Wherever We turn this week, We found German steel … and Germans training with it. HEMA/WMA and respect for sword history is alive and well in the land of Ringeck. While back home here, common sense continues its own fight to be considered in day-to-day life.
German swords by German artisans for … Brits
CONSETT MAGAZINE (UK) 02 February 13 The German Sword Makers of Shotley Bridge (Brian Harrison)
A short report on four German sword-making families that came from Solingen to practice their craft over the Channel.
Stop Snickering or I will hit You with my Sword … Again.
GIEßENER ALLGEMEINE (Germany) 25 January 13 Hobby mit Schwert und Streitaxt
80 enthusiasts spend their time practicing early medieval “Reenactment Combat Fighting” with a period monastery as backdrop. The training, type unspecified, prepares them to meet with 800 of their peers later in such events as the ‘Schlacht von Neustadt-Glewe’.
The group has had no adverse reactions from the local public; “We’re more picturesque and amusing than menacing “
A Brush with Swords
WESTFÄLISCHE NACHRICHTEN (Münster, Germany) 31 January13 LWL restauriert kostbares Mittelalter-Schwert
A rare archeological treasure discovered in the 1990’s, a medieval sword is carefully restored.
A Sword for Service.
QUAD-CITY TIMES (Davenport, Iowa) 22 January 13 Intimidating sword is only a symbolic accessory (Doug Smith)
A curious family heirloom is offered up for identification … and while the blade is not exactly earth-shaking in historical significance – it is an interesting reminder that not all modern sword-merit able service involves the police or military.
Snippets
SÜDWEST PRESSE (Göppingen, Germany) 31 December 12 Ein besonderes Schwert für den Kaiser
Story Time with Onkle Wes … a version of a German ‘fairy tale’ about a blacksmith that had to forge a sword suitable for presentation at Christmas to the Emperor Frederick I (Barbarossa).
FREIE PRESSE (Chemnitz, Germany) 03 February 13 Bad Schlemaer verwandeln sich in Mittelalter-Darsteller
Not Our usual offering, but any journalist that can combine swords, a sutler and the ‘Company of Black Squirrels’ into an item deserves at least a nod.
NBC (New York, New York) 22 January 13 Blacksmiths forge new suit of armor for bulkier Vatican guards
The Austrian Schmidberger family has been blacksmithing since 1350, and was recently selected to create 80 ceremonial breastplates designed to fit the current girth of the Vatican guards.
KIMA (Yakima, Washington) 26 January 13 Going too far? Ore. school disciplines kids for imaginary sword fight (Erica Nochlin)
Common sense thrown into the Moat … Part 2.
“They used "air" swords and axes to pretend to stab each other, but they didn't have anything in their hands – not even a stick. Still, the Hillsboro School District said it was inappropriate”.