Hammaborg has always had a very practical approach: An essential part of our training consists of freeplay and sparring. For that matter we use adequate body protection in conjunction with blunt steel swords. An elementary addition were the martial arts and sparring concepts of Axel Wagener and Heiko Lempio since 2000. Several Hammaborg members studied armed and un-armed martial arts techniques in their school.
The basis of the interpretation and reconstruction of efficient European martial arts are first of all the historical sources, the so-called fechtbücher. With the aid of these we develop the single techniques. The precondition for applying them practically however is an understanding of fundamental and universal martial arts concepts on which we emphasize deeply. We support this with practical exercises, e.g. cutting, striking and thrusting tests that are repeatetdly executed with sharp sword replicas in order to gain some insight into the functionality of real historical weapons.

Training takes place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday evenings between 6.30 and 9.30 p.m., free training also on Sunday afternoons starting at 2.00 p.m. Training takes place in our hall, Hasselbrookstraße 35–37. Attending seminars about fighting and fencing at home and abroad polishes our training nicely.

The internationally renowned Hammaborg instructors are invited regularly as trainers and instructors throughout Europe. It is possible of course to get into touch with us if you are interested in a special or private class.

Anybody who wants to participate in one of our training sessions is kindly requested to get in contact with us in advance.

The Instructors

Roland Warzecha

Roland Warzecha (*1966) started training re-enactment fighting in 1995 and joined his fellow Hammaborger Alban Depper when he initiated a swordfighting system named 'Huscarl' in 2000.
Between 2000 and 2005 Roland was trained by Axel Wagener and Heiko Lempio in Escrima-based UCC (Ultimate Close Combat) and acquired profound knowledge of essential martial concepts.
He has been engaged in HEMA since 2003. His prime subject of research is fighting with sword and buckler according to MS I.33 and later German masters like Lignitzer, Talhoffer and Kal. Furthermore he is working on reconstructing single combat with center-gripped round shields.
Roland has been with Hammaborg since its foundation in 1999. He became a member of HEMAC in 2007 and has been teaching in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Denmark and Sweden.

Dierk Hagedorn

Dierk Hagedorn (*1966) started sport fencing aged nine. In 2003 he joined Hammaborg and is instructor for the longsword. He is a member of HEMAC, the Historical European Martial Arts Coalition, and he focusses on German manuscripts of the 14th and 15th century, particularly on the so-called Peter von Danzig manuscript. His transcription and translation into modern German of this important treatise has been published in print: "Peter von Danzig: Transkription und Übersetzung der Handschrift 44 A 8" (see literature list).

Tobias Wenzel

Tobias Wenzel (*1980), a.k.a. Toke, is instructor for sword and shield at Hammaborg. He has assisted Roland Warzecha in demos and classes on sword and shield use and biomechanics at various European events. Toke is a member of HEMAC since 2008. He hosts a YouTube channel that features many Hammaborg videos, showing both technique reconstructions as well as freeplay.

Marcus Hampel

Marcus Hampel (*1976) joined the club in 2008. As a HEMAC member he is instructor and mentor for Hammaborg novices. He started Historical Fencing in 2004, and he was co-founder and trainer of "Der Fechtsaal" in 2007, a group based in Krefeld, Germany. His primary interest are principles of historical martial arts, therefore he participates in interpretations of any martial art from the 13th to the 19th century. His background in sabre, bayonet and pugilism add new facets to the Hammaborg training schedule.

Falko Fritz

Falko Fritz (*1976) began his training with Hammaborg in April 2008. He studies the historical longsword techniques since 2007. Before starting fencing, he was the leader of the whitewater kayaking group at TU Clausthal and joined many other sports like mountainbiking, ultimate frisbee and kendo. His main interest in historical fencing is the longsword and the long knife (langes Messer) according to Lecküchner, which includes the interpretation of the texts as well as technical aspects of sword construction.

Julia Thut

Julia Thut (*1981) from Switzerland rides since her childhood days. She studied further with antique (Nathalie Penquit) and renaissance riders (Bent Branderup, Stefanie Staudinger). Her close collaboration with veterinarian Tone Lygren gave her extensive insight into the biomechanics of the horse and the resulting training aspects. She is a Hammaborg member since October 2008. She is fascinated with the roots of our culture and has the aim to connect horsemanship and martial arts in order to re-establish "rossfechten" (combat on horseback) with the emphasis on the 15th century. She trains with Swiss western rider Felix Stampfli, her Norwegian intern Sofie Jubskås and Theresa Wendlandt from the Chicago Swordplay Guild. Julia Thut is a freelance riding teacher and horse instructor and holds classes in Switzerland and the North of Europe.