16th Century Research with a Mind for Meister Meyer

Abstract

One of the first and easiest ways to go about researching a subject for me was and still is the checking of the resources and references of others work. This gets one into the "search" mode of always digging deeper. Take the mentality of, "I want to know what that guy who wrote that knew." Listing the books, articles, and websites from a book or paper on a topic you wish to dig into is a great way to stay motivated. Research if anything should be a joy, it is definitely a heavy task when done correctly logging keywords and key named persons from the paper in question and the sources they used, then just go down the rabbit trail, follow the above pattern for everything you come across in your topical field, especially from the referenced documents of valid sources. Inevitably and you will create your own way and data tracking method.

Full text

16th Century Research with a Mind for Meister Meyer
C. VanSlambrouck
One of the first and easiest ways to go about researching a subject for me was and still is the checking of the resources and
references of others work. This gets one into the “search” mode of always digging deeper. Take the mentality of, “I want to know
what that guy who wrote that knew.”
Listing the books, articles, and websites from a book or paper on a topic you wish to dig into is a great way to stay motivated.
Research if anything should be a joy, it is definitely a heavy task when done correctly logging keywords and key named persons
from the paper in question and the sources they used, then just go down the rabbit trail, follow the above pattern for everything
you come across in your topical field, especially from the referenced documents of valid sources.
Inevitably and you will create your own way and data tracking method.
Here is an example, you discover Kevin Maurer’s November 2010 web article “Who were the Freifechter?” on the Kampf Kunst
Blog and fall in love with the idea of learning more and want to know more. If you have not yet read Mr.. Maurer’s article, you so
do so now and then continue on reading this.
First I recommend logging all his references and then create a list of key words, after which the real fun and joy of research
begins.
I believe we can become better students of our historical masters by diving into their lives and times. If we study and gain
understanding of the places they lived and worked, the wars and battles they fought, the Art and books they looked upon and
their morals and religion would we not be more liken to the students they instructed within their lifetimes?
“All Things Meyer” is my research mantra. If I look into woodcuts, it is to better appreciate
Stimmer’s work on Meyer’s 1570, if I look into the Trade Guilds it is to learn more about
Meyer’s work and daily life, and on and on.
I believe research is the life’s blood of our recreation efforts and the very pulse of understanding Joachim Meyer’s
Kunstfechten. Without stout labor in research our physical applications run the hazard of becoming hollow, modern and not a
representation of Meyer to be proud of.

References:
Paurñfeindt, A. (1516). Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey. Wien: Hieronymus Vietor.
Meyer, J. (1570). Gründtliche beschreibung der kunst des fechtens. Straßburg : Thiebolt Berger
Sutor, J. (1612). New kůnstliches fechtbuch . (2 ed.). Frankfurt am Main: Wilhelm Hoffman.
Heußler, S. (1626). New kůnstlich fechtbuch. (4 ed.). Nürnberg: Ludwig Lochner.
Rißler, J. P. (1853). Alsatia.
Münster, S. (1598). Cosmographia. Basel: Sebastian Heinrich-Petri.
Cod.I.6.2°.5 (1539). Hans Medel Fechtbuch, Augsburg
“Original Article of the Federfechter dated 1610”
Words:
Freifechter (von der Feder)
Kriegsmann
Furriers (Kürschner) Guild
Trades Guilds
Marxbrüder
Fechtschulen
Winckelfechter (elbow-fencer)
Angelobten (Avowed)
People:
Andres Pauernfeindt
Joachim Meyer
Jakob Sutor
Sebastian Heussler
Conrad Mendeler
Georg Oswald Gernreich
Emperor Rudolf II
Places:
Nurnberg
Strassbourg
(Fall Festival) Frankfurt am Main
Loewenberg
Mecklenburg
Prague
Key Words from article, to look up and research:
References mentioned to look up and research:

The next few steps I will outline are merely suggestions to approach the complied data,
however a further and better recommendation would be to find your own way. One thing is
for certain, you will be well served if you create a list of questions as you get stumped or
run into dead-ends. A perfect example regarding Kevin’s article is the “Original Article of
the Federfechter dated 1610”” reference, you will have to dig for that one.
First I get copies of or at least read the referenced material from the list I created. This
implies finding where the documents are housed which sometimes can prove difficult.
Also remember to save a copy of the document or the information presented on the
internet not just a web address, they are not as permanent as one might think.
Bookmarks and page favorites are your friends – save webpages, create folders and sub-
folder and save more pages. The more organized you are from the onset the better off
you will be three years from now looking through your
“Google Books” and “Open Library” collections.
Once you locate the referenced documents, treat them
like the original web article; find their referenced material
and pull out and list their Keywords. That can become a
long process and it is sometimes hard to stay focused, but
the reward is great when you then return to the original
sources’ Keyword List.
Revisit your original Keyword List and search for
information on each word and start the process of cross
referencing Keywords from your various lists. This is the
step where you can go as deep as you want and follow
the rabbit trail of related words and topics.
I hope this brief article is helpful to those beginning their
adventurous journey of historical research. I welcome all
questions, comments and advice, the fostering of an
environment of communal research and the sharing of
information is one of the goals after all.