Fechtschule; Germany, 1750

Plenty of action

Talk about a three-ring circus!

Falchion Fencing; Germany, c. 1550

 

Fencing with the falchion

World sensation: The first adidas-brand fencing pants discovered… in 1550!

Fechtschule; Germany, 1623

Fechtschule der Klopffechter

Fechtschule der Klopffechter, 1623

 

Dussack; German, c. 1550

     

 

 

 

 

 

Iron Dussack, c. 1550

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dussacken were probably the cheapest and most widespread kind of fencing weapon between the 15th and the 18th century. This is an excedingly rare iron sample from Germany…

Behind the woodshed: Little-known aspects of Dussack play through the ages

They called it a Dussack, Dusack, Dysack, Tesak, Tuseckn, Thuseckn, Disackn, or Dusägge. And judging from the rather pedestrian taunting rhymes that the staunch craftsmen and artisans of the German fighting guilds made up, it appears that its use was at least as popular as its orthographic variety is mystifying: Some of the 16th-century Fechtschulrheime show that during some 16th-century Fechtschulen, over two thirds of all bouts were fought with the Dussack, by far outstripping those conducted with long swords, staves, and dagger.