The First Fählein Forms
Sep. 16th, 2011 11:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hsifengGordon Frye recalls the first time that he, Greig Fores[i], Carl Ontis and the gang headed out to faire dressed as Landsknechts as September of 1980. He is pretty clear on this date because, “it was one of my first visits to Northern Faire , and I was in company with my wife Charlotte, who was at that time pregnant with our eldest daughter Elizabeth[ii], who was born in December of that year.” Gordon and the rest had put together their costumes in anticipation of attending the faire, and while Ontis’ had put together Landsknect kits Gordon himself (working on his MA in History at the time) had been working on a more Spanish style garment.
It is California after all, Spanish history is sort of a natural choice!
In the end, the Germans won out.
Then again, with costumes like this, there was good reason:
“Elizabeth, being the consummate historical researcher, had of course put together clothing which was not only accurate to the woodcuts, but was to last her for several more years…Carl was clothed in a suit of braintan buckskin,[iii] slashed and puffed within an inch of its life, and most importantly, bedecked with a very prominent, and of course outrageous codpiece. We were hooked.”
Gordon Frye, Northern Faire - carrying a flag belonging to Jeff Schroeter ( Says Greig: this picture is actually from a group shot at the old maingate where DSF ended up encamped after the new maingate was built. Prior to that the camp was at the end of horse tourney, closest to old maingate. That original camp was compsed of a fenced in enclosure with a couple of tents and enclosed lean-tos that were made from horse stalls.)
Same man, same Waffenrock! 2007: This photo provided by Devk31 on Flickr (thanks for the link JBL!). ;)
Das Schwarze Fählein was formed soon thereafter, and Gordon recalls it happening before the group of friends joined up with St. Helena’s. The original intent was for the group to act as a fighting household at SCA events, lead by the Fählein’s first Hauptmann; Bob Bodeau[iv]. With a flurry of sewing and research projects, the tradition of West Coast Landsknecht reenactment began to form around this initial nucleus of comrades. Gordon says, “By the next year, we were all…outfitted with leather slash-and-puff hosen, leather jerkins and outrageous hats with too many feathers.” Codpieces, that quintessential hallmark of Landsknecht reenactment (nevermind that other nationalities wore them too; we wear them with panache!) were worked out as well and evolved from Carl’s first ‘fancy flap’ into copies of the original articles via Janet Arnold’s published research.[v] From these early years, Gordon especially remembers Dave Godwin’s "Condorman" Wams/doublet with its enormous sleeves and puff-and-slash decoration.[vi]
Grieg Fors and Dave Godwin - and Dave's 'Condorman' sleeves....*grin*
To the best of Gordon’s knowledge, the first crew was composed of himself, Bob Bodeau (Hauptmann), Carl Ontis, Greig Fors, Dave Godwin, Roy Kester, Tory (Salvatore ) Bruno, Dave (Oatmeal) O'Neal, Erik Bodeau, Elizabeth Pidgeon, Charlotte Frye (with Elizabeth Frye in utero) and Lucinda Nickel-Fors. In addition to this list there were those who occasionally marched with the Fählein including Dale Shinn[vii] and Wy Spaulding.
Gordon remembers the pre-Helena days as being enjoyed by a group of friends who readily found their own entertainment and refreshment, “sitting under the big oak tree behind Mullah's and drinking either beer or coffee as the mood hit us.” Landsknecht associating with the Turk! Another theme that would become almost a tradition in some German quarters...
Dave Godwin, Salvatore Bruno, Carl Ontis, and Gordon Frye take a break behind Mullahs at Northern Faire
Then in 1982-83 the Germans ‘joined faire’ and became part of St. Helena’s under the direction of Mark Wallis. After a stint in with the ‘Street Peoples’, the Germans broke off and joined up with Queens Guard in the guild of St. Michaels. The group was brigaded in the old Gate-House entrance of faire.[viii]
The space was used as the troops guild-yard and they put the camp to good use; Nick Worthington (Guildmaster of St. Michael's and Captain of the English Company of Foote) and Gordon (now Hauptmann of das Schwarze Fählein) put their respective companies on display with pike drill and other military displays. These included Nick and Gordon acting as living pells for some of the massed pike practice, “dressed in our half-armours with close-helmets and trying valiantly to portray Double-Pay men. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. My breastplate ended up with a nice dent in it from one such ‘practice’!” Again, the guiding force of the group was research, with drill coming from the best available resource - De Gheyn’s Dutch Drill from 1599. Thankfully the copy of this book that Nick Worthington possessed included the commands in Dutch, English, Scottish and German – meaning that uniform presentation could be trained into the combined English and German troops of St. Michael’s force.
And there was traveling as well. Many individuals and small groups of Northern Landsknecht ventured out to ‘troop the colours’ to other events and locations, spreading the word that the Germans had come to stay. These adventures included a number of trips south to partake of Renaissance Pleasure Faire’s events in the Los Angeles area. Gordon remembers these as, “pilgrimages…to hang out at Court and be noxious German Nobles.”[ix]
Over the years the make-up of das Schwarze Fählein changed and evolved; with original members leaving to pursue other interests and new members coming in. David Miles (DSF) and Robbie (CoF) teamed up to clear the streets with their drumming for progress, costumes continued to improve as members inevitably competed to make better and better sets, armor improved and increased in number, weapons of every type continued to be created, purchased and acquired (swords, guns, pikes and spears). By the time Gordon and Charlotte decided they needed to step back and concentrate the extra time on their three growing girls in the mid-to-late 80’s, “we had already laid the seeds of contentment and World Domination with our kamaraden at Southern Faire.”[x] Although it appears that there was some concern that the Landsknecht has become not only popular but acceptable to polite society – a turning point that Gordon jokingly notes by saying, “Oh My! We must have done something wrong...”
The Kids (human, not goat):
Elizabeth Frye Jeffress - youngest first-gen Camp Follower
Daddy Gordon and daughter Alexandra Frye in 1983
While discussing the back-and-forth between the Northern and Southern German groups, I told Gordon that both Tim Finkas and Conn MacLir had marked das Schwarze Fählein and its members as a source of inspiration for their own efforts. He says, “I attribute [the high standards of DSF] to the level of scholarly activity by the core-group (coming out of a rather scholarly Fur-Trade hobbyist group) and to the high level of costuming experience and ability that Carl [Ontis] and Elizabeth [Pidgeon] brought to the table. We all just sort of had to follow….we all had to really stretch ourselves to keep up with everyone else! It became part of our ‘corporate culture’ to push the boundaries of scholarship and costuming, to become “more authentic” and therefore cooler than the other guy. It was always great fun to be insulted by our friends because we had outdone them in some aspect of our kit!” And Gordon says, that while it while the inspiration may have started with the North, it was quickly matched and perhaps even surpassed by the Southern group.
As time went on and the Lansknecht idea started to spread, Gordon recalls Carl Ontis claiming to have completed a ‘study’ of the roots of all the various groups that were cropping up. Carl had stated to him, “quite matter-of-factly that ALL Landsknecht reenactors were descended in one way or another from [das Schwarze Fählein]. Even one's in Germany somehow (via SCA GI's, I believe he said). At any rate, I'll go for the North American branch at least having descent from us!” Apparently Carl continued to track the spread of these ‘branches’ for some time, for his own amusement. It’s the pursuit of this same information that has inspired this blog-series.
According to Gordon, “I know of no one with earlier claims to having the portrayal in hand, and I can state quite firmly that Summer of 1980 was the year that we started DSF. 31 years! A long campaign it's been, my friends, but a good one!”
31 years of Germans, and next year 50 years of Renaissance Faire. Sounds like a reason to party in 2012, and possibly to start planning for a major bashes in 2020 and 2030! *grin*
And with that, I will close out this post with a slightly modified version of one of Gordon’s own statements:
“Lifewas IS good in Landsknecht camp!”
BONUS PICTURE ("And Now For The Funny!"):
Gordon Frye and Lucinda Nickel-Fors with Spot the Donkey at the Council of Worms in 84 or 85 - held on Greig and Lucinda's property
It is California after all, Spanish history is sort of a natural choice!
In the end, the Germans won out.
Then again, with costumes like this, there was good reason:
“Elizabeth, being the consummate historical researcher, had of course put together clothing which was not only accurate to the woodcuts, but was to last her for several more years…Carl was clothed in a suit of braintan buckskin,[iii] slashed and puffed within an inch of its life, and most importantly, bedecked with a very prominent, and of course outrageous codpiece. We were hooked.”
Gordon Frye, Northern Faire - carrying a flag belonging to Jeff Schroeter ( Says Greig: this picture is actually from a group shot at the old maingate where DSF ended up encamped after the new maingate was built. Prior to that the camp was at the end of horse tourney, closest to old maingate. That original camp was compsed of a fenced in enclosure with a couple of tents and enclosed lean-tos that were made from horse stalls.)
Same man, same Waffenrock! 2007: This photo provided by Devk31 on Flickr (thanks for the link JBL!). ;)
Das Schwarze Fählein was formed soon thereafter, and Gordon recalls it happening before the group of friends joined up with St. Helena’s. The original intent was for the group to act as a fighting household at SCA events, lead by the Fählein’s first Hauptmann; Bob Bodeau[iv]. With a flurry of sewing and research projects, the tradition of West Coast Landsknecht reenactment began to form around this initial nucleus of comrades. Gordon says, “By the next year, we were all…outfitted with leather slash-and-puff hosen, leather jerkins and outrageous hats with too many feathers.” Codpieces, that quintessential hallmark of Landsknecht reenactment (nevermind that other nationalities wore them too; we wear them with panache!) were worked out as well and evolved from Carl’s first ‘fancy flap’ into copies of the original articles via Janet Arnold’s published research.[v] From these early years, Gordon especially remembers Dave Godwin’s "Condorman" Wams/doublet with its enormous sleeves and puff-and-slash decoration.[vi]
Grieg Fors and Dave Godwin - and Dave's 'Condorman' sleeves....*grin*
To the best of Gordon’s knowledge, the first crew was composed of himself, Bob Bodeau (Hauptmann), Carl Ontis, Greig Fors, Dave Godwin, Roy Kester, Tory (Salvatore ) Bruno, Dave (Oatmeal) O'Neal, Erik Bodeau, Elizabeth Pidgeon, Charlotte Frye (with Elizabeth Frye in utero) and Lucinda Nickel-Fors. In addition to this list there were those who occasionally marched with the Fählein including Dale Shinn[vii] and Wy Spaulding.
Gordon remembers the pre-Helena days as being enjoyed by a group of friends who readily found their own entertainment and refreshment, “sitting under the big oak tree behind Mullah's and drinking either beer or coffee as the mood hit us.” Landsknecht associating with the Turk! Another theme that would become almost a tradition in some German quarters...
Dave Godwin, Salvatore Bruno, Carl Ontis, and Gordon Frye take a break behind Mullahs at Northern Faire
Then in 1982-83 the Germans ‘joined faire’ and became part of St. Helena’s under the direction of Mark Wallis. After a stint in with the ‘Street Peoples’, the Germans broke off and joined up with Queens Guard in the guild of St. Michaels. The group was brigaded in the old Gate-House entrance of faire.[viii]
The space was used as the troops guild-yard and they put the camp to good use; Nick Worthington (Guildmaster of St. Michael's and Captain of the English Company of Foote) and Gordon (now Hauptmann of das Schwarze Fählein) put their respective companies on display with pike drill and other military displays. These included Nick and Gordon acting as living pells for some of the massed pike practice, “dressed in our half-armours with close-helmets and trying valiantly to portray Double-Pay men. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. My breastplate ended up with a nice dent in it from one such ‘practice’!” Again, the guiding force of the group was research, with drill coming from the best available resource - De Gheyn’s Dutch Drill from 1599. Thankfully the copy of this book that Nick Worthington possessed included the commands in Dutch, English, Scottish and German – meaning that uniform presentation could be trained into the combined English and German troops of St. Michael’s force.
And there was traveling as well. Many individuals and small groups of Northern Landsknecht ventured out to ‘troop the colours’ to other events and locations, spreading the word that the Germans had come to stay. These adventures included a number of trips south to partake of Renaissance Pleasure Faire’s events in the Los Angeles area. Gordon remembers these as, “pilgrimages…to hang out at Court and be noxious German Nobles.”[ix]
Over the years the make-up of das Schwarze Fählein changed and evolved; with original members leaving to pursue other interests and new members coming in. David Miles (DSF) and Robbie (CoF) teamed up to clear the streets with their drumming for progress, costumes continued to improve as members inevitably competed to make better and better sets, armor improved and increased in number, weapons of every type continued to be created, purchased and acquired (swords, guns, pikes and spears). By the time Gordon and Charlotte decided they needed to step back and concentrate the extra time on their three growing girls in the mid-to-late 80’s, “we had already laid the seeds of contentment and World Domination with our kamaraden at Southern Faire.”[x] Although it appears that there was some concern that the Landsknecht has become not only popular but acceptable to polite society – a turning point that Gordon jokingly notes by saying, “Oh My! We must have done something wrong...”
The Kids (human, not goat):
Elizabeth Frye Jeffress - youngest first-gen Camp Follower
Daddy Gordon and daughter Alexandra Frye in 1983
While discussing the back-and-forth between the Northern and Southern German groups, I told Gordon that both Tim Finkas and Conn MacLir had marked das Schwarze Fählein and its members as a source of inspiration for their own efforts. He says, “I attribute [the high standards of DSF] to the level of scholarly activity by the core-group (coming out of a rather scholarly Fur-Trade hobbyist group) and to the high level of costuming experience and ability that Carl [Ontis] and Elizabeth [Pidgeon] brought to the table. We all just sort of had to follow….we all had to really stretch ourselves to keep up with everyone else! It became part of our ‘corporate culture’ to push the boundaries of scholarship and costuming, to become “more authentic” and therefore cooler than the other guy. It was always great fun to be insulted by our friends because we had outdone them in some aspect of our kit!” And Gordon says, that while it while the inspiration may have started with the North, it was quickly matched and perhaps even surpassed by the Southern group.
As time went on and the Lansknecht idea started to spread, Gordon recalls Carl Ontis claiming to have completed a ‘study’ of the roots of all the various groups that were cropping up. Carl had stated to him, “quite matter-of-factly that ALL Landsknecht reenactors were descended in one way or another from [das Schwarze Fählein]. Even one's in Germany somehow (via SCA GI's, I believe he said). At any rate, I'll go for the North American branch at least having descent from us!” Apparently Carl continued to track the spread of these ‘branches’ for some time, for his own amusement. It’s the pursuit of this same information that has inspired this blog-series.
According to Gordon, “I know of no one with earlier claims to having the portrayal in hand, and I can state quite firmly that Summer of 1980 was the year that we started DSF. 31 years! A long campaign it's been, my friends, but a good one!”
31 years of Germans, and next year 50 years of Renaissance Faire. Sounds like a reason to party in 2012, and possibly to start planning for a major bashes in 2020 and 2030! *grin*
And with that, I will close out this post with a slightly modified version of one of Gordon’s own statements:
“Life
[i] For those who are reading along, you may recall that Greig remembers the series of dates of various events from this entry slightly differently, but that is how this kind of thing goes! http://hsifeng.livejournal.com/147314.html Given that Gordon is working on a date that is pretty solid (the gestation and birth of his daughter) I suspect he has the right of it. :)
[ii] Elizabeth Frye Jefferies is the little girl in the goat pen in my prior posts, and someone who I enjoy doing reenactment events with to this day. *grin*
[iii] I wonder how much Carl would laugh to hear the woolen vs. leather pants debates that have gone on to this day? *chuckle* Gordon recalls mention of the use of leather for slashed clothing in Köhler’s book as a possible inspiration for this, and agrees that a Mountain Man reenactment background and the relative ease of slashing leather may have also played a part.
[iv] Gordon says Bob was, “[a] blond-haired, blue-eyed very, very Aryan looking Jew, he took to the part like a duck to water.”
[v] Per Gordon, “…my sister-in-law gave me a copy of ‘Costume’ magazine, from the Royal Costume Society that had Janet Arnold’s original article on Nils Sture’s suit, and in it was a proper pattern for a codpiece. From that point, we had ‘proper’ codpieces of the proper size and shape for the period. The article was from 1978 (I still have the issue!) and we started improving by late 1980, I believe.”
[vi] And clearly Gordon had an eye for costume, by 1984 the faire had made him Costume Consultant for the Living History Centre.
[vii] This would be the same Dale Shinn who made me this http://hsifeng.livejournal.com/58825.html#cutid1, created these for the hubby and I http://hsifeng.livejournal.com/57564.html#cutid1 and these http://hsifeng.livejournal.com/56327.html#cutid1. Yes. Dale rocks. ;)
[viii] A picture of this Gate-House camp is the centerpiece of my posting here http://hsifeng.livejournal.com/146393.html.
[ix] From Gordon, “Many was the time I would spend my afternoons at Court Glade conversing with Ron Love, who portrayed the French Ambassador, comparing notes and arguing furiously as to the better national qualities of our troops. And making rude comments as to one another's ‘native tongue’ as well.”
[x] In discussing the inspiration that helped start the Southern Landknecht movement, I had mentioned that Tim Finkas lays major credit at the feet of Jeff Schroeter. Gordon says, “It’s interesting that you mention Jeff Schroeter. He too was an inspiration for us as well... In fact, my first wheellock from was from one of his kits, and we kept up a correspondence after that.” [NOTE: purchased at Southern before the Northern Germans were formed, around 1978, as a part of Gordon’s Spanish kit.]
BONUS PICTURE ("And Now For The Funny!"):
Gordon Frye and Lucinda Nickel-Fors with Spot the Donkey at the Council of Worms in 84 or 85 - held on Greig and Lucinda's property
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-16 11:49 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-16 11:57 pm (UTC)I could introduce you...
*grin*
And honestly, I know Gordon, I've met Conn, Greig has been an online friend for some time, Tim I just met via this project - but they have all been really great about helping me with this.
And next up; the Original Camp Fraus. It's time for the ladies to have their say. ;)
(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-17 12:36 am (UTC)Dates? I'm already dreaming about when I'll spend my vacation days next year. So many cool events, so little paid time off. =P
And next up; the Original Camp Fraus.
And oh yeah, Camp Frauen are in Da HOUSE!!!
(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-19 06:12 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-19 07:40 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-19 07:39 pm (UTC)http://www.renfair.com/socal/index.asp
I am hoping to have a start on some of the 'ladies interviews' by the end of this week...
;)