Abstract

AbstractThe group of fencing masters of the 14th to 16th century is investigated according to their function as a literary motif in fencing treatises written in German. One example is the attribution of a particular set of instructions to ‘mystical’ founding figures like Johannes Liechtenauer‚ who serves as an authentication strategy and proof of authority of the particular record. The texts themselves claim to record mnemonics of traditional teachings that were originally only passed down orally in an encrypted language. Here the mnemonics attributed to the original master remain unchanged and are merely interpreted and commented on. Analogies to bible exegesis that support the creation myth surrounding Johannes Liechtenauer become apparent. This phenomenon exists side by side with a synchronic polemic against false masters (

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