 |
You are not currently logged in. Are you accessing the unsecure (http) portal? Click here to switch to the secure portal. |
Hans Wilhelm Schöffer von Dietz
| Hans Wilhelm Schöffer von Dietz | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 16th century Dietz, Germany (?) |
| Died | 17th century Marburg, Germany (?) |
| Occupation | Fencing master |
| Movement | Freifechter |
| Influences | |
| Genres | Fencing manual |
| Language | Early New High German |
| Notable work(s) | Grůndtliche vñ eigentlichte Beschreibung der Fechtkunst (1620) |
| Manuscript(s) |
MS Var.7 (1611-19)
|
Hans Wilhelm Schöffer von Dietz was a 17th century German Freifechter. The "von" in his name is not an Adelsprädikat but indicates his city of birth (Diez an der Lahn). The son of an Amtmann, he became a Marburg citizen and made a living as a fencing master, likely running the only university-approved Fechtboden. He served as a "Mantenitore" (Vorfechter or teaching assistant) to Salvator Fabris, most likely in Denmark before 1606. After returning to his home, he went on to become fencing master at the Philipps-Universität Marburg. In 1623, he accepted an appointment to the Ritterakademie in Sorø, Denmark.[1]
In 1611, Schöffer wrote a two-volume treatise on fencing with the single rapier and with rapier and dagger (MS germ.qu.1190/1191), based on the teachings of Salvator Fabris. This treatise survives in several manuscripts and was ultimately published in 1620 as a single volume entitled Grůndtliche vñ eigentlichte Beschreibung der Fechtkunst ("A Thorough and Proper Description of the Art of Fencing"). More than a simple translation or plagiarism, the treatise represents considerable expansion and interpretation of the Italian master's art.
Contents
Treatise
Illustrations |
4º MS Math.38 (ca. 1600) |
MS germ.qu.1190/1191 (1611) |
MS Var.7 (1611-19) |
MS E.ö.V.36 (1619) |
4º MS Math.2 (1620) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Illustrations |
4º MS Math.38 (ca. 1600) |
MS germ.qu.1190/1191 (1611) |
MS Var.7 (1611-19) |
MS E.ö.V.36 (1619) |
4º MS Math.2 (1620) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
For further information, including transcription and translation notes, see the discussion page.
| Work | Author(s) | Source | License |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illustrations |  |
||
| Translation |  |
||
| 4º MS Math.38 (ca. 1600) | |
||
| MS germ.qu.1190/1191 (1611) | |
||
| MS Var.7 (1611-19) | |
||
| MS E.ö.V.36 (1619) | |
||
| 4º MS Math.2 (1620) | |
||
| Printed edition (1620) | |
Additional Resources
The following is a list of publications containing scans, transcriptions, and translations relevant to this article, as well as published peer-reviewed research.
- Klein, Dorothee (2017). Fecht - Lektionen: nach Hans Wilhelm Schöffer. Melsungen: Neumann-Neudamm. ISBN 978-3788818821.
Amberger, J. Christoph: Lives of the Masters (2): Salvator Fabris. Baltimore & Towson: Secret Archives Press, 2025.
References
- ↑ Joachim Hynitzchen. Scienza e pratica d'arme di Salvatore Fabris, Capo deir Ordine dei sette cuori. Das ist: Herrn Salvatore Fabris, obristen des Ritter Ordens der Sieben Hertzen, Italianische Fechtkunst. Leipzig: Michael Boge, 1677.
