Onkel, You Really Need To Find Another Hobby

Dueling scars are everywhere. You would perhaps think, that these men should get a new hobby.

Allow me to do the honor of introducing,

MENSUR

Mensur has been something that caught my attention for awhile, maybe it was because I was merely browsing cool fencing images in tumblr and suddenly stumbled upon this:

I thought it was some sort of a steampunk fencing art, but I was wrong. It actually seemed to be an old photo of a German mensur enthusiast. I've heard something about akademisches fechten (academic fencing), but I had no idea that it's all about using sharp blades and resulting many scars from constant duels. 

Mensur (literally means 'scale' in German), some sort of a sabre fencing tradition being practiced by German college students. I don't quite know if girls actually participated in mensur, but all I know is that they literally injured their friends with sharp sabres.

What I like from mensur is for the fact that it's not about who the winner or the looser is. It's about taking the pain like a man. The scars there, are actually badges of honor for them.

Oh, and their goggles are pretty cool too.

I suppose it's a bit frightening to imagine myself in that man's position

Another cool fact about mensur is that the thing itself, is still being practiced TODAY.

I think not just any people can actually do this, they are pretty special. To be able to take pain like a man is just something worth to be proud of. I personally consider this as a part of being knightly, as in you know... relating with being chivalrous and all. But I think when it comes to the context of being chivalrous itself is not something that actually relates with manliness. Anyone can be chivalrous, whether you're a woman or a man.

Dadah,