fencing - nothing to be proud of.

Before judging something you don't kow about, please inform yourself:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mensur

If yu have further questions, I'm you man.

A well lets just use that website you gave us as a reference, I really am loathe ot use Wikipedia as a reference for anything.

They fence at arm's length and stand more or less in one place, while attempting to hit the unprotected areas of their opponent's face and head. Flinching or dodging is not allowed; the goal being less to avoid injury than to endure it stoically.

Sounds like they like injuries to me and like to stand there and whack each other.

The scar resulting from a hit is called a Schmiss (German for a "smite") which was seen as a badge of honour especially in the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. Today it is not easy for an outsider to identify Mensur scars in the face of a conversation partner due to better medical treatment.

Sounds like they like the scars to me.

[RayMcCullough]

Wikipedia said that small sword was used at the end of the 15th Century. Huh?

Is that an example of someone not knowing what a small sword is compared to other swords? Most people can identify a sword but they cant tell you what a long sword is, or a rapier is, or a small sword is, etc...