Historical European Martial Arts

HEMA

HEMA — Historical European Martial Arts is the practice of reconstructing the combat systems of medieval and Renaissance Europe from original fencing manuals. At Schwertkampf Karlsruhe we teach five disciplines: Longsword, Rapier, Langes Messer, Lightsaber, and a Children & Youth course. Our workshops take place in Karlsruhe-Mühlburg and are open to complete beginners. Every technique we teach is drawn from historical sources — not invented by a modern instructor.

Longsword

The longsword was a versatile weapon in the Middle Ages — powerful, elegant and surprisingly fast. We work with the techniques of Johannes Liechtenauer, one of the most influential fencing masters of the 15th century.

In this workshop we show you the fundamentals: how to hold the sword safely, how to execute basic attack and defence movements, and how to apply first tactical ideas in a duel.

What makes it special: training with a real steel weapon. The weight, balance and dynamics of the longsword give you a unique feeling that no other sport can match. You will feel how every movement changes when you are in control of the weapon yourself.

Our training is designed so that swordsmanship is learnable for everyone — regardless of fitness level or experience. Fun, safety and progress come first.

What to expect:

Grip, stance and basic movements
Attack and defence exercises for beginners
Body awareness, coordination and focus
Safe, active training in a friendly group
Training with real steel — feel the weight, balance and dynamics first-hand
Step-by-step guidance — anyone can learn swordsmanship

After the workshop you will have actively practised battle-tested attack and defence techniques from the 15th century — and leave with a real feel for the longsword.

Next workshop — 2 August 2026

Rapier

The rapier was the weapon of civilian life in the 16th and 17th centuries — elegant, lightning-fast, and surprisingly accessible. Rapier fencing does not live by raw strength, but by distance, timing, and quick thinking. Here the stronger fighter does not win — the smarter one does — and that is what makes it so compelling, regardless of how athletic you are.

You may have seen fencing on television before — Olympic sport fencing, white suits, lightning-fast touches on a strip. Historical rapier fencing has the same roots, but feels entirely different: no points system, no standardised strip, just the free play of distance and timing. It is not about light contact; it is about understanding how a duel actually worked.

We will show you the basics step by step: how to stand, how to move, how to read the distance, and how to set your first thrusts and parries. Before long you will notice how individual movements come together into a real game at blade’s length — a small chess match where mind and body work as one.

And what you will learn is no invention of ours: our techniques come from the textbooks of real fencing masters such as Salvator Fabris and Ridolfo Capo Ferro, whose works are still regarded as the pinnacle of the rapier art today. You are learning fencing exactly as it was practised 400 years ago.

Fun, safety, and learning are our priorities. You need no prior experience — just the desire to try something new.

What to expect:

Guard, posture, and the fundamentals of blade work
Measure, distance awareness, and timing — the heart of rapier fencing
Thrusts, parries, and first tactical concepts
Training fine motor skills, coordination, and concentration
Safe, active training in a friendly group
Depending on pace and participants: a first glimpse of fencing with rapier and left-hand dagger (parrying dagger)

After the workshop you will have actively practised the fundamentals of Italian rapier fencing and will go home with a whole new feel for distance, timing, and blade control.

Next workshop — 18 July 2026

Langes Messer

The Langes Messer is a one-handed weapon of the late Middle Ages — a single-handed sword carried mainly by citizens for self-defence, but just as effective as the longsword. Fast, precise and surprisingly versatile.

In the workshop you will learn the fundamentals: safe grip and stance, basic attack and defence movements, and first tactical concepts in a duel. The techniques come directly from the fencing manual of Hans Lecküchner (15th century) and the Codex Wallerstein — battle-tested, source-based and surprisingly effective.

You train with real steel: the weight and balance of the Messer give you a feel for the weapon that no other sport can match.

After the workshop you will have actively practised attack and defence techniques from Lecküchner and the Codex Wallerstein — and leave with a real feel for the Langes Messer.

What to expect:

Grip, stance and basic movements
Attack and defence techniques for beginners
Battle-tested techniques from the 15th century
Training with real steel — feel the weight and dynamics first-hand
Personal guidance in a small group

View all workshops →

Lightsaber

Fiction meets fencing — in our lightsaber workshop you discover the perfect mix of cinematic action and real swordsmanship technique. Step by step you learn the fundamentals and turn simple movements into dynamic duels.

You will learn core basics like stance, footwork, strikes and parries, putting them into practice straight away in varied sparring exercises. The focus is not just on technique but also timing, dynamics and the intense experience of being part of a gripping lightsaber fight.

The workshop is aimed at complete beginners — no prior experience required, all equipment provided.

What to expect:

Stance, footwork and basic movements
Strike and parry techniques for beginners
Dynamic sparring exercises
Timing and reaction training
Safe training with high-quality foam weapons

After the workshop you will know real combat principles, have practised actual techniques in a duel — and had a lot of fun doing it.

Next workshop — 10 October 2026

Children & Youth

A specially designed workshop for children and young people aged 10 and up. Smaller groups, adapted pace, safe training weapons.

The focus is on coordination, concentration and a playful introduction to historical fencing techniques. Adult companions are very welcome to watch.

View all workshops →