codex wallerstein longsword by bart walczak and radoslaw ropka

8/11/2019 Codex Wallerstein Longsword by Bart Walczak and Radoslaw Ropka

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CodexWallersteih lofechten

Radoslaw RopkaBartlomiej Walczak

based on transcription and translation by

Grzegorz Zabinski


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One of the most important techniques in the Codex iswinden - winding. It is considered to be similar to theatemi in EMA - a blow which distacts the opponent andallows swordsman to perform another action. Despite thedepiction, it is most often executed as a blow with theshort edge to the head or to the face. Notice the step for-wards with the winding.

The classical German bind - most probably results fromhitting Zornhaw against Zornhaw, although it is not men-tioned expicite in the Codex Wallerstein text.

The very first counter to the winden is to wind against it.This second winden is also executed as a strike with theshort edge towards the opponents head.

One of the possible defenses against second winden is toenter the Kron stance (again not explicite mentioned in thetext) and regaining the strength on the opponents blade.The opponent however immediately counters that bystriking with the shortened strike to the elbow. Noticethat the blow is made with the step.

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Part I: Winden


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Alternatively he can make a feint - step with the right footforwards and pretend he is striking from another side(probably a horizontal blow), and then strike with theshort edge towards the opponents ear. This blow resem-bles Schielhau.

If the opponent defends from the elbow strike, mostprobably by lowering his sword, swordsman may pushaway his blade with the hilt, hit him with the pommel inthe face and put the sword with the false edge on hisneck. This way he can trip the opponent.

Another option from the well defended elbow strikewould be to turn the sword in such a way that the oppo-nents blade slides down harmlessly, and to put onesown sword on the opponents neck and ones left handbetween the hands of the opponent. This technique ishard to execute properly.

This is a proper counter to the previous technique. Theswordsman on the left, is to let go of his left hand andcatch his opponents blade, putting it on his neck and trip-ping him. Notice the footwork.

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This is another fine example of using winden as a setupfor further action. This time after winding, the swords-man should catch the hilt of opponents sword and hithim with the pommel in the face.

This technique utilises winden as a set up for the followup, which is pretty simple. After hitting the opponent inthe head, swordsman is advised to set the opponentsblade aside with the pommel and grab his sword with theleft hand in the middle to put the blade on the opponentsneck. This is one of the schwernemen techniques men-tioned in the Codex.

Another example of winden shows a quick and decisiveaction: after winding, the swordsman should hit hisopponent with the pommel in the face from above, moveinto half-swording position, put his sword on the oppo-nents neck and trip him, and finish combat by thrustinginto his stomach.

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This counter is very similar to the last technique from theprevious part in the terms of finishing. After opponentwinds, the swordsman should wind too, hit the opponentwith the pommel from above, and with the half-swordput the blade on his neck to trip him.

The first counter to winden was to wind. Another is tocatch ones sword in the middle, simultaneously settingaside the opponents blade, and thrust from above intothe lower openings (or Drer him as some might say).The picture is not clear enough, but swordsmans lefthand should lock the opponents blade.

This technique also starts with double winden and ismeant only for strong people. After countering oppo-nents winden with his own, swordsman should hit himwith both hands in the elbow, so the opponent turnsaway, and then strike him in the head. This technique issimilar to Fiore dei Liberis elbow push.

This technique is labelled simultaneously, probably bythe very Paulus Hector Mair, the late owner of this man-uscript. It is similar to the previous one but instead of hit-ting opponents in his arms, the swordsman waits for himto make any other actions and then enters right into him,tripping him backwards. Notice the position of right foot.

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Part II: counters to Winden


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Being a twin of the vortechnique, this one, labelled nach,is to be executed, when the opponent is quicker andstrikes the swordsman from the other side before he canlay his sword on the opponents shoulder. In this case,the swordsman should strike the opponents sword withthe short edge to hit him in the ear or the back of thehead. This second blow is similar to LiechtenauersSchielhaw.

This technique is labelled vir(before) and it depicts quitewell the timing issue of the offensive principle. We canalso see one of the Meisterhawen in works - Krumhaw.Although the text is not clear in this matter, we believethat the swordsman should displace the Zornhaw withKrumphaw in the flat, and provoke his opponent intoaction by stepping in. Before he strikes, though, theswordsman should place his sword on the opponentsshoulder and cut off his ear.

This schwertnemen is the one found in Liechtenauersteachings. After the bind the swordsman is advised tobear aside both blades and enter with the hilt below theopponents sword, pulling to the right.

Inndes technique (simultanously) was described in part IIof this handout.

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codex wallerstein longsword by bart walczak and radoslaw ropka

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