These techniques are divided into the 17 Haüptstucke from the Liechtenauer tradition a summary of which (by Doug Bostic) is provided here and a most comprehensive source (by Johannes Liechtenauer) explaining them provided here. There is also an excellent article by Bill Grandy with several illustrations that provides an overview of several of the Haüptstucke here.
The 17 Haüptstucke are not the only components one should study. Measure, timing, fühlen, and a variety of other components are important to the study of longsword. However, the 17 Haüptstucke provide an excellent foundation. Below on this page I have included a short summary of each of the Haüptstucke, provided by Master Sigmund ain Ringeck. Each section includes an illustration as well as links to one or more videos to help you visualize what is being described.
"Understand it thusly: When one cleaves-in above from
his right side, so also cleave-in a wrath-cut with him, with the
long edge strongly from your right shoulder. If he is then soft
upon the sword, so shoot-in the point forward long to his face
and threaten to stab him."
"Here learn and know that the Krumphau is an
Oberhau which is done in a bent manner with a good step to
one side. This is why Liechtenauer says whoever wants to
execute this strike, should step well to the right side while
striking and shall well and quickly Krumphau and shall throw
or thrust the point over the hilt of the adversary onto his...
"Here learn and know that of all fencing techniques
with the sword, there is no strike that is as fair, forceful,
perfected and good as the Zwerchhau. And this strike is done
just across to both sides with both edges, the back and front
edge, to all openings above and below. It also defends against
"Mark, the Squinter breaks the guard that is called the
Plow, and is a good, strange, and serious hew when it breaks
with force one who is hewing in or stabbing in, and it goes
with inverted sword. There are many Masters of the Sword
around that know nothing to say of this hew."
"Here note the parter is really dangerous to the face and
to the chest; execute it thusly: When he stands against you in
the guard [of] the fool, cut above with the long edge, down
from your part to his head, and with the cut remain high with
the arms and if he parries, so hang-in to him with the point,...
Mark the Four Lieger (Hutten), that is, the Four Guards from
"Mark, you have heard before that there are Four Guards. So you shall now also know the Four Pre-emptings that break the same Four Guards. Also hear that the Pre-emptings are nothing more than breaking with four hews.
"When you come to him with the pre-fencing, then stand with
your left foot before in the guard From the Day, and see well
how he will fence against you. If he then hews long above in
to you, then watch so that he does not reach you, and mark
while his sword goes under you against the earth with the...
"Mark, that is when you come to him with the prefencing:
if he then hews below to your lower opening, do not
parry that, but hew in above strongly to his head. Or, if he
hews to you with Lower-hewing, then mark before he comes
up with the Lower-hew, and shoot the long point above into...
"This is so that you shall learn to set-aside cuts and
thrusts alike with art, such that your point hits him and, in
that, his becomes broken, and understand it thusly: When
someone stands against you and holds his sword as if he will
stab you from below, so stand counter against him in the
"Mark, the Changing-throughs are many and multiple;
you shall drive them against the fencers that readily parry and
that hew to the sword (and not to the openings of the body).
You shall learn to drive it well with prudence, so that one
cannot Set-on you or come in with something while you are
Changing-through."
"Mark that Pulling pertains to driving against the Masters
who bind strongly on the sword, and in the bind of the swords
remain standing still, and will wait to see if one will hew off, or
will draw off from the sword before them so that they can then
use Travelling-after to the opening. If you will trick or deceive...
"Mark, the Running-through and the wrestling are of
two kinds with the sword: the Running-throughs are the body
wrestling, and then thereafter are the arm wrestlings. And
they pertain to driving against the fencers that like to run in."
4 slices are specifically described in the gloss:
"Mark, that is how you shall drive the two Upper-slices
from the two Lower-slices. Undertake it thus: When he runs in
to you on your left side with up-stretched arms, then invert
your sword and fall with the long edge in the arm, under his
pommel, and press fast upwards and step therewith on his
The Hengen is described as being in lower (plow) or higher (ox) positions although the initial description is cryptic:
"Mark, this is a lesson and an admonition of Hanging
and of Winding with the sword; therein you shall well
meditate on and take account of, so that you boldly drive with
agility and break against the others fencers' techniques
correctly, and drive boldly against him therefrom. When the
hangings are the Ox above on both sides, these are the two...
