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Volume 4	Issue 2
March 7, 1997

In This Issue:

• Rantings of the Hauptmann
• Jamestown
• Basic Landsknecht Info
• Live! Landsknechts on Television! by Larry Peterka
• Members and Friends of the Fähnlein
• Directions

Rantings of the Hauptmann

Achtung,

Here it is March! Winter Campaign has come and gone. I would like to thank everyone for all the help and support. I would like to take a couple of minutes and critique the event a little. We should have a more in depth one at the next meeting.

First of all, I would like to thank Drew and Bob W. again for the fire making and tending lectures and demonstrations. Bob, you really impressed all of us with how fast you started the fire with flint and steel. I would also like to thank the Pennsylvanians for coming down and playing with us. I did have some concerns though:

1. Maintenance of character. Many of us were guilty of this one! Remember that we are doing first person interpretation. Everything should be "I" or "we", not "they" or "them". When we are describing what we do, it should be in the first person, and as much from a Renaissance mindset as possible. I also do not want to hear people talking about other groups or activities. If we are 16th century soldiers, we should not be talking about modern or anachronistic things, especially BattleTech, Darkkon, the SCA, etc.. (I was guilty of some of this myself, and am going to work on improving.) Remember, we do not know anything about the Society for Creative anachronism or these other mundane, modern groups. This is something that has been brought up many times in the past! Remember, first person interpretation is something that sets us apart from many of the other groups.

2. Visitors. We should not be feeding visitors! We should not be putting visitors to work tending the fire! We should not be holding mundane conversations in the captain's tent with visitors! We should not have members of the unit that are not in proper clothing "hanging around". I very much appreciate that people who did not feel well or that had work conflicts came by and helped. However it does detract from the impression to see them tending the fire, etc...

3. Why is it that so many of our members did not have basic necessities? I am talking about eating utensils and SPOONS in particular. If you will check your documentation even the lowest campfollower or soldier should have a bowl/plate, cup/mug, utility knife, and spoon. I realize that during the festival the unit had all the plates and bowls, etc., but please remember most of those are individual members' property and were put into the big baskets to make washing and keeping track of them easier, not so that everyone did not have to provide their own. Also since this has come up recently, there is a difference between your fighting weapons and your eating utensils. You would not be using your rondelle to cut your meat! This would be against all of the religious upbringing and general health rules! We know that eating human flesh is bad. We know that drinking blood (from humans) is bad. We know these things and we know that it would be very bad to eat with your fighting knife. You would also not normally be using your Katzbalger to chop wood.

4. I really liked seeing people participate in the blind man's bluff game! We need to do more things like this. However we also need to make sure that all the other chores are getting done. This may mean that not all the campfollowers or soldiers may get to play at the same time. Use this as something to complain about to visitors (nicely - you know the 'boy I have to work and they get all the fun" bit). Judges and visitors will get a kick out of this.

5. Weapons: who has them and who does not. I would like to preface the next item with this: During drills etc... it is okay (with permission) for the campfollowers to be armed with swords, pikes, halberds, etc.. I have always maintained that it helps us in the long run. However, other than at those specific times, campfollowers should not be carrying swords etc... It is one thing to have one after you have body looted, but another to be carrying in your belt all the time. It is alright for campfollowers to have a rondelle, but you should be making sure that you have all the rest of your basic gear before you start getting items like that. Campfollowers should not be armed with swords or polearms except when approved by the officer in charge for drilling purposes. This does not mean, however, that you can not transport them or demonstrate them to the public.

Enough of all that. Overall it was a great weekend! For Jamestown, let's try to be on our best 16th century behavior. I expect everyone to stay in character and to try their best. I also need as many people as possible! I really want to go in and knock their socks off! It seems that as the event gets closer, people who originally said they would be going are not going to be able to. Those of us who are still going will have a slightly harder road, but I know that we can do it!! Noch Weiter!!

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Jamestown

Even though this was covered by a full article in the last edition, there are a few important points that need to be re-emphasized. Military Through the Ages will be held at the Jamestown, Settlement, near Williamsburg, Virginia, on March 15 & 16. This event is a showcase competition of reenactment units, and there will be groups representing everything from the XX Roman Legion through the National Guard.

We will begin setting up on Friday, March 14. There will be two caravans leaving from Virginia on Friday. The early caravan will leave from the Peterka's apartment at 11:00 am, led by Larry. The late caravan will leave at 6:30 pm, led by PaulA. If you plan to travel in either of these caravans, you must let Larry or Paula know. If they don't know to expect you, you may be left to fend for yourself. All pavilions must travel with the early caravan. Pavilions that do not travel with the early caravan will not be set up in our camp.

When you arrive at the settlement, you must check in with the administration. You must tell them your unit number, which is 9, turn in your Volunteer Registration Form, and complete any other paperwork that they require. Then you will be given your ID badge.

Our pre-registration has already been sent in. The following people were on the list: Mike Amos, Barchan, Andy and Beth Bradshaw, Karen Dawson, Steve and Michael Denz, Kender Green, Don Haithcock, Kellie Hendley, Anna Hoppman, Drew Jones, Bob Kriner, Joseph Kriner, Peter Langsdorf, Ray, Janice, and Elizabeth Partenheimer, Larry and Paula Peterka, Rob Slater, Rob Spencer, Rob and Linda Taggart, Tim Vert, Jennifer and Lauren Wadford, Kim White. If your name is not on this list, and you are planning to attend, OR if your name is on this list, and you are NOT planning to attend, please call Paula and let her know.

The meal fee for this event is $10.00 per person, which includes breakfast and lunch for both days. Please turn your money into Drew, Kellie, or Paula no later than March 11. Dinner on Saturday night is provided by Jamestown, but there will also be a group of us going to the Mongolian BBQ in Williamsburg, as we did last year.

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Basic Landsknecht Info

In preparation for the Jamestown event, Barchan submitted a list of questions at the Winter Campaign that covered the types of questions likely to be asked by Judges and visitors. These are answered here, in hopes that they will be helpful to everyone.

1. When are we? March 15-16, 1529, or some other day?

A. At other events when we can set our own timeline, it is the current date, 1529. At Jamestown, however, it is May 15-16, 1529, and not March. This decision was made because of the cooking competition. There is a wider variety of food available in May than in March, and May is safely out of Lent, which we observe. (In 1529, Luther is a reformer, and still held to most of the Church practices)

2. Where did we just come from? Where are we going now?

A. We marched out of Rome in late February, and are headed North through the Alps, toward AustriA. The Turks are once again threatening the Eastern Empire , and the call has gone out for soldiers to defend it.

3. How long will these journeys take?

A. That depends on the weather. We travel roughly 8 to 10 miles a day. Our pace is set by our great numbers, and the speed of an ox-cart. We can force march faster if we need to, but the baggage train would fall behind.

4. What is our regiment part of? A larger unit?

A. Fähnlein, which is literally "little Flag" actually refers to a company, but "the Devil's Nightmare Company" didn't sound as impressive as "the Devil's Nightmare Regiment". We are an independent unit of 400 men under the command of Hauptmann Manferd Blöde. He, in turn, accepted a contract to fight under the command of Kriegsherr Otto von Bremerhaven, who is also the Obrist of the Regiment, which before Rome, consisted of twelve Fähnleins. Our Supreme Commanders while we were in Italy were Don Antonio de Leyva, the Duke of Terrence, and Alfonso de Avolos d'Aquino, the Marquis de Vasto, both Spaniards. They replaced Fernando Francesco d'Avolos, Marquis of Pescara, after he died in 1525.

5. Who is our Duke or equivalent?

A. As a unit, we don't really have one, although individuals may still refer to the nobles from their homelands as "theirs".

6. Who is HR Emperor?

A. Charles Hapsburg, Fifth of that Name, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, King of the Romans, King of Spain, King of the Two Sicilies, King of Naples, King of Hungary, Duke of Milan, Regent of the Netherlands, Ruler of Spanish and Imperial possession in the New World, and all around spiffy guy.

7. Who is Pope?

A. Clement VI, a bed-wetting de Medici.

8. We get paid XX per XX?

A. That depends on your rank. A Schmutz Pikeman makes 4 guilders a month, a Doppel makes 8. The Feldweibel earns 12, and the Fähndrich and the Leutnant each earn 20. The Hauptmann earns 40 guilders per month.

9. Do we get loot shares?

A. That depends on the contract. Sometimes you get a share, sometimes you get what you can carry, sometimes you get nothing.

10. Do we take souvenirs?

A. Probably. How well can you hide what you pick up?

11. Do we rape? I mean, if we do, are we punished, or is it considered okay?

A. There is no official policy on rape. It is generally considered to be one of the things that happens during war. If you are punished depends on who the victim is, whether her family is able to do anything about it, and what your wife has to say on the matter.

12. Our pay buys XX.

A. Not as much as it used to.

13. The units of money are XX per XX which buys XX.

A. There are two main units of account, the Gold Gulden, and the Pound Sterling (£). There are no £ coins, but Gulden coins are called Florins, Guldens, or Guilders, depending on where they're from. The most common coins are the heller (hl), the pfennige (d), the schilling (d), the groschen (g), and the kreuzer (kz). The basic exchange rate, which can change based on inflation and other factors, is 2hl = 1d, 4d = 1 kr, 6d = 1s, 7.5d = 1 g. The old £ was worth 30d, but the coinage was revalued in the late fifteenth century, and the new £ = 120d, or 20s. The Gulden was worth 8 old £ and 12d, but prices and exchange rates rose during the sixteenth century as silver from the New World became more plentiful. What things cost depends a lot on where you are, what the economy is like, and whether the seller likes you.

14. Do we have some common defining moment?

15. What battles have we been in?

A. These two questions go together. Our unit was formed at the commission of Charles V himself, at the Diet of Worms in 1521. He commissioned Blöde as Hauptmann under Von Bremerhaven's approving eye, whom he then appointed Obrist for the upcoming Italian campaign. The Hauptmann then appointed Leutnant Grauensteinen and Weibel Dreiswert, and began recruiting for the rest of the company. The Fähnlein has been fighting in the Italian theater ever since, taking part in the 1524 invasion of Provence, France, which led to our garrison duty at Pavia later that year. We fought at Cividale bei Friaul, Triest, Benevent, and Rome.

16. How much do parts of our clothing cost in our currency?

17. How does that compare with modern?

A. These two questions go together, and will be answered in a future issue, once more research is completed...

18. Which items does the regiment supply us with?

A. Practically nothing. A soldier must provide his own weapons, clothing, equipment, and food. Of course, if you don't have any of these items, the quartermaster has a nice selection of things I'm sure he'd be happy to sell you...

19. Do we individually pay the campfollowers? How much?

A. Campfollowers are paid by the soldiers they care for. Historically speaking, a soldier paid for his family's upkeep, and women also earned money for doing work for other people, such as doing laundry, washing dishes, etc. In unit dynamics, it's nice to give the campfollowers tokens of your appreciation, since they're taking such good care of you out of the kindness of their hearts. Appropriate payments include any small items they can use to fill out their kits, such as needles, thimbles, embroidery floss, handkerchieves, fabric, fur pieces, feathers, baskets, small rugs, cooking utensils, jewelry, guilders, and the like. Flowers, chocolate, and foot rubs are also appreciated, as well as those three little words every campfollower longs to hear, "oh, thank you!".

20. Do we take sentinel duty? How many hours, how often?

A. Watches last from dusk 'til dawn, and are assigned by Rotte, ten man platoons. An individual Rotte would be assigned guard duty for the evening on a rotational basis. Since there are forty Rotten per Fähnlein, and usually four Rotten assigned per night, you would likely be standing guard duty once every ten days.

21. How often do we bathe? why?

A. Once a week or so, depending on the weather, the availability of water and time, and your personal preference. We bathe for a variety of reasons, including cleanliness, health (taking the waters), communality (we bathe together), and relaxation.

22. Is our regiment famous for any event or characteristic?

A. Not particularly. We are an archetypical Landsknecht unit of the time. (Although our captain has been known to balance Zweihänders on his head from time to time.)

23. What pastimes do we have?

A. Drinking, gambling, wrestling, dicing, drinking, brawling, singing, dancing, drinking, playing cards, nine pins, board games like draughts, chess, backgammon, fox and geese, nine men's morris, swearing, whoring, shopping, drinking, active games like blind man's bluff and flower pull, embroidery, sewing, etching, armoring, woodworking, playing music, and drinking.

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Live! Landsknechts on Television! by Larry Peterka

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you that supported Marietta Mansion and the unit by attending the MPT promotion on Saturday March 1, 1997. Everyone did a great job and the people from MPT were very pleased. We got a lot of "air time" and they are already getting calls about the event. It is hoped that we can make this a regular part of the Pre-Marching Through Time advertising.

It is very important for our membership to support these activities. Not only is MPT a worthwhile cause, the advertising for the event is crucial. Marching Through Time can only survive if more of the public attends the event. In these days of tightening budgets we need to do all we can to keep the site and event available. Again, thank you for your assistance and support.

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Members and Friends of the Fähnlein

Our next issue will contain a complete listing of all the members and friends of Das Teufels Alpdrücken Fähnlein, including addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses. (Basically, everything and everyone on the mailing list.) If, for some reason, you do not want your address or phone published in the next issue, you must contact Paula and let her know.

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DIRECTIONS

To Jamestown: Take a caravan, and see the map from Last Issue!

To Marietta Mansion: Take 495 to 450 East, and get into the left lanes. Continue on 450, and turn left at route 193. Turn left at the first available turn, just past the brown Historic Marker, onto Bell Station Road. Turn left into the first driveway, and park/unload where indicated.

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