Bringin’ the Ringen
German Folk Freestyle Wrestling : Can we call it Ger-Jitsu?
Put down your bier, bratwurst, and sauerkraut; it’s time to wrestle! When traditional grappling martial arts are discussed, Germany is far from the top of the list of representing nations — Think Japan, Brazil, Turkey, Mongolia, Iran. However, this European country has a rich wrestling history, documented as far back as 1443. Enter Ringen.
Hans Talhoffer of Swabia produced a manual on German freestyle wrestling as a form of self defense. His work had depictions of multiple holds, positions, and locks typical of this ancient grappling art. He mentions Ott Jud, a famous Ringen participant of that era.
Ringen was next mentioned by Pietro Monti (1457–1509) in “De Dignoscendis Hominibus”.
“They commonly grab the legs with their hands; They consider all things permissible in order to overcome the opponent; They also wrestle with their feet and hands on the ground like quadrupeds.”
Pietro Monti, De Dignoscendis Hominibus
In 1840, Jean Dupuis, who at the time was a mainstay in the French Greco Roman wrestling scene, was challenged to a match in Bayreuth by a farmer named Conrad Muench. It was a match in the local style Ringen Bauern Art, and could be summed up as a free for all, or “wrestling without any conditions”. This is also known as Kuer Ringen.
According to historical documents and traditional stories, another subcategory evolved, Old Ringen. This style was more restrictive, and could be compared to Greco-Roman style, as only the upright stance and grabbing of the torso was allowed.
Raufen
Raufen, or “scuffling” in English, was a no holds barred form of savage and devastating combat practiced by Medieval German men. This was a bastardized form of Ringen, where anything was allowed to defeat your opponent. Punching, kicking, biting, eye gouging, illegal maneuvers were all acceptable. Even various weapons were allowed upon negotiation prior to match. The Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters of today have nothing on these warriors of yesteryear.
Raufen was soon made illegal, of course, and was performed in secret by the “lower classes”. It seems as if every culture has a form of settling disputes, by means of pure unbridled violence. The Germans are no different. Ringen and Raufen demonstrate that with brutal clarity.
Martial arts and the use of violence to settle disputes have been around since the beginning of mankind. They are here to stay and will only evolve into the most effective. Unarmed combat is the true measure of the level of physical prowess amongst embattled men. The man that defeats, submits, or controls their opponent through sheer strength of will, gets awarded with more than the title of “winner”. That man can walk away with pride and celebrate with a cold lager.
And as always, if it doesn’t instill fear, it is beneath your true potential.
