New Jersey Historical Fencing Association

We study the German school of fencing in the tradition of Grand Master Johannes Liechtenauer.  You can read about him here.

Historical Manuscripts ( Fechtbücher)

A  Fechtbüch is a German martial arts manual from the Middle Ages.  The term has begun to be applied to all martial arts treatises from the time.

• Our primary historical treatise is Joachim Meyer's masterwork  “The Art of Combat  - A German Martial Arts Treatise of 1570" which can be purchased on Amazon or from Purpleheart Armoury (the 1568 edition is very different and not a primary study source)
• Ringeck Danzig Lew: Long Sword - these three texts are among the most widely practiced and studied historical sources and can be purchased on Amazon.  This book includes translations of these three branches side by side.
• Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Art of the Longsword - has been out of print for some time but may be found on the Internet 
• Pseudo Peter von Danzig - an anonymous fencing treatise first thought to be written by Peter von Danzig.  It can be purchased here. 
• Jude Lew - Das Fechtbuch - Jude Lew was a 15th century fencing master.  His treatise can be purchased here.
• Royal Armouries Ms. I.33 - the earliest known surviving European fechtbuch for sword and buckler https://www.amazon.com/Medieval-Art-Swordsmanship-Royal-Armouries/dp/0948092858
• Codex Wallerstein (or Cod. Ⅰ.6.4º.2) is a German fencing manual compiled by Paulus Hector Mair in 1556.  It has been out of print for some time but can be found on the Internet
• MS 3227a - is a German commonplace book thought to have been created some time between 1389 and 1494.  It can be purchased on Amazon

Online resources

• Wiktenauer - The free library of Historical European Martial Arts books and manuscripts https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Main_Page

Historical Masters

• Grand Master Johannes Liechtenauer -  was a German fencing master in the 14th or 15th century. Liechtenauer's students preserved his teaching in the form of a mnemonic poem called the Zettel.  No direct record of his life or teachings currently exists, and all that we know of both comes from the writings of other masters and scholars.   https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Johannes_Liechtenauer 
• Sigmund von Ringeck - was a 15th century German fencing master.  Ringeck seems to have authored one of the few complete glosses of the epitome of the grand master Johannes Liechtenauer, making him one of the most important German fencing masters of the 15th century.  His name was included by Paulus Kal in his roll of members of the Fellowship of Liechtenauer in ca. 1470.  https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Sigmund_ain_Ringeck 
• "Pseudo-Peter von Danzig" is the name given to an anonymous 15th century German fencing master. Some time before the creation of the Starhemberg Fechtbuch in 1452, he authored a gloss of Johannes Liechtenauer's Recital (Zettel) which would go on to become the most widespread in the tradition.  https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Pseudo-Peter_von_Danzig 
• Jude Lew ("Lew the Jew") is the presumed name of a 15th century German fencing master. He seems to have stood in the tradition of Johannes Liechtenauer.  https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Lew
• Paulus Kal (born 1420s) was a 15th-century German fencing master. According to his own testimony, he was the student of one Hans Stettner, who was in turn an initiate of the tradition of Johannes Liechtenauer. He served as fencing master at three different courts in his career, serving in various military capacities including commanding men in at least three campaigns. https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Paulus_Kal
• Paulus Hector Mair (1517–1579) was a German civil servant fencing master from Augsburg. He collected Fechtbücher and undertook to compile all knowledge of the art of fencing in a compendium surpassing all earlier books. .  https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Paulus_Hector_Mair