Wolff Brand, Marxbruder and Carpenter of Strasbourg
Hans Medel Marxbrüder of Meyer's Strasbourg part 2
In part 2 of my series of the “Hans Medel Marxbrüder of Strasbourg” we will be exploring Wolff Brand, who I previously dubbed the “slow and steady Marxbruder of Strasboug” due to his only occasional fechtschul requests, often separated by many years. From baptismal records of his children to intra-guild spats, Wolff has a nice little pocket of data within the Strasbourg records to explore, and I felt it worth writing an article focusing entirely on Wolff, expanding on his life while taking into account his status as a member of the Marxbrüder guild. I will be providing translations of notes in the body of the article below, completed by my frequent collaborator Platy or myself, but as always the full set of translations, transcriptions, notes, and links to primary sources is available here freely!
Wolff Brand…
…(d. appx 1585-89) received the title of “Master of the Long Sword” from Marxbrüder captain Hanns Klaub at Frankfurt in 1553 with his profession noted as a journeyman carpenter. His place of origin Friedberg might refer to the town not far north from Frankfurt, or alternatively Friedberg in Bavaria located next to another former fencing hub, Augsburg. Wolff appears in the Strasbourg Council of XXI records for the first time in 1554 far ahead of Meyer’s arrival in the city, requesting a fechtschul with both his “Meister des Schwerts” (a title bestowed to sworn-in Marxbrüder) and “von Friedburg” titles noted.
After a five year gap he reappears in Strasbourg in 1559 as “citizen and carpenter” requesting a fechtschul and is noted in the marginalia as “fechtmeister” for the first time. I was unable to locate a citizenship record for Wolff in the Bourgeoisie books even with this very clear before-and-after date the XXI records give us. We have no definitive death date for Wolff, but we have a final Council record in 1585 and his daughter’s marriage record in 1589, which states he has died, giving us a possible range of 3-4-ish years.
Fencing Career
As a fechtmeister Wolff was not heavily occupied by his fencing career, with swords seeming to be secondary to his day-to-day life of carpentry in the city. Although he lived in Strasbourg for around 25-34 years (depending on citizenship and death dates), he was only active as a fencer for eight of them, with large spans of time between fechtschul requests in stark contrast to the near annual requests from some of his local peers. His longest gap between requests topped out at 4.5 years, only once did he request more than a single fechtschul in a year, and he had a long “retirement” period of 12-14 years after his final request in 1572 until his death. Interestingly, only his first fechtschul request contains his “master of the sword” title, with most others simply putting him as a carpenter, citizen, or fechtmeister in various combinations.
Although his requests were few in number, they do not lack in quality or interest. His first fechtschul predates Meyer’s, he overlapped with Joachim’s entire tenure in the city, he co-requested fechtschul at the council with Meyer’s student Wygand Brack, and he likely interacted with other notable fencers like Georg Kellerle and a handful of fellow Marxbrüder during his lifetime. He does not seem to have authored any known fencing works, but his lack of writing is more understandable due to his involvement in the local scene being decidedly smaller than his peers.
Beefs, both in Swords and Saws
Swords
Wolff Brand was not immune to conflict with other fencers even with such a small presence in the fencing scene. In 1571 Wolff complained to the council that another fencer with the name Centurius Letsch had been talking trash about him publicly in the form of a posted placard associated with a fechtschul he requsted, and requested is own fechtschul to defend his honor.
Wolff Brand the carpenter asks through Dr. Veyer[?] in advance. My gentlemen have allowed a fechtschul to Centurius Letsch, who reportedly set up a placard against him. To hold him responsible for this and out of indispensable necessity he [Wolff] is required to hold a fechtschul against it to save his honor. And because he wishes to do this, he presents his master's diploma [Marxbruder certification], also Letsch's placard which he tore off. In it he complains with these rhymes:
„So-and-so is catnip, watch out, he'll try to bite your skin, but I will do the same to the idiot, to me and himself he is a raven.“
Requests following this to allow him a fechtschul.
Recognized. One should notify Centurius Letsch and report to him my gentlemen's sorrow in the knowledge that he wishes to defame [someone] in a partisan manner, therefore my gentlemen's order to abandon the fechtschul. Wolff Brand shall be told that my gentlemen will think on this and when there is nothing else to do, one shall think about whether more fechtschuls will be allowed.
The Medel Fechtbuch records an oath required of new Marxbrüder, which includes the stipulation not to mix with “schnider,” a word which can either mean "scoundrel" or "tailor”. Centurius was definitely a tailor, and maybe a scoundrel based on Wolff’s request to the council. Additionally, while Brand himself was not a furrier by trade, furriers seem to have overall been very active in the Marxbrüder scene and conflicts between furriers and tailors are well documented in Strasbourg, such as in this article where they attack a group of tailors (including Wygand Brack) after a fechtschul.
The council decides to put a stop to all fencing, which was likely a wise decision as a retaliatory fencing event would most likely have been a…less than orderly affair given the shit talking going on. Council records often allow fechtschuls with a note of “as long as it is kept orderly,” so denying Centurius’s schul and punting Wolff’s request makes total sense.
Saws
Wolff also has multiple notes later in his life referring specifically to his work as a carpenter, mainly concerning disputes and gripes between him and his guild. In 1581 Wolff found himself investigated by his guild with him and another carpenter, Caspar Huber (a possible in-law to Georg Kellerle), appearing in the Council of XV records as the master carpenters have been hearing salacious talk from Caspar.
The report which a great part of the master carpenters sent to their overlord [oberherr] and which he sent this afternoon to my gentlemen has been read out. Containing: As the masters were together, together because of Wolff Brand's suspicious action, Caspar Huber reportedly took his side. He uttered much evil, useless talk, attacked their councilor and other associates with defamatory words. And he took it upon himself to incite many young masters against the others and cause a turmoil, as if physical action was intended.
And then the councilor offered him peace again, but Caspar told him, „why does it concern you (sir-reverence), why are you allowed to lord over me, I dwelled in this workshop before you were allowed to bend boards here“ - with many other useless defamatory words.
The classic “I was here before you were born” shit talk! Wolff continues to rub people in positions of power the wrong way, as in 1584 another note appears where he complains about being blacklisted by fellow carpenters, resulting in him not being assigned journeymen and affecting his livelihood.
Wolff Brand the carpenter delivers through Dr. Seitz[?] a supplication, within he reports how Dionysius Gremp, Hanau councilor, has - because of much refused (construction-related) carpentry work – insinuated a protestation through a notary and witnesses. Although he has offered Gremp to settle things amicably, he [Gremp] is aggravated and has also left behind no order on how to compensate him.
Now an Honorable Court of carpenters (working in construction) has put a stop to his craft, and no journeyman wishes to work for him. Meanwhile his wife and children evidently also suffer, as is written. So he asks the court to send him journeymen as before, as he wishes to make a settlement with Gremp as soon as possible.
Upon this many reports from Herr Matheiß Weicker, the Herr Ammeister and from Herr Niclaus Hug Kriebs took place. And they agree in that Brand well deserves what he gets.
Recognized. He shall see to it that he gets along with Gremp as soon as possible and doesn't stop himself. Thereupon the council can deliberate on the matter.
The Strasbourg council sheds no tears for Wolff even with his family bearing the brunt of his blacklisting, and it seems as if he has fallen out of good graces locally.
Finally in 1585 we have the final council records naming Wolff, with more disputes around shares of boards and linden bark. First in June Wolff squares off against Jacob Rul in a massive 3 page note where Wolff claims that Jacob sold a bunch of wood and boards that he had paid the tolls for to a Wilhelm Börklin in Kehl (right across the Rhine from Strasbourg). Brand is described as “wrathful” (zornig), and when he went to confront Rul about him essentially stealing his paid-for product he is told the classic “well, he’s not home right now.” Except that Brand describes being able to hear Jacob swearing upstairs in his house!
Second, just 3 months later, Wolff and Caspar are at it again with conflict over how some ordered wood was divided among the carpenters. The council are not big fans of either of the plaintiffs by this point, especially after the 1581 note, and state…
It is determined that it is only a [unclear], therefore Caspar Huber - for there is a quarrelsome, untoward head on him - started it.
Recognized. Let Wolff Brand adhere to his apology and division, (let) Caspar [???] a good chamomile [???] and tell him that if he continues to prejudice my gentlemen (against him) with similar unnecessary, wanton quarrels, my gentlemen will graciously examine him so that he shall wish he had refrained from it.
Chamomile is a European folk remedy said to have calming effects, so the councilors are essentially saying “TAKE A CHILL PILL” to Huber. The council was sick of their shit and threatened litigation and investigation to such intensity that they’ll regret bringing their complaint at all. Not exactly kid gloves coming from the Council of XV…
Neither Meyer, Brack, nor Kellerle have notes like this relating specifically to their professions (aside from Brack’s messenger duties), so these references to Brand’s carpentry provide additional insight into the working man’s fechtmeister which we before have lacked.
Family Record
Wolff Brand had a large and growing family. His wife was named Catharina and they had a son named Wolfgang and 5 daughters named Ursula, Catharina, Margareth, Susanna, and Magdelena. I was unable to find a marriage record in the Strasbourg parish records for Wolff and his wife, but Catharina’s name is found in the baptism records of the Temple Neuf for all of his children: Wolfgang in 1561, Ursula in 1563, Margareth in 1565, Susanna in 1567, and Magdalena in 1571. His daughter Catharina was married in 1589 to Jacob Dien in this same church, with the record noting that Wolff had died by this happy day, which is echoed in Susanna’s marriage record a year later.
Through her Jacob gained citizenship just as Meyer had with his wife Apollonia, with this record confirming that Wolff had died by the time of her marriage.
Jacob Dien of Fünga from the country of Wurttemberg has received the right of citizenship from Catherine, formerly the left-behind daughter of the late Wolff Brand, the carpenter. He intends to serve with the tailors. Filed August 22nd, 1589.
He would also miss the marriage of his younger daughter Magdelena, who in 1596 married Heinnrich Kraich. Catharina and Jacob would go on to have 3 children between 1592 and 1600: Jacob Jr, Zacharias, and Johannis Dien. Tracking down Magdelena’s children has been more of a challenge, with many alternate spellings and close calls to “Kraich'' setting off false alarms and muddying up the records, and I have found no further records of Magareth thus far.
Housing
Wolff Brand also appears in the Commons Register, or Allmendbücher, a register of rents due to the City for any enjoyment of public space created in 1585 which notes both where he lived and features of his home. Wolff Brand lived at 5 Rue des Pucelles (Jungfrawen Gassen), and page 101 of the Allmendbücher notes some features of his home and a possible fine he received for cluttering the alleyway near the house.
Wolff Brandt the carpenter has a cellar step in front of his house which is 4 feet long and 2 feet and 2 inches wide, shall be & made right for public use for 1 shilling and 6 pence.
It is noted, Wolff Brand the carpenter has a pile of planks lying on both sides under the entrance, [he] shall be charged, to be made right for 4 shillings.
If you have ever experienced the HOA breathing down your neck or received a parking ticket from an overzealous meter maid, you may have something to commiserate over with Wolff. This link will steer you towards the modern location of 5 Rue des Pucelles on Google Maps, although I am unsure if this building is one of the few original buildings from that era still standing, or if it was demolished or otherwise totally renovated since then.
A different source, “Das alte Strassburg”, puts a “Wolfgang Brandt, carpenter” living at 5 Rue des Ciel, which is mere feet away from Wolff’s address in the Allmendbücher, with a date of 1587 and a note of “Zum grünen Frosch” (a house or tavern name) along with his address. According to the archivist of the Maisons de Strasbourg site via email, Jean-Michel Wendling, the Rue des Pucelles address is the most accurate and there are doubts about the accuracy of “Das alte Strassburg” data.
Conclusion
Wolff Brand is an interesting figure, as he falls more into the category of the “everyman” fechtmeister during Meyer’s era. Many of us today struggle with jobs, daily lives, family matters, and fencing can take a back seat even if HEMA is one of our most important hobbies. Getting through the grind, dealing with coworkers and higher-ups, and still getting out to fence may be a tale as old as time, with even a sworn-in Marxbruder having sword-life balance to consider.
Thanks to Platy for your help in transcribing and proofreading this article, and providing cultural contexts such as the Chamomile folk remedy for anger detail. I can never state enough how much I appreciate and value your collaboration!
Just a detail here, but I think that translating Rappen in "Er gelt gleich mir od[er] ihm ein Rappen" as "raven" is likely to be inaccurate. A Rappen is a small coin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rappen) which was used in Alsace at the time: effectively a penny. I can't pretend to make full sense of the verse, but I believe it means something closer to "compared to me, he's worth no more than a penny" or "if it comes down to me and him, he's not worth a cent".
(Also, unless Duden and Wikipedia both fail me, Rappen doesn't mean raven; the word for a raven is and was Rabe, which is the origin of the name for the Rappen coin through figurative use, as the coin had an eagle – a large bird – on it; this in my view makes the translation you've got that much less likely, and I suspect machine translation of botching this.)