Christmas-time traditions differ across the world. In Russia, December appears to be the time when you get together with good friends and exchange carefully selected and personally delivered blows across their armoured body! There is a lot of Russian press and blog activity which leads Us to believe that the winter season is when Our Slavic peers sort out who is going to the spring regional swordplay tournaments, and from there to the fall ‘nationals’.
Clashing in Kursk
ДРУГ ДЛЯ ДРУГА (Kursk, Russia) 21 December 13 В Курске фехтовали рыцари
For six years, the historical fencing group "Avalon"have been conducting their ‘end of year tournament’ and attracting the best fighters aged 15 to 30 from the six fight clubs active in the region around Kursk.
Sword and Shield, Sword and Buckler and Single Sword bouts were conducted using rules appropriate to the specific discipline; some being judged after a set time, others to the number of ‘blows’. Of note, shield and buckler blows to the head are forbidden, as are buckler blows to the body.
Clashing in the Capital
РИДУС (Moscow, Russia) 10 December 13 Рыцарские бои в заснеженной Москве. Фоторепортаж
Martial Arts Centre “Excalibur” organized their own end-of-year celebration, featuring two days of 5-on-5 and individual swordplay in various disciplines.
Clashes Continue … (can’t find a ‘C’ word for Voronezh)
РОССИЙСКАЯ ГАЗЕТА (Voronezh, Russia) 01 December 13 В Воронеже прошел рыцарский турнир ( Ирина Евсюкова)
Club “Nuremberg” had their home town melee and demonstration as well, though We’re unsure from the item if they’re a HEMA/WMA swordplay group or a historical demonstration effort. Regardless, they look as if they do some heavy hitting.
Old School Style Sword Collecting
TIMES DAILY (Kentucky) 30 December 13 Mystery surrounding Civil War sword is unraveled (Robert Palmer)
The Civil War sword of Confederate officer Capt William F. Karsner was recently ‘rediscovered’ in a government office more than three decades when it had been originally found hidden under a house floor.
The blade is a French-made version of the model 1850 U.S. foot officer's sword, which was sold to both sides prior to the war.
Wayne Higgins, curator of Pope's Tavern museum believes the sword was hidden under the floor boards to prevent it from being taken by occupying Union troops after the war. He said Confederate weapons and paraphernalia were prized by Union troops.
Reform School Style Sword Collecting
TONBRIDGE COURIER (UK) 29 November 13 Sword thefts in Tonbridge a major blow for history buff (Anna Verdon)
Medieval re-enactor Michael St Omer lost his American Civil War cavalry sword, Norman cavalry sword, two bows and his arrows and two spears to thieves that broke into the garage where his kit was stored.
“"One was the first spear I ever bought for re-enactments so it has a lot of sentimental value.”
The history buff, who has also starred in films such as Robin Hood alongside Russell Crowe and Jack the Giant Slayer, is not holding out hope of getting them back but put photographs of the weapons online.
More importantly; "It is a bit worrying as the thieves might try and fight each other with them but re-enactors spend around six months training so they won't know the safe ways to do so."
Snippets
In keeping with last weeks ‘Christmas sword’ theme; there is another yule-time tradition in Germany that just happens to involve a sword.
Sword women! Don’t p*** them off!
And resolve that for 2014 you will say: ‘No to abuse sword’!