Historical Weapons: German Longsword Study Guide

Historical Weapons: German LongSword

Study Guide

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 Historical Weapons: German Longsword Study Guide

Etiquette
Following proper etiquette when entering and exiting the dojo is an easy way to
facilitate respect for everyone involved in your training:
➢ Guard Up!
➢ The Instructor
➢ Your fellow class-mates

Entering the Dojo

Entering The Dojo / Exiting the Dojo
1. Aquire a sword to use for initial Guard Sequence

2. Line up on the red line and face the instructor

3. Stand with your Right leg forward in the guard of Alber

4. Raise your sword into Langenort

5. Pull the sword back to your face, so that the hilt is chin level and
the blade points straight up

6. Extend back into Langenort

7. The last step depends on whether you are beginning or ending

class:
• Beginning Class: Step back with the Right leg into the
guard of Zornhut
• Ending Class: Lower your sword down into the guard of
Alber

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 Historical Weapons: German Longsword Study Guide

Guards (Hut)

German English Alternate Translations

Zornhut Wrath Guard
Nebenhut Near Guard
Ochs Ox
Langenort Longpoint
Pflug Plow
Schrankhut Crossed Guard
Vom Tag From The Roof
Alber Fool

Straight Blows (Hau)

German English Alternate Translations

Oberhau High Blow
Zornhau Wrath Blow
Das Redel The Wheel
Unterhau Under Blow
Nebenhau Near Blow

Master Blows (Meisterhau)

German English Alternate

Translations
Zornhau Wrath Blow
Zwerchhau Thwart Blow
Krumphau Crooked Blow
Schielhau Squinting Blow
Scheitelhau Scalp Blow Parting Blow

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 Historical Weapons: German Longsword Study Guide

Concepts
German English Alternate Translations
Vier Versetzen Four Parries Displacements
Nachreisen Traveling After Chasing
Uberlauffen Overrunning
Zucken Pulling Taking Off
Durchwechseln Changing Through
Absetzen Setting Off
Abschneiden Slicing
Hende Trucken Pressing the Hands
Zwei Henden / Winden Two Hangers Winding
Durchlauffen Running Through

Counting

German English German English

Ein One Zwanzig Twenty
Zwei Two Dreißig Thirty
Drei Three Vierzig Forty
Vier Four Fünfzig Fifty
Fünf Five Sechzig Sixty
Sechs Six Siebzig Seventy
Sieben Seven Achtzig Eighty
Acht Eight Neunzig Ninety
Neun Nine Hundert Hundred
Zehn Ten

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 Historical Weapons: German Longsword Study Guide

Footwork (Beinarbeit)
When standing in the pre-fencing (your initial guard) make sure to keep good
balance. This is achieved by:
➢ Bending the legs slightly.
➢ Keeping the back straight from the waist up.
➢ Keeping a small amount of distance between the front and back feet.
➢ Distributing your body weight evenly on both feet 50/50.

Keys to Good Footwork

There are several keys to maintaining good footwork:
➢ When striking blows from the right, step with the right foot.
➢ When striking blows from the left, step with the left foot.
➢ It is more important to move slower and stay on balance then to rush and be off
balance (especially for training purposes).

Types of Footwork
There are three basic steps used commonly within the German System (that we
believe so far).
➢ Gathered steps
➢ Passing steps
➢ Side-step / Compass Step

Gathered Step
The gathered step is the quickest and usually the smallest step of the three
(although the degree of advance can be controlled quite easily). This step is very
similar to a simple fencing advance.
➢ The direction you are moving determines which foot to move first.
➥If advancing then the front foot moves first with the back foot pushing
forward.
➥Conversely, if retreating, then the back foot lifts first with the front foot
pushing backwards.

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➢ The relative position of the body does not change axis in this step. That means
your legs are not going to cross-over themselves.
➢ Advancing or retreating any range of distance is fairly simple by repeating the
gathered step as needed.

Passing Step / Cross-over Step

The passing step or cross-over step is slower then a gathered step but gains more
distance initially then the simple gathered step.
1. Start in the pre-fencing with the left leg forward (standard for right-handers).
2. Step forward with the right foot. This will cause a change in the axis of the
bodies position (you have in fact crossed over the center line that runs between
your feet.
3. Similar to the gathered step, the foot that leads is determined by whether you
are advancing or retreating:
➢ For left foot forward stance:
➥To advance - step with the right foot
➥To retreat - step with the left foot
➢ For right foot forward stance:
➥To advance - step with the left foot
➥To retreat - step with the right foot

Side Step / Compass Step

The side step or compass step is often used with various Meisterhau (Zwerchhau,
Krumphau, and Schietelhau). The major difference compared to other footwork is
that there is a lateral component to the movement.
1. Start in the pre-fencng with the left leg forward (standard for right-handers)
2. Step forward and to the right (about 45 degrees) with the right foot.
3. Next bring the trailing left foot into position to regain a solid stance. Often this
resembles sweeping the left foot in an arc behind the body similar to drawing
with a compass (hence the name). Remember to end with the forward foot
pointing directly forward toward the target. Often this involves pivoting the
forward foot to re-align with the target.
4. Make sure that the ending position of the feet does not cross the centerline that
runs between them. That is, make sure to end in a good balanced stance.

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Glossary

German Term English Definition

Translation
Abschneiden Slicing Off A concept referring to slicing or draw-cutting the opponent. Often the slice
is delivered to the opponent's forearms and is used to counter and control the
opponent while simultaneously injuring him.
Absetzen Setting Off A concept referring to setting aside the opponent's weapon with your own.
While this may be described as parrying it often implies that you do so while
continuing to threaten the opponent with your own weapon (e.g. the point by
using Ochs, Pflug or Langenort).
Alber Fool A guard with the weapon held with arms relaxed and point facing downward
toward the ground. It is one of the four primary guards of the traditional
Liechtenauer system.
Durchlaufen Running A concept referring to grappling with the opponent after a charging attack by
Through either combatant.
Durchwechseln Changing A concept referring to moving one’s weapon from one side of the opponent’s
Through weapon to the other by traveling under the guard.
Hende Trucken Hand Pressing A concept referring to pressing and drawing your blade against the
opponent’s wrists and hands. This may be executed as you are in a position
executing Abschneiden against your opponent.
Kron Crown A guard where the longsword is raised high with arms extended and point
high to protect the head from an opponent's Oberhau.
Krumphau Crooked Cut A Meisterhau where you step out and strike crooked to your opponent's blade
or hands. When executed from the right the hands become crossed.
Langenort Long Point A guard where the sword and arms are extended forward to threaten the
opponent at maximum range.
Meisterhau Master Cut The five core cuts of the Liechtenauer system of longsword combat.
Nach After When your opponent has the initiative your actions are defensive -- you act
after him and in response to him. This is fighting "in the Nach."
Nachreisen Traveling A concept referring to out-timing your opponent -- attacking just as he's
After preparing to attack ( in the vor) or immediately after a missed attack (in the
nach). See Vor and Nach.
Nebenhut Near Guard A guard where the sword is held at the waist with the tip extending back and
down. The true edge should point forward at your target.
Nebenhau Near Cut An upward diagonal cut, using the false edge, starting in Nebenhut and
ending in Vom Tag.
Oberhut High Guard A guard in which the sword is held above the head. The elbows are open so
they are out of reach of the opponent and the sword is roughly 45 degrees
back from vertical.

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German Term English Definition

Translation
Oberhau High Cut This can refer to any cut that starts from a high position and ends in a lower
position or it can refer specifically to a vertical cut from above. See also
Scheitelhau.
Ochs Ox A guard with the longsword is held by the side of the head with the point
directed forward with the blade either horizontal or angled so that it hangs
slightly downward towards the ground. It is one of the four primary guards
of the traditional Liechtenauer system.
Pflug Plow One of the four primary guards of the traditional Liechtenauer system. The
hilt is held low at the hip with the point directed up toward the opponent’s
face. It is one of the four primary guards of the traditional Liechtenauer
system.
Scheitelhau Scalp Cut A Meisterhau where you cut from above to the opponent's head. This is often
applied in response to a cut to your lower targets take advantage of longer
range.
Schielhau Squinting Cut A Meisterhau where you get inside the opponent's blade by intercepting it
with the false edge when he is in Pflug or striking from above. In the
resulting bind you are set up for a winding thrust or a Nebenhau.
Schrankhut Crossed A guard where the sword is held out front with the blade pointing toward the
Guard ground and angled forward. When the right leg is forward the arms will be
crossed. When the left leg is forward they will not be.
Uberlauffen Overrunning A concept referring to the application of geometry to out-reach your
opponent. If your opponent's blade is striking low you can attack him with
your sword at shoulder level to get much greater range, so that you are not hit
at the same time.
Versetzen Parrying Setting aside the opponent's incoming weapon with one's own.
Vier Versetzen Four Parries The four Meisterhauen/Master Cuts that counter the four fundamental guards
of the Liechtenauer tradition:
• Zwerchhau/Thwart Cut counters Vom Tag/From the Roof
• Krumphau/Crooked Cut counters Ochs/Ox
• Schielhau/Squinting Cut counters Pflug/Plow
• Scheitelhau/Scalp Cut counters Alber/Fool.

Vom Tag From the Day One of the four primary guards of the traditional Liechtenauer system. The
sword is held either at the shoulder or over the head. Generally synomonous
with Oberhut.
Vor Before When you have the initiative your actions are offensive -- you act before you
opponent and he must respond to you. This is fighting "in the Vor."
Zornhau Wrath Cut One of the five Meisterhau. A cut delivered diagonally downwards from
above starting in Vom Tag or Zornhut and ending in Nebenhut. A powerful
blow for striking or binding.

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German Term English Definition

Translation
Zornhut Wrath Guard A guard where the sword is held at the shoulder with the blade pointing 45
degrees vertically and behind your head. Considered the position from which
the most pwoerful blows can be executed.
Zucken Pulling A concept referring to moving one’s weapon from one side of the opponent’s
weapon to the other by going over the point of his blade. This captures the
center line if the opponent is hard at the blade.
Zwei Hengen Two Two binding positions in Pflug and Ochs. These are the starting positions of
Hangings the common winds.
Zwerchhau Thwart Cut A Meisterhau where the sword is held horizontal above your head and rotated
to strike the sides of the opponent's head. The dominant thumb should
remain under the sword. Cuts from the right side should use the false edge,
while cuts from the left should use the true edge. It also defends against high
blows.

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