Archive for year: 2026
HEMA goes public
Saturday, August 22 nd and
Sunday, August 23 rd , 2026
Worldwide
Let’s do HEMA in public
to promote our Sport/Art
and find new members and friends.
Dear HEMA friends,
On the weekend of August 22nd and 23rd, 2026, IFHEMA is coordinating this event to
raise public awareness of our sport/art, connect with interested people, and recruit
new members.
It’s easy to participate:
1) Find a public space, such as a park (you might need to ask for permission).
2) Choose a date (Saturday, Sunday, or both days – you decide the time).
3) Promote your event through the press and social media.
4) Practice HEMA publicly and have fun with your friends.
5) Be friendly to interested visitors and explain what HEMA is.
6) Afterward, share photos and reports about the event with the press and on social
media.
7) You’ll have been part of a global HEMA event, helped spread the word about
HEMA, and perhaps even found new members for your group.
“HEMA goes public” is taking place for the third time this year after a break. Originally
developed and organized by Simon Rieger from Austria, it is supported this year by
“HEMA Austria” and the “International Federation of HEMA” (IFHEMA). Any HEMA
group is welcome, whether a member of a federation or not.
For questions and suggestions, please send a message to
[email protected].
See you at “HEMA goes public”!
Andreas Klingelmayer, President of IFHEMA, on behalf of the IFHEMA board
www.ifhema.org
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Draft Press Release
Please modify or add to this draft as needed and include a photo of your group.
HEMA goes public
Saturday, August 22nd and
Sunday, August 23rd, 2026
Worldwide – and here at … (add location and time) ..
“HEMA” stands for “Historical European Martial Arts” and deals with ancient European martial arts in a reputable manner. Of course, safety and health are paramount – we want to have fun and not get hurt.
Those who practice HEMA reconstruct the martial arts of medieval knights or the “Three Musketeers.” Original fencing manuals from the respective period are used, and the knowledge gained is applied to modern training with modern protective gear. So, if you want to wield a sword, rapier, or saber in a historically accurate manner, this is the place for you.
On August 22nd and 23rd, 2026, the event “HEMA goes public” will take place worldwide, coordinated by the “International Federation of HEMA”. HEMA groups will train in public spaces to promote this martial art and combat sport. In … (add location) … on … (add day) .. from/to … (add time) … the fencers of the group … (add your group’s name) … will train HEMA and will be happy to answer questions from interested members of the public. And if you like, you can try it yourself.
Dear fencing friends and member federations,
I would like to inform you about the current activities of IFHEMA and would
appreciate your opinions and feedback. Please join and support these projects.
IFHEMA Cup 2027
The next IFHEMA Cup will take place in Vienna, Austria, in the fall of 2027. The
exact date is not yet fixed, but will be announced soon and then forwarded to
you.
The Cup will again be a mixed team competition, meaning fencers of all
genders will participate. However, a new feature is that fencers will only
compete against fencers of the same gender. All results will be combined to
determine a winning team. Therefore, there will not be a "Men's" winner and a
"Women's" winner, but rather a single winning national team.
The event is intended to be as large as possible and ideally last three days.
Workshops, fun tournaments, and sparring opportunities will be offered for all
interested parties, so that not only the national teams can attend, but as many
fencers as possible can experience a diverse and enjoyable fencing weekend.
A longsword competition will definitely take place, but a second competition is
also planned. I would like your input on which competition this should be.
Please check your preference and reply, or send an email with this information
to [email protected] till the end of June:
– Please a rapier tournament
– Please a sabre tournament
HEMA goes public!
August 22 nd and 23 rd 2026
This is a worldwide fencing event where our sport/art will be presented to the
public across all continents. The idea is to showcase and practice HEMA in a
public space, such as a park, and thus raise awareness. It's also a great
opportunity to find new, interested members.
This event will take place worldwide on the weekend of Saturday, August 22nd
and Sunday, August 23rd, 2026 – you can pick one day or take both. Everyone
is welcome to participate, please join and support this global event! Any HEMA
group is welcome, whether a member of a federation or not.
You find attached some more information and drafts for promotion.
How much HEMA on this planet!
IFHEMA has set itself the goal of conducting a worldwide survey to document
existing HEMA groups. This will provide important statistics and facts about our
sport/art, and will also be used to create a global HEMA map. The large team
has been formed and has already begun its work. Please support this survey by
contributing your information.
You find attached some more information.
Let’s talk about HEMA …
If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact the
IFHEMA board or me. Thank you, and we look forward to continued
collaboration!
For the IFHEMA board:
Andreas Klingelmayer
President of IFHEMA
[email protected]
www.ifhema.org
On the weekend of January 11th and 12th, 2026, the Austrian Federation for Historical Fencing (HEMA Austria / ÖFHF) celebrated its 20th anniversary in Graz, Austria. The federation has nearly 30 member clubs and more than 1,000 active fencers. In Vienna alone, there are nine active clubs offering a wide range of HEMA activities.
IFHEMA was represented by President Andreas Klingelmayer, who conveyed the congratulations of the international federation. And there was a discusdion and presentation “what is IFHEMA?”.
Here’s to continued successful cooperation!
