GERMANTOWN — Sword fighting isn't just a thing of the past. It's alive and well with a group of dedicated people keeping it alive.
“We are a group of martial artists intent on reviving the ancient practice of the art of defense the noble art and science," Jeremiah Backhaus, the master of Wisconsin Historical Fencing Association (WHFA) - Milwaukee chapter, said. A master is someone who is both proficient in sword fighting and owns a business.
Backhaus has been sword fighting for 17 years. He is the head teacher at WHFA teaching all types of 12th to 16th-century fighting styles with different swords like rapiers, messers, and longswords.
"When I have a sword in my hand, I feel powerful. I feel in control. I feel in touch with my ancestors to a certain degree," he said.
The group practices on Sundays at Surge Martial Arts in Germantown. If you want to join, you can get in contact with the group through their Facebook page.
The vast majority of the swords that the group uses are all blunt. Members wear padded suits with plastic armor on the outside as well as helmets to stay safe. Members do hit each other hard. They go full speed during practice and demonstrations.
However, since these are weapons, there is strict protocol and training when it comes to wielding these swords. Backhaus requires that people sign waivers, be of a certain age, and demonstrate they can handle the swords safely to be part of the group.
Once you are in, members often say that you get hooked fast.
"I get to be like my fantasy characters. I get to hold a sword and swing a sword for real, " Alex Nelson, an assistant teacher at WHFA, said.
Nelson got her start with the group casually. She saw sword fighting at Irish Fest one time and thought it would be a fun activity to do. Since joining, Nelson has fully embraced the practice. Now, she is a teacher.
"I like learning new weapons. So the two that I teach are longsword and quarterstaff, but I also know how to fight with a rapier, a messer, and a few other things," she said.
Sword fighting is not just a physical activity, though. The group places a big emphasis on learning the history of medieval times and sword fighting.
"It's scholarly. It's not just us getting out there and saying we like movies and swinging a sword around. We take the study of history very seriously," Backhaus said.
It's a way of keeping these traditional techniques alive and not just written in history books. That's what got Nelson truly hooked, "then fell in love with the historical aspect. Learning, you know, here’s a technique that is applicable. This is how they used to do it," she said.
As to why it's a 'fencing association, "cause fencing comes from the term defense, so it's the noble art of defense. So when we fence with these, we are defending," Backhaus explained.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
