This album contains a selection of early German postcards showing characters and scenes involved in the exercise of Blind Sword-fighting or “Mensur”.
The secret duels depicted in these cards were conducted by a small number of university fraternities in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in the late 1800s. They were a remnant of a once widespread practice called Mensur. In a Mensur bout, fencers displayed their valour through stoic endurance of an opponent's blows. From the 19th century on, the practice flourished across Europe, before (thankfully!) quickly declining after World War II. For some more background information see "Fighting for Facial Scars in Germany’s Secret Fencing Frats”.
For a much fuller description (in German) of the nature and origins of Mensur as “Academic Fencing” see this article in German Wikipedia.
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