Smallsword Duelling

[M ELEY]

Glad you liked it, Keith. Admittedly, I'm a wuss and would rather have not been scarred up in this way!

[urbanspaceman]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

Glad you liked it, Keith. Admittedly, I'm a wuss and would rather have not been scarred up in this way!

I only visit this planet occasionally, so I have to confess that the behaviour of the male species is sometimes even more perplexing than the female

[fernando]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

Glad you liked it, Keith. Admittedly, I'm a wuss and would rather have not been scarred up in this way!

Common sense, Captain ...common sense. Many years ago (long before Internet) i watched a documentary in the TV where a bunch of these guys 'fought' for a scar; close to each other, wearing goggles, crossing swords at high speed (you can't call it fencing, nor duelling) and looking to get cut; indeed the willing to get themselves a scar was more their goal than inflicting one to their foes.
In a different scenary, who doesn't remember the movie Royal Flash, where Malcom MacDowel (Flashman) had to be scarred in his face to impersonate the Danish prince; but at least here there was some practical sense ... so to say.


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[mariusgmioc]

Originally Posted by fernando

Common sense, Captain ...common sense. Many years ago (long before Internet) i watched a documentary in the TV where a bunch of these guys 'fought' for a scar; close to each other, wearing goggles, crossing swords at high speed (you can't call it fencing, nor duelling) and looking to get cut; indeed the willing to get themselves a scar was more their goal than inflicting one to their foes.

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As far as I remember this was a common practice... and fashion among German students in the 19th... maybe even early 20th century.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

As far as I remember this was a common practice... and fashion among German students in the 19th... maybe even early 20th century.

Yes indeed, Marius; still is healthier to collect antique arms than fashionable scars .

[Rick]

There was a documentary film made in the early sixties, Mondo Cane, in which a German student got his scar at a Barber's shop. From what I remember the barber offered this service to those young men who desired the scar.

[fernando]

Who kows the barber had a catalogue from which the clients could select the style of scar they wanted to exhibit ... like for a hair cut.
Rick, i remember the film, but hardly the details; no wonder, you are so much younger .

[Chris Evans]

Hi Fernando,

Is this what you were referring to? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OSaFdDko_k

Cheers
Chris

[fernando]

That's the one, Chris. Good catch .

[Mel H]

Mark Twain devoted part of his well known 1880 book, A Tramp Abroad, to a view of his own observations of Heidelberg students' fencing.
An amusing read.

[fernando]

Here is the part mentioned by Mell:
http://www.mark-twain-in-heidelberg.de/htm/mthd_c05.htm
Hopefully by now notions of this 'sport' are fully clear and the current (not so within scope) topic will fall asleep .