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Johann Andreas Schmidt

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Johann Andreas Schmidt
Born ca. 1713
Uncertain, probably Germany
Died date of death unknown
Unknown
Occupation Fencing master
Influences
Genres Fencing manual
Language Early New High German
Principal
manuscript(s)
oder leichte und getreue Anweisung auf Stoss und Hieb zierlich und sicher zu fechten. (1780)

Johann Andreas Schmidt was a 17th century and 18th century German fencing master who ran his own fencing school in the Free State of Nuremburg, Bavaria, Germany. It is not known where he was born, though it was probably in Germany in ca. 1650. Sometime after 1671 (or perhaps after 1675), Schmidt studied fencing under Johannes Georgius Bruchius at the latter's school in Amsterdam. Sometime prior to 1713, Schmidt opened his own fencing school in Nuremberg.[1].

In Sometime prior to 1713, perhaps while teaching at his fencing school, Schmidt published a very extensive fencing manual entitled oder leichte und getreue Anweisung auf Stoss und Hieb zierlich und sicher zu fechten. Nebst einem curiusen Unterriche vom Boltigiren und Ringen ("Johann Andreas Schmidts Fencing and Retreat Masters Fencing Arts, or an easy and accurate statement on the shock and small strikes and about safety in fencing."). The original publication date of the book and publisher is not known, but the book was republished in Nuremberg after Schmidt's death by Christoph Weigelischen Runsthandlung in 1780, and it discusses the use and fencing arts with the single rapier after the German manner, which he had learned through Bruchius, which was itself heavily influenced by the teachings of the Italian master Salvator Fabris.[2]

He died probably around 1730 to 1740, probably in Nuremberg.

Treatise

A copy of the treatise is available at the New York Public Library, where it was uncovered by modern day fencing student and instructor Thomas Van Hare. Being 374 pages long, it has been scanned and published in Google Docs and is available online at Johann Andreas Schmidts, Fecht- und Exercitienmeisters Fecht-Kunst, Nurnberg, 1780.

Additional Resources

References

  1. Johann Andreas Schmidt. "Johann Andreas Schmidt". Frontpiece from Fechtbook by Johann Andreas Schmidt. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  2. Reinier van Noort. "Johannes Georgius Bruchius". School voor Historische Schermkunsten. Retrieved 22 February 2013.