Historisch Schermgilde limburg
"Practice knighthood and learn the Art that dignifies you, and brings you honour in wars. Wrestle well and wield lance, spear, sword,
and dagger manfully, whose use in others' hands is wasted.
- Johannes Lichtenauer
Who are we?
Historical European Martial Arts or 'HEMA' is a relatively new sport and a centuries-old art. The historical European martial traditions are being revived using different manuals and treatises from fencing masters of the middle ages and renaissance.
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Swordfighting in Limburg
Swordfighting can be practiced as a sport in Limburg since 2016, at the Historisch Schermgilde Limburg (Historical Fencing Guild Limburg).
We are actively involved in interpreting and practicing the historical European martial arts with a diverse and enthusiastic group of students and teachers. The main focus of our classes are currently the longsword and the rapier.
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Motto
Our maxim, "ignoramus et ignorabimus" (we do not know and will not know), embodies the fact that we will never have 100% certainty of how fencing was done in their respective time periods, and therefore have to constantly interpret the texts and experiment with the techniques in order to improve our skills in fencing.
Curriculum
For practicing with the longsword, we mainly focus on the treatises and style of the 14th and 15th-century fencing masters Johannes Liechtenauer and Sigmund ain Ringeck. With the rapier, we use the treatises of the renaissance fencing master Nicoletto Giganti.
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Recently we have also started training in Ringen (medieval wrestling) according to the treatises and style of the historical master Ott Jud.
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Classes in exploring other weapons and/or techniques, such as the sabre, dagger, and spear are commonplace as well.
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Training
Longsword
(Wednesdays & Saturdays)
Classes in the use of the longsword are instructed by Bor Jaspers.
Bor has been studying the treatises of Ps-Danzig and Ringeck for several years, which are manuals on the usage of the longsword.
Aside from this, Bor is also active in the study and usage of the military sabre.
Rapier
(Wednesdays & Saturdays)
Classes in the use of the rapier are instructed by Max Albertz.
Max has been studying the art of the Italian rapier for several years now, focusing on the curriculum written by the 17th-century fencing master Nicoletto Giganti. Aside from that, he also studies the treatises from other Italian fencing masters such as Camillo Agrippa, Ridolfo Capoferro, and Salvatore Fabris, and studies the sidesword according to Achille Marozzo.
Have we sparked your interest in historical European martial arts, and would you like to try it out sometime? In that case, we welcome you to come and take part in one of our training sessions!
You can find our training schedule and location at the bottom of this page, along with a contact form where you can make an appointment with us.
Why join our club?
As a member of Historisch Schermgilde Limburg, you will be part of an inclusive and diverse group of likeminded people who come together to practice a beautiful historical martial art and help grow each others' skills. We want to raise you to the level where you can easily study the historical sources and formulate your own interpretations of the historical European martial arts.
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But our club is much more than just weekly classes! With a variety of outings, workshops, and (internal) events, we are also a close-knit community where there is room for everyone and all are treated with mutual respect. We provide the space and opportunities to get to know each other better and socialise with your fellow club members.
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Aside from that, being a member will also grant you the following perks:
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You will get a say in which direction our club will go during our annual general meeting.
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You will be covered by our insurance against injuries sustained during our classes and events.
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You will get access to tournaments and events organised by the Dutch HEMA federation.
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You will be able to make use of our broad network of information, recommendations, and contacts which we have developed and maintained since our establishment in 2016.
What do you need?
In order to train safely and effectively, you need the right amount of protective gear. However, we do not expect you to own all of this gear in one go, and therefore you are free to use the training weapons and protective gear of our club, so that you can experience historical European martial arts without immediately breaking the bank. We do expect you to eventually acquire your own gear over time, however. The members of our safety board are more than happy to assist you in this!
For the first few training sessions, you won't be needing more than just a t-shirt, gym trousers, and indoors sporting shoes.
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Membership fees are €25 a month and collected quarterly. The first 3 lessons are free of charge and non-binding.
Please note! Members must be at least 16 years old.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'HEMA'?
'HEMA' is an acronym meaning Historical European Martial Arts.
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It is an umbrella term for all martial arts, martial sports, and fencing techniques with a historical character that were developed in Europe throughout the ages. With the help of old manuscripts and treatises from the Middle Ages and Renaissance, people all around the world have been able to reconstruct these arts which are now practiced globally.
What do classes look like?
A typical class at the Historisch Schermgilde Limburg lasts 2 hours. We start with warming-up exercises to stretch and engage the muscles. After this, the first part of longsword and rapier starts, in which different exercises and drills from the historical manuscripts are executed and repeated.
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At the end of the 1st hour we will take a short break, after which the second part will commence. On Wednesdays this is longsword and rapier once again, while on Saturdays this is Ringen (medieval wrestling). As in the first block, more exercises are executed in this second block. At the end of the 2nd hour, and thus the end of the class, we will close with important announcements and then clean up the used materials.
Whom is HEMA suitable for?
Are you interested in (European) history and do you want to learn more about this in an interactive way? Have you always wanted to learn swordfighting like people did in the Middle Ages and Renaissance? And/Or are you looking for a physical activity which literally challenges you at every turn? Then HEMA might be for you!
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At the Historisch Schermgilde Limburg, we gladly teach everyone who is interested the intricacies of historical fencing. We are a diverse and enthusiastic group of practitioners from different backgrounds, ages, nationalities, and interests which forms a close-knit club in which the fostering of each other's skills and the exchange of knowledge are key.
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Everyone regardless of gender, orientation, ethnicity, nationality, etc is welcome. There is no room for any form of discrimination, racism, (sexual) intimidation, and unnecessary violence in our club.
Do you use real swords?
We exclusively use blunt weapons meant for training purposes during our classes, such as nylon beginner's swords and steel Federschwerter (historical training swords).
Is it safe?
HEMA is usually a safe activity, but like with any other martial art or contact sport, accidents can always happen. For this reason we try to ensure that our classes are conducted as safely as possible, and create a space in which everyone can train as safely as possible with each other. Most of the classes will have at least one person trained in First Aid.
How fit do I have to be?
A certain degree of fitness will always be useful, but this is not a requirement. We try to raise everyone's fitness to a level that works best for historical fencing, but it's certainly not the only aspect that counts. Swordfighting also relies on your wits and psychological capacity in order to outsmart and defeat an opponent.
Are there competitions?
Yes, competitions are organised in and outside of our club, but these are on a voluntary basis and you are not required to participate. We do however want to encourage you to check these out! Examples are the NHK (Nederlands HEMA-Kampioenschap) in the Netherlands and the SBSN Koningstoernooi in Belgium.
I don't live in the Netherlands. Can I still become a member?
Yes, absolutely! The Historisch Schermgilde Limburg serves the entire Meuse-Rhine Euregion and place of residence is not a requirement in order to become a member. Our members are from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.
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(Note: when you become a member of the Historisch Schermgilde Limburg, you will be registered with the Dutch HEMA federation due to insurance policies)
Do you give demos/workshops?
Currently we only give demos and workshops in a limited capacity. We advise you to contact us for more information about possibilities.
Classes
Wednesdays 19:30-21:30
Sporthal Gounodstraat
Gounodstraat 22, 6164 CA Geleen
Longsword & Rapier
Saturdays 10:00-12:00
Sporthal Gounodstraat
Gounodstraat 22, 6164 CA Geleen
Longsword, Rapier & Ringen
More information:
contact us
Historisch Schermgilde Limburg is a member of:
