Carcinized Fencing

The Meisterhauen

Today we're taking a look at one of the fundamental concepts of Kunst des Fechtens - the meisterhauen.

"Meisterhau" translates to "master cut". These cuts are those which break the four fundamental guards - Alber (fool), Vom Tag (from the day), Ochs (ox), and Pflug (plow). As such, they compose essential responses within a KDF fencer's toolkit.
Once you understand them, you can use them to safely close distance and manipulate your opponent (see Meyer's provoker, taker, hitter paradigm—this is a good article).

Scheitelhau
The frontmost figure to the right is in Alber. Scheitelhau ("scalp cut") is the cut that breaks Alber. It is a simple vertical cut to the head, ideally delivered with a leaning action (so as to avoid being hit in the legs).
Zwerchhau
The left background figures show a Zwerchhau being executed. Zwerchhau ("thwart cut") is the cut that counters Vom Tag. A common refrain within my school is the Zwerchhau "thwarts that which comes from above". Meyer's description of how to perform it is as follows: "When your opponent strikes you from the roof or above, strike closely with your short edge, breaking against his strike from below, holding your hilt high above to displace near your head, and strike to close by stepping full onto his Left side, thus displacing and closing against the other."
Krumphau
The right background figures show a Krumphau. The Krumphau ("crooked cut") breaks Ochs. Meyer's instructions for performing it are: "When your opponent strikes, step with your right foot fully away from his strike and against his left side, strike with the long edge and crossed hands against his strike, or between his pommel and blade, diagonally over his hands, and fully overshoot his arms to lay on the blade."
Scheilhau
The left background figures show a Scheilhau. Scheilhau ("squinting cut") is the cut that counters Pflug. It sets aside your opponent's sword and allows you to close in. Meyer describes it thusly: "While striking be sure to wind your short edge against his strike, and hit with inverting hands at the same time as closing with him, step fully with your Right Foot toward his left side, and so quickly take his head, thus have you done it rightly."
Zornhau
The left foreground figure is in Zornhut, the guard Meyer uses to execute Zornhaus. The zornhau is a bit of an oddity among the meisterhauen, as it doesn't counter a particular guard. However, it is the most fundamental strike in fencing, and according to Lichtenauer it threatens whoever strikes at you from above.
Bibliography “Joachim Meyer ~ Wiktenauer, the World’s Largest Library of HEMA Books and Manuscripts ~☞ Insquequo Omnes Gratuiti Fiant.” Wiktenauer.com, wiktenauer.com/wiki/Joachim_Meyer#Sword. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.
“Meisterhau ~ Wiktenauer, the World’s Largest Library of HEMA Books and Manuscripts ~☞ Insquequo Omnes Gratuiti Fiant.” Wiktenauer.com, wiktenauer.com/wiki/Meisterhau. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.
“Pseudo-Hans Döbringer ~ Wiktenauer, the World’s Largest Library of HEMA Books and Manuscripts ~☞ Insquequo Omnes Gratuiti Fiant.” Wiktenauer.com, 2013, wiktenauer.com/wiki/Pseudo-Hans_D%C3%B6bringer. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.
Reilly, James. “Meyer’s Four Types of Fencers: How We Conceive of Them and Ourselves.” HROARR, 28 Oct. 2019, hroarr.com/article/meyers-four-types-of-fencers-how-we-conceive-of-them-and-ourselves/. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.
“Scheitelhaw ~ Wiktenauer, the World’s Largest Library of HEMA Books and Manuscripts ~☞ Insquequo Omnes Gratuiti Fiant.” Wiktenauer.com, wiktenauer.com/wiki/Scheitelhaw. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.
Stimmer, Tobias. Meyer 1570 Sword Plate C, 1570, wiktenauer.com/images/6/6f/Meyer_1570_Sword_C.png. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.
Meyer 1570 Sword Plate D, 1570, wiktenauer.com/images/thumb/7/77/Meyer_1570_Sword_D.png/1600px-Meyer_1570_Sword_D.png. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.
Meyer 1570 Sword Plate E, 1570, wiktenauer.com/images/thumb/c/ca/Meyer_1570_Sword_E.png/1600px-Meyer_1570_Sword_E.png. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.
Meyer 1570 Sword Plate G, 1570, wiktenauer.com/images/thumb/c/c8/Meyer_1570_Sword_G.png/1600px-Meyer_1570_Sword_G.png. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.
Meyer 1570 Sword Plate H, 1570, wiktenauer.com/images/thumb/4/4a/Meyer_1570_Sword_H.png/1600px-Meyer_1570_Sword_H.png. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.
“Zornhaw ~ Wiktenauer, the World’s Largest Library of HEMA Books and Manuscripts ~☞ Insquequo Omnes Gratuiti Fiant.” Wiktenauer.com, wiktenauer.com/wiki/Zornhaw. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.
About Hi, I'm Alexander!
I made this website for my Professional Writing course at Bates Technical College. I'm in the Dental Lab Tech program, and outside of school I do HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts). I've been fencing for a bit less than a year now, and I study primarily Kunst des Fechtens and (more recently) sword and buckler. I'm also a visual artist with a focus on illustration, character art, and traditional printmaking. In addition, I occasionally dabble in web design and coding - hence my turning this into a bit of a coding project on top of writing. I thought it would be fun. Thank you for taking the time to read this!
P.S. - The little crab icons are section headers, you can click on them to collapse the section.