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This is my current translation of the longsword treatise by Hans Talhoffer from his 1467 manuscript. I completed my original translation back in 2013, but this version is much improved, since my translation skills have improved quite considerably in the last ten years!
The text is mainly just captions for the illustrations and so they are painfully brief and typically fail to explain what is happening – unless you know Liechtenauer’s system and have some insight from other related sources.
I have worked from Gustav Hergsell’s transcription of the 1467 manuscript:
- Hans Talhoffer (1467), Talhoffer Fechtbuch, Cod.icon. 394a, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich, Germany, ff. 2r-35r
Please note that this translation is released under copyright, and that while I am more than happy for people to use it for their own training and study, you must contact me to request permission to use it in any publication or for any commercial use.
I have chosen to leave technical terms untranslated, to avoid imposing any unwanted interpretation or baggage on the terms. However, I realise that some people do prefer to see everything translated, including technical terms, so I have offered suggestions in the footnotes.
If you find this translation and its footnotes interesting and useful in your studies, please send me a small donation to help keep the website online and to fund my work and research efforts. I will appreciate it immensely.
Translation
Folio | Transcription Gustav Hergsell (1894) | Translation Keith Farrell (2023) |
2r | Oberhow. | Oberhaw[1]. |
– | Vnderhow. | Underhaw[2]. |
2v | Sturtzhow. | Sturtzhaw[3]. |
– | Wechsselhow. | Wechselhaw[4]. |
3r | Zorn ortt Im dröw. | The Zorn Ort[5] threatens. |
– | Aber oberhout. | Another Oberhaw. |
3v | Das lang Zorn ortt. | The long Zorn Ort. |
– | Darfür ist das geschrenckt ortt. | Therefore, the Geschrenckt Ort[6]. |
4r | Der fry How von Tach. | The free cut[7] Von Tach[8]. |
– | Dams das Halsfahen mach. | Therefore, do the neck-taking. |
4v | Am vnderen blosz. | A lower opening. |
– | ouch am vnderen blasz. | Another lower opening. |
5r | Ain Schwert niemen. | A sword-taking. |
5v | Ain zu legen oder eekomen. | A laying-on or coming-in. |
6r | Linck gen rechten das must Starck vechten. | Left to right, for a strong fight. |
6v | Ain fryes ortt. | A free thrust[9]. |
– | Das gayszlen. | The Gayszlen[10]. |
7r | Vsz dem anbinden hinvegstoszen hinter dem Elbogen vassen. | From the binding-on, seize behind the elbow and push it away. |
7v | Mit dem fryen ortt Inlouffen vnd Tretten In den buch. | With the free thrust, Einlauffen[11] and tread through the stomach. |
8r | Zwey ober ortt. | Two high thrusts. |
8v | Die zwo vnderen blosz. | Two low thrusts. |
9r | Das wegbinden oder Hinder binden. | The binding-away or the binding-behind. |
9v | Das gryffen über die Iszny Portt. | The reaching over the Eisen Port[12]. |
– | Die yszni Port. | The Eisen Port. |
10r | Den Oberhaw erliegen vnd In die arm slahen. | Let the Oberhaw fail and strike to the arms. |
10v | Der das geschrenckt ortt macht. | He has done the Geschrenckt Ort. |
– | Der hout von tach. | The cut from the roof. |
11r | Krum vff behend | Krump[13] out deftly. |
– | das ort wider wend. | Turn the point against. |
11v | Hie ist die krum volbracht. | Here the Krump is complete. |
12r | Der gryfft nach der vnderen blosz | The reach to the lower opening. |
– | der schnit von oben daryn. | The slice from above against it. |
12v | Die arbeit Im krieg. | The work in the Krieg[14]. |
13r | Die geschrenckt schwechin. | The crossed weak. |
– | Der stat in der Hut. | He stands in the Hutt[15]. |
13v | Ain überfallen. | A falling-upon. |
14r | Stand beid In der Hut. | They both stand in their Hutten. |
14v | Ain gewauppet Infallen vnd swert niemen. | An armed[16] falling-in and sword-taking. |
15r | Der staut fry Im ort. | He stands freely with the point. |
– | Der hout linck über das ort. | The left cut over the point. |
15v | Vsz dem oberhow geuallen In das gewauppet ort. | From the Oberhaw: falling-in with the Gewappnet Ort[17]. |
16r | Vsz den anbinden übergryffen vnd werfen. | From the binding-on: seizing-over and throwing. |
16v | Vsz den anbinden uber ain vahen mit gewalt. | From the binding-on: a grabbing-above with force. |
– | [coat of arms] 1467 | [coat of arms] 1467 |
17r | Vsz den anbinden geuallen In die vndere ort. | From the binding-on: falling-in with a low thrust. |
17v | Vsz dem anbinden stossen hinweg by den Elbogen. | From the binding-on: pushing away by the elbow. |
18r | Der mortschlag. | The Mordschlag[18]. |
18v | Der wurff vsz dem ortschlag. | The throw from the Mordschlag. |
19r | Vsz dem fryen How geuallen In das gewauppet ort. | From the free cut: falling-in with the Gewappnet Ort. |
19v | Vsz dem schilher geuallen In das gewauppet ort. | From the Schiller[19]: falling-in with the Gewappnet Ort. |
20r | Vsz dem Tunrschlag Ain werffen. | From the Donnerschlag[20]: a throw. |
– | Vsz dem dunrschlag ain Ryszen. | From the Donnerschlag: a wrenching. |
20v | Nach dem Ryszen der stos In das antlitz. | After the wrenching, the thrust to the face. |
21r | Bas brentschirn. | The Brentschirn[21]. |
– | Oder das anbinden Im kurtzen Schwert. | Or the binding-on with the Kurtzen Schwert[22]. |
21v | Vsz dem anbinden Im kurtzen schwert | From the binding-on with the Kurtzen Schwert. |
22r | Vsz dem brentschüren ein leinen vff den Elbogen. | From the Brentschirn: a leaning-on to the elbow. |
22v | Ain Notstand für den Stich oben vnd vnden. | The stances you need for the thrusts from above and from below. |
23r | Ain gedreng darus Arbaiten. | A pushing-match during the work. |
23v | Ain hefften In Hentschuch. | A pinning through the glove. |
24r | Ain Hefften In fus. | A pinning through the foot. |
24v | Vom anbinden ain Hyszen by der knüw kelen. | From the binding-on: a wrenching of the back of the knee. |
25r | Den mordstraich erlogen vnd schlahen In den schenckel. | Let the Mordschlag fail and strike to the leg. |
25v | Vsz dem anbinden ain Halssryszen. | From the binding-on: a neck-wrenching. |
26r | Hie hand sie die swert begriffen. | Here they have both grabbed the swords. |
26v | Ain Schwert niemen. | A sword-taking. |
27r | Schwert wechszlen. | Sword-changing. |
27v | Aber ain suchen. | Another seeking. |
– | Der wil stossen vnd Ryszen. | He will thrust and wrench. |
28r | Hie ist der mordtstraich versetzt vnd ryszt In by dem Hals. | Here he blocks the Mordschlag and wrenches his opponent by the neck. |
28v | Vsz dem brentschiren ain ynschlieszenn. | From the Brentschirn: an Einschliessen[23]. |
29r | Vsz dem swert vassen so würffs baide von dir vnd vollend. | From the sword-catching: throw both from you and finish well. |
29v | Vom dem mordtstraich das vmb keren. | From the Mordschlag: the turning-around. |
30r | Der Bruch über das vmkern. | The break against the turning-around. |
30v | Vsz dem Mordtstreich von Im louffen vnd stoszen vnd wider schlahen vnd ryszen. | From the Mordschlag: from Einlauffen and thrusting and striking again and wrenching. |
31r | Vsz dem swert begryffen durch schlupffen. | From the sword-grabbing: slipping through. |
31v | Vsz den brentschürn ain schlieszen vnd werffen. | From the Brentschirn: a lock and a throw. |
32r | Der staut für stich vnd Straich. | The stance for a thrust and strike. |
– | Der staut verkert für Stich vnd Streich. | The reversed stance for a thrust and strike. |
32v | Aber ain schwert niemen. | Another sword-taking. |
33r | Der will schlahenn. | He wants to strike. |
– | Ain Inlouffen. | An Einlauffen. |
33v | Vsz dem Inlouffen der wurff. | From the Einlauffen: the throw. |
34r | Der wurff Ist volbracht. | The throw is complete. |
34v | Für den stich vnd rysen In Arm. | For the thrust and wrenching the arm. |
35r | Vnd mit fürtretten vnd stossen In das antlitz. | And with stepping forward and thrusting in the face. |
Footnotes
[1] Oberhaw could be translated as “strike from above”.
[2] Underhaw could be translated as “strike from below”.
[3] Sturtzhaw could be translated as “plunging strike” with the sense of something that has gone up now plunging back to earth.
[4] Wechselhaw could be translated as “changing cut”.
[5] Zorn Ort could be translated “wrath point” or “wrath thrust”.
[6] Geschrenckt Ort could be translated as “crossed point”.
[7] A “free cut” seems to be the description used in this manuscript when the illustration shows the cut performed with the other leg forward against the usual rules, ie a cut from the right but with the left foot forward.
[8] Von Tach could be translated as “from the roof”, and here it could either be an instruction to cut from above or to cut from the Leger more commonly called Vom Tag.
[9] Similar to the free cut, the free thrust seems to be done with the other leg forward, against the usual rules.
[10] Gayszlen could be translated as “whip” (geißeln).
[11] Einlauffen could be translated as “running in”.
[12] Eisen Port could be translated as “iron gate”.
[13] Krumphaw could be translated as “crooked cut”.
[14] Krieg can be translated as “war”, but is also a technical term that Liechtenauer uses to mean the act of working with Winden in the bind.
[15] Hutt could be translated as “gurd” or “position” in the sense of being a fortified or protected place.
[16] Gewappnet could be translated as “armed” but carries the technical sense of having the left hand on the blade of the sword in what is often called the Gewappnet Hand or “halfsword”.
[17] Gewappnet Ort could be translated as “armed thrust” and carries the technical sense of halfswording.
[18] Mordschlag could be translated as “murder strike” or “killing strike”.
[19] Schiller could be translated as “squinter”.
[20] Donnerschlag could be translated as “thunder strike”, and seems to be pretty much the same technique as the Mordschlag.
[21] Brentschirn could be translated as “fire screen”, with the sense of the screens used to diffuse the burning heat of the fire when you want to sit nearby.
[22] Kurtzen Schwert could be translated as “short sword”, which has the same “halfsword” technical meaning as the Gewappnet Hand.
[23] Einschliessen could be translated as “locking in” or “surrounding” or “enclosing”.
Version history
This is currently version 2 of the work, translated into English in 2023 and released on this website in 2023.
Version 1 was translated into English in 2013 but was never released.