The New York Historical Fencing Association is no longer a chapter of Selohaar Fechtschule. Although I am very grateful to Christian Tobler for his work in translating and interpreting the sources that we have worked from, we have for a very long time gone in different directions, both in terms of curriculum and Christian’s emphasis on chivalric virtues and their place in HEMA.

This is an amicable split, so no hard feelings. I have the greatest respect for Christian and the work he has done and is doing, and I would not be where I am today without it.

NYHFA started as an autonomous group, and so it will continue to be from this day forward.

Thank you Mike for the kind words. And certainly, the Selohaar Fechtschule has learned from its experiences with you and NYHFA.

Good luck to you, and safe training!

Christian

Why don't your organizations remain together in a larger organization with your respective associations being branches. Sort of a confederation. Frankly, I hate to see splintering like this. An organization is more effective with larger membership numbers. Being members of the parent organization your branches can work together on common issues more closely and harmoniously with oversight and help from the parent org. As for an issue effecting an individual branch, it could be delt with by that branch alone or with help from the parent org. if needed.

Anyway, just a suggestion for consideration.

Luck to both of your associations.

Harry

Harry-

I think Jean nailed it. A single school is expected to have identical approaches to the material, and sometimes that is not possible or desirable by the parties involved.

That said, I fully expect and anticipate continuing to work with NYHFA in the future. For instance, NYHFA is presenting cutting classes at the Chivalric Weekend along with instructors from MEMAG, VAF, CSG and others.

Hope this puts your mind at rest, Harry.
Jessica

Hi Harry,

Jess and Jean pretty much answered for me. Indepent schools with different curriculums, philosophies and approaches working together wouldn't really be a parent school/chapter model like the kind Christian has in Selohaar.

Someone who joins NYHFA is going to receive very different training than someone who joins Selohaar Fechtschule or one of its chapters, with different approaches, interpretations, testing standards, etc., and that just wouldn't be right if we were a branch school.

As Jess said, there will still be an exchange of ideas flowing, so in that respect the positive aspects of the association will be preserved. But such an exchange takes place in the HEMA community on a regular basis regardless of association, which is one of the great things about that community.

Hello All,

I really think the point on this separation has been made. After starting with Christian's curriculum, NYHFA has been building a different curriculum than that taught at the Selohaar Fechtschule branch schools and study groups.

Michael has a clear vision of what he's working towards and this change frees him and his students to do so. As Bill said it so well it's not a " negative thing unless if people make it into a negative thing."

I look forward to seeing the developments that should come out of Michael 's curriculum now that he free to pursue his dreams.I also look forward to training with Michael on test cutting at CW2010.

Cheers,

David Teague