ULM, Germany -- The word "jousting" conjures up images of armored knights and charging steeds, but along the waterways of southern Germany, the sport takes on an entirely different form.
"Fischerstechen," the fishermen's joust, features opponents mounted on boats and armed with nine-foot lances while teams of oarsmen row them into battle. The exact rules vary from region to region, but the goal remains the same. Knock the other guy into the water.
"It's always a hard hit," said Holger Beranek of the Ulm Schifferverien (Rivermen's Association). "It sometimes breaks the ribs, and there are bruises. You have to accept the pain to win."
Beranek should know. As a three time champion at Ulm's Fischerstechen Festival, he holds Ulm's record for the most victories.
Legend has it that two Ulm fishermen, Kässbohrer and Molfenter, watched knights jousting at nearby Reichenau monastery and decided they would hold their own battle on the water.
Ulm's festival dates from at least 1545 when records show the city council denied an application for 'fischerstechen,' but the tradition is undoubtedly older. Egyptian bas-reliefs from 2300 B.C. show figures jousting from boats and documents from France date a fischerstechen tournament on June 2, 1177.
The sport evolved through the fishing and boating guilds. Worms claims to have the oldest fischerstechen tournament in Germany, and this seems likely as their fishermen's guild is the country's first, founded in 1106.
Some festivals allow participation from various clubs and organizations such as the fire department, while others prefer to keep things more traditional. In Ulm, for example, the joust is still put on exclusively by members of the Rivermen's Association and their relatives and descendants.
"You can participate until the age of 50," said the 46-year-old Beranek. "I took over from my father in 1990."
The Ulm festival is held every four years, and the 2017 festival will be Beranek's last. He has no son to take his place, but hopes that one of his son-in-laws will do the honors.
Fischerstechen takes on two distinct styles. One involves multiple rowers, anywhere from three to ten, who propel their boats past each other at high speed much like charging horses. The "knights" are mounted on platforms in the rear of the craft, and strike at each other as the ships pass. Some tournaments use a lance with a cross-piece that can be braced against the chest, while others allow the fighters to carry shields.
The second style adopts a more static approach, with fighters mounted on the prow and rowed within range where they basically fence with their long lances.
"You can only strike at the chest," Beranek said, who broke a rib during practice for the 2013 joust. Dodging, grasping the opponents lance, or stepping down into the boat also constitutes a loss.
As a martial artist and former gymnast, Beranek believes physical fitness is a prerequisite for competitors. Training starts three months out in competition years with jousters and their rowers taking to the Danube River to familiarize themselves with each other.
"The rowers are very important. They control the boat. The boat must be handled well to have a good joust," explained Beranek.
Beranek said technique and strength are equally important, but the real key is balance.
"There are some small jousters that are very good," he admitted. "But size and strength is only an advantage if you can maintain your balance. The secret to a good jouster is to keep an eye toward the steering man with his oar. Then you can adjust to evasive movements and better maintain your balance."
Many fischerstechen tournaments are merely one part of a larger festival such as Nürnberg's Aldstadtfest (Old Town Fest) or the Backfischfest (Fried Fish Fest) at Worms. They are held throughout the southern states of Germany on rivers and lakes, though there is one as far north as Saxony. It is also very popular in France, and there are tournaments in Switzerland and northern Austria. There's even a yearly combat between German and Austrian teams in Neuhaus am Inn, Germany, at the Grenzlandfest (Border festival).
Ulm's Fischerstechen festival is one of the most famous in Germany and is celebrated over two consecutive weekends in July. It kicks off with a massive parade with over 300 participants clad in brilliant costumes and historic uniforms. Led by the Ulm Free Riders in outfits originating in the late 1600s, dancers, musicians, guild members and jousters troop through the streets. One of the original purposes of the parade was to collect alms and donations and the "Gabenspeer," or "gift lances" with large hooks are still a traditional sight. Spectators viewing from the upper stories of homes still hang their donations on these hooks as the parade progresses.
The fischerstechen itself features 16 pairs of fighters, dressed in various costumes that reflect Ulm's history and traditions. The oldest 'character' is William Tell, who made his first appearance at the games in 1832. Others were added over the years, such as the Ulm Tailor who represents Albrecht Berblinger, a tailor and amateur aviator whose exhibition of his one-man glider in 1811 ended rather ingloriously in the middle of the Danube. A reproduction of his flying device currently hangs in the city's rathaus (town hall). Each year also features a surprise pair who represents current political events such as the German health minister and a patient.
One of the more colorful costumes is that of the Ulm Sparrow, a bird that, according to legend, saved the city gate. When citizens tried unsuccessfully to pass through the narrow gate with a gargantuan log loaded crosswise on a cart, they considered demolishing the structure until inspiration struck in the form of a sparrow flying through the same gate with a twig held lengthwise in its mouth. Watching this costumed character's frantically flapping wings as a well-placed thrust topples it from its craft is particularly amusing.
As befits Ulm's longest reigning champion, Beranek represents the King of Württemberg and was paired against the King of Bavaria in their multi-bout finale in 2013.
"It's an honor to participate," said Beranek. "Jousting has been taking place in Ulm since the 14th century. The tradition of the sport makes it very special to me."
Those centuries of tradition are the main allure of the fischerstechen tournaments and what makes visiting one a must if you find yourself in southern Germany during the summer months.
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