Take a Deep Breath...

Some of us think we’ve been doing this ‘landsknecht thing’ since we were knee high to a grasshopper. But then, some of us HAVE been doing this landsknecht thing for that long…and even longer. Elizabeth Frye Jeffress can’t remember her first event, understandable given the circumstances. Elizabeth says, “My dad likes to joke that I've been going to faire since I was in the womb, and that's basically true. My parents first wore landsknecht gear to a faire in Fall of 1980[i], and I was born December of 1980.”

Elizabeth’s dad? Gordon Frye[ii], who along with his wife Charlotte help form the first fahnlein at Northern Renaissance faire.


Gordon with Elizabeth's Sister - Alex(andra) in 1983

So what was it like to be in a fahnlein from the very beginning? For a girl whose parents regularly dressed up and portrayed people from other centuries, it was not as odd as you would think. Childhood, with some distinctly historical moments thrown in for sparkle, as Elizabeth notes, “Some of my earliest memories are of playing around the St. Michael's guild yard….Lucinda [Nickel-Fors] had a goat. For the life of me I can't remember the goat or Lucinda that clearly, but the fact that she had a goat was always firmly in my mind…”


Elizabeth with Lucinda's goat

…and yes, there have always been questions about Landsknecht fashions…

“One of my clearest memories was when my dad was wearing his waffenrock, and I asked him why he was wearing a dress. He got so mad!  ‘It's not a dress!’  I remember thinking, ‘Okay, Daddy, whatever you say. It still looks an awful lot like a dress.’”

And what about her own clothing?

“I always wondered why I couldn't dress in shiny sparkly pink dresses and instead had to wear a simple, rough and tumble dress….I still remember the little pewter goblet my dad tied to my little belt. Water and juice tasted better out of that cup because it was mine. I had little leather cowmouth shoes that my dad made for me.”

Even at a young age, the folks who helped form the roots of American Landsknecht reenactment made an impression:

“I thought the world of my dad's reenacting friends. I called Carl Ontis ‘Uncle Kafter’ -- apparently he wanted me to call him Uncle Catdirt, but Kafter was the best I could do….”

But as we all know, things change as we grow up. The fun and games of the guild yard began to wane as Elizabeth reached her early teens, when “…the idea of running around in costume was mortifying. I didn't mind dressing up so long as the crowd was mostly reenactors, but having to face the public in a costume was far too embarrassing.”

There was a period where she avoided faires, but it seems that some things are part of nature as well as nurture. Elizabeth’s sister decided to try out faire as a hobby again around 1998. Elizabeth recalls, “….[Alex] came back every Monday talking about how much fun she was having, and it made me think I might give it a try. But I wasn't really that into it yet….Then the next summer, 1999, Alex desperately needed a ride out to workshops and she bullied and cajoled me in to driving her out, and while I was there I should take a few classes. Everyone was so fun and cool in St. Michael's that I ended up staying.”

As part of her return to reenactment, Elizabeth met many of the ‘new generation landsknecht folks’ including members of the multiple fahnleins that had begun to spread through the state. She spent a lot of time that winter getting to know folks and researching/sewing her costume. What she discovered a group of reenactment friends of her own[iii], which that included at least one person who would become a permanent fixture; Jeremiah Jeffress, her future husband.


Jeremiah Jeffress - School of the Renaissance Soldier, 2012 - S.N. Jacobson Photography

When I asked her about what highlighted her time growing up at faire, Elizabeth pointed out that much of her experience was similar to that of other young college student, including positive and negative run-in’s with both boys and alcohol.  But the environment made all the difference. “I am so glad to have been surrounded by grown-ups who'd already made the same mistakes and allowed me to do so as well -- in a safe place. Having ‘big brothers’ armed with katzbalgers and zwiehanders wasn't something I thought about then, but it was probably a really good thing.”


Zeke and his 'big brothers' - School of the Renaissance Solder, 2010 & 2012 - S.N. Jacobson Photography

Just like her parents, Elizabeth found herself drawn to research and history. As someone who had participated in numerous styles of reenactment events, she recalls that she was attending Sutter’s Fort at the same time she was studying the Donner Party in school. She believes that the total emersion of her experience lead her to see history as ‘more real’ for her than it was for her other classmates. It is likely that this lead to her choice of major in college, where she received her BA in History.

Together Elizabeth and Jeremiah attended faire for a number of years with various groups. Eventually the time to participate in events faded as Northern Faire moved further away, and school and career began to take more time in their schedules. However, they never left completely. Both Elizabeth and Jeremiah regularly attend the School of the Renaissance Soldier[iv] events developed and hosted by a group comprised of original St. Michael’s members. They also bring their young son, Zeke along to experience the life of camp and field (sometimes with his grandfather in attendance as well –three generations of reenactors together is something to see!).


Elizabeth and Zeke - School of the Renaissance Solder, 2010 & 2012 - S.N. Jacobson Photography



Zeke and Gordon, on the horses and in the camp - School of the Renaissance Solder, 2010 & 2012 - S.N. Jacobson Photography

When I asked Elizabeth about what she thought about having a child out at events with her, she offered this observation: “Reenactment events are great for kids, just for the chance to unplug and eliminate all the screens and toys from their lives. I was amazed at how creative Zeke's play was at SRS. I only brought a few wooden blocks and otherwise no toys at all, and yet somehow he managed to be entertained constantly... I remember similar creative play with my sisters when we were kids at various reenactment events. Reenacting is the ultimate ‘unplugging’ experience!”

With Elizabeth’s permission, I want to share one of my favorite memories of the Frye-Jeffress family at a recent School of the Renaissance Soldier event. A few of us had organized competitive challenges for the ladies of the camp to participate in. The goal was to demonstrate ones skill and wits while having fun with both other camp followers and soldiers who were fresh back from the drill field. One of the games was jokingly called ‘The Venetian Courtesan’ and the ladies who played had the task of making one of the young soldiers blush. Whoever managed to get the biggest reaction of embarrassment would be the winner. Other participants whispered dirty stories, engaged their ‘lady lumps’ as smothering weapons, and largely played the expected roll of saucy wench in their attempts to get a reaction.

But not Elizabeth.

When her turn came, her husband and father brought forward a small bench and placed it directly in front of our soldier’s own seat. Then Elizabeth walked over and sat down with Zeke in her lap.

And then she breast fed her son.

To those of us in camp, this was a totally normal and non-embarrassing experience.

Apparently it is a little different when the nursing is happening right in front of you; while the mother stares directly into your eyes; grinning as her husband and father shout encouragements from the sidelines.

Our poor soldier was completely undone. If he could have sunk into the dirt, I think he would have. He had to last 30 seconds and I believe he did so only through an effort of tremendous will.

Hil. Lar. E. Ous. :D

Elizabeth Frye-Jeffress is one of the original campfrau – although I am not sure she thinks of herself as such. In a very real way, she is the bridge between those that started this tradition of reenactment and those that came to their fahnlein’s later. For my part, I can say unequivocally that events are always better with her there; she is women I both respect and enjoy, and one that I am happy to consider a friend as well as a fellow history geek.

Gordon 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:
 
 “Life was IS good in Landsknecht camp!”
 
 

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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

In a continuation of this series of posts, you will find 

below the recollections on the first years of Landsknecht reenactment in California (in the States?) from the perspective of Greig Fors. Greig personifies the personality of “O.G.” (Original German) with a long history of reenactment, a passion for research, a vast arsenal of craft skills, and more stories about the First Days than you can shake a stick at. And honey, I have a LOT of sticks. *grin* Along with a small handful of Bay Area residents, Greig helped to lay the foundation of this thing we call Landsknecht reenactment.

I have been lucky enough to get to know Greig in the past few years, and fortunate enough to get his permission to post his recollections on this tops. 

And with any luck, I may even get him back in costume someday soon… 

*evil plotty hand rubbing*

******************************


“Friends First, Last, and Always”

Greig Fors met Carl Ontis (two of the founders of the original das Schwarz Fahnlein) in 1971 at the Mountain Ranch Rendezvous. Both Greig and Carl were involved in mountain man reenactments, which have a long tradition here in the States. Upon meeting these two recognized kindred spirits and became fast friends for years thereafter. Greig was there a few years later at the Railroad Flat (around 1975) when Carl met his future wife and life-partner, Elizabeth Pidgeon. She was attending her first rendezvous with a friend and Greig says, “[Elizabeth] and Carl were instantly together. It was pretty cool to see.” It was, as they say, an auspicious beginning; this close core of friends continued to attend rendezvous events for a number of years, eventually forming a group of free trappers and Hudson Bay Company traders known as “the New Helvetia Brigade".


With time the Brigade moved beyond rendezvous-only events and into new historical reenactment opportunities. This came about when Greig found himself in a unique (at the time) situation; he was asked by the California State Parks Department to begin acting as a costumed docent at the Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park. To his knowledge, this was the first such position in the Parks Department in California.[i] Over time this role developed into a more structured event with Greig, and later his friend Bruce Northridge (RIP), doing the ‘Adobe Days’ event at the Petaluma site. Both men portrayed blacksmiths, finally forming a partnership/business in the “Laurel and Hardy Forge and Brass Works”.[ii] Greig and Bruce would continue their friendship, and their personas as blacksmiths in the same forge, through their time together at Faire.





The Gang at the Petaluma Adobe - Bruce Northridge at left front, Carl Ontis second on the rt., and Greig Fors 4th back on the right.  


As more members of “the New Helvetia Brigade" became involved at Petaluma the docent activities began to spread further through the Park Department. Greig became friends with Glen Burch, the state historian for Northern California, and Glen in turn invited to group to come out and work at Fort Ross. In the end, Sutter's Fort became a site for their re-enactment activities as well.[iii]



Carl and Elizabeth Ontis - at Ft. Ross - early 80's


“A New Idea”


After a number of years of performing together as historical interpreters, a group [iv] from the “the New Helvetia Brigade" began a transition that would become the foundations of Landsknecht reenactment at both SCA and faire events. While the leap from ‘Mountain Man’ to ‘Renaissance Man’ may seem drastic, the move into the new and growing medieval/renaissance scene of the California Bay Area was a natural one for veteran re-enactors in the mid-1970’s. It went something like this; after participating in a Wild West show in the Marin Headlands in 1974-1975, a number of members decided to attend the “Great American Shindig” in 1976. This event had Ron Patterson, one of the original creators of the Renaissance Pleasure Faire (founded 1963), cast in the part of Wild Bill Hickok. Around this same time, 1976, these same Brigade members started taking part in Society for Creative Anachronism (founded 1966) events.

It was here, in the SCA, that the discussion of creating Landsknecht personas took shape and form. It was also around this time that Carl and Elizabeth were married, holding their wedding in Landsknecht garb – and apparently starting a long tradition of Landsie re-enactors getting married in their kit. *grin*

Hey! Any excuse for cool new German clothes!

Greig remembers that he was wearing his first set of Pluderhosen at the time of the Ontis wedding, “Charlie (Charlotte) Rushing, Jack Thomas’ wife, made me a pair of Pluderhose that was for the time, impeccable. After four of five years, they became the Fahnlein’s loaner pants and were kept unwashed for another seven or eight years.”[v] The group also picked up a number of additional members at this time, as their growing reenactment repertoire attracted additional folks.




Greig Fors and David Godwin - SCA 12th Nite event - prior to 1979

With a new period to focus on, it didn’t take long for the serious research to begin[vi]; along with a healthy helping of personal drive, the rigors of being a costumed docent for the California State Parks helped to mold an attention to historical detail that has passed down even to many Landsknecht groups in this day. As Greig says, it was these factors and “a bit of competition as well, you know, we would find something to outdo the others.” Carl Ontis seems to have taken a lead in encouraging this aspect of reenactment among the friends, with each person finding a niche that they found personally fascinating. For a blacksmith like Greig this was everyday items, like forks and spoons and weapons.

By the time 1978 rolled around the group – about ten folks in total, kitted out in German gear - decided to try out the local Renaissance Faire at Peacock Gap (started by RPF in 1966)[vii] in San Rafael, CA. While Greig and partner Bruce attended as a part of a blacksmithing booth, most of the members attended the event under the ‘Faire Ever’ pass (I believe this was a pre-cursor to Friends of Faire). Even in the booth Greig wore his Germans and did his best to get away f as much as possible to play with the others.



Greig Fors, Elizabeth Pidgeon-Ontis, and Carl Ontis

The experience of going to faire as a group the first time involved a lot of walking around and interacting with the other faire goers. It didn’t take long for Phyllis Patterson, the faire’s director, to notice this new band. They were ready made with costumes in place, a friendly attitude, and a willingness to play. After their second year in attendance, Phyllis asked them if they would like to join the event officially as a part of St. Helena’s. At the time Helena’s was the ‘catch-all’ street actors Guild, not the peasant’s only group it eventually became.

After a couple of years with St. Helena’s, it was time for the Germans to set out on their own; das Schwarz Fahnlein was formed. This group joined forces with the Queens Guard to form a new Guild, St. Michaels; a performance company that survives to this day at both Northern and Southern California reenactment events. The faire itself also made a move during the coming years, changing locations from Peacock Gap to Blackpoint Forest, Navato, CA. It was during this period that Grieg  was appointed as the Fahnenträger (ensign) and led queen's progress just behind the bell ringers; making him the first to learn to twirl the flag.

Greig remember’s some his favorite gigs from these early years: “…at the opening of Faire….We got the use of one of faire's carts and I think there were a few times we had brought a goat. There were four or five of us that would walk towards maingate with all our stuff in the cart, and the goat, if it was with us, was tied to the back of it. We all were acting like we had just walked miles and miles, heads down and quiet. We passed through the crowds without stopping and into the faire. I personally think it was one our best gigs.”




A VERY young Elizabeth Frye and The Goat (or one of the Goats) - Elizabeth still makes it out to reenactments, and now brings her own child along as well, second generation faire-brat! *grin*


And then this around 1981-1982: “Carl and I with one or two others…’caught’ somebody stealing, and we restrained him and did a be-handing. He was led off screaming and Carl and I played catch with the rubber hand.”

And then the one they did at rehearsals but never got around to doing in public: “Elizabeth Frye was just a baby and Charlotte [Frye] was carrying her. Both in costume. She came up to whoever was in charge (it was both the germans and queen's guard and standing in ranks) and asked to look for the baby's father. While her back was turned, a couple of guys snuck away. While she was at one end of the ranks, some more snuck away on the opposite side, and everytime she turned her back, even more snuck away until there was one poor guy left standing all by himself, shaking.”

(*I think I know a gig for Casa de Fruta faire this year…*grin* ~ hsifeng)

At this point, while Carl and Elizabeth were the founders of the Landsknecht movement, there were other folks that had become involved that Greig would like to name: Roy Kester (RIP), Gordon Frye, Charlotte Frye, Oatmeal (per Gordon Frye: Oatmeal was Dave O'Neal ["O'Neal, Oatmeal, you get it..."]), Dave Godwin, Lucinda Nickel-Fors, Shula Shoup, Salvatore Bruno, David Miles (Original Trummelschlager), Julie (Juliana) Gaul, Kathe Barrows (RIP), Bob Bodeau, Kevin Fogel, Mariposa and Moffit (Per Gordon: Bill Moffatt - which I would suppose means this is Bill and Mariposa Moffatt). As Greig says, “There may have been one or two more, but I don’t remember.”




The Usual Suspects - Northern Faire, 1983

“And From This Seed…”

...a mighty Oak has grown.” Starting in the SCA, and moving into Renaissance Pleasure Faire North, a group of friends started a tradition of German reenactment that has spread far and wide. From a starting point in the Bay Area of California, the style and traditions of these founders have found homes in Renaissance Faires throughout California in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Riverside, with outposts in many towns in-between. Outside of this state there are groups inspired by these founders in Texas, Maryland, Wisconsin, and Nevada (I am sure I’m missing a few). Not to mention the Landsknechts who are a part of the nationwide (worldwide?) network of the SCA.

Greig says, “At one point, Carl was asked to go to Australia to show off landsknechts to the Aussie SCA. When he came back, he told me that they had gotten pics of the two of us, made them into posters and we were hung on ceilings above some of the women’s beds. I never knew how true this was, but I certainly got a good laugh. I am pretty sure the poster was for real. So I think our group was the inspiration for Aussie Landsknechts.”

Continuing the long tradition of Germans on the Security Crew at faire; Greig left the Germans to work with Ops and on crew for RPF events in 1986. He continued this off and on, mostly at Northern until 1994.

And if I get my way, he’s going to be coming back out to faire in the next year or so, to celebrate my birthday with me at Valhalla and get Rockett’s Forge out there as a resource for amazing metal-wares again!

________________________________________
[i] The tradition of costumed interpreters continues to this day at the park, with the next Living History Day event scheduled for May of 2012.


[ii] As Greig says, “I had made a logo that had a cut off chisel in a laurel wreath. The chisel is called a Hardy, well you get the idea…”


[iii] Greig – “Once, for New Years, we had Ft. Ross all to ourselves, our group and a number of the higher ups in the Park Dept. It was a great party.”


[iv] These members were Greig, Carl Ontis, Elizabeth Pidgeon, Gordon Frye, Charlotte Frye, Roy Kester and Dave Godwin.


[v] As I said to Greig; It’s good to know that newbies were tormented with unwashed loaner gear even back in the day! And by the way, he STILL has these pants!


[vi] Greig recalls, “The books were bought and studied and discussions took place and we started getting better.” And, “There was animosity towards us in the SCA, because we were trying to be historically accurate, and we were labeled elitist assholes.” (See my SCA History Maven friends – this is a long tradition! *wink*)


Greig also remembers the groups research collection starting out with Braun and Schneider’s ‘Historic Costumes’ and Vecellio’s ‘Renaissance Costume Book’ along with, “Every Durer book we could get our hands on….We looked for anything Holbein, Bosch, and Cranach (both the elder and younger). I was lucky to find some hardbound museum catalogues from several German museums. There were some auction catalogues that I found from the mid twenties that had a lot of weapons and armor that was not in other books. Dover Books seemed to have a lot of what we were looking for.” Keep in mind, the HUGE number of costume resources we have today were not present or readily available when this group was starting out, many of them have come along or been ‘rediscovered’ in the intervening years. Including that perennial favorite of many first-time Landsknecht, Osprey: “The first Osprey book on the landsknechts has the color illustrations, well, there are landsknechts that look like Carl, Roy, Moffat (Mariposa’s husband) and myself. We always wondered...”


[vii] Seems like the Ren/Medieval scene really “jumped off” in the Bay in 1966, with the SCA getting started in Berkeley and RPF getting new digs up North in Novato in that year.

 As you may recall from this post waaaay back in January of 2009, I have an interest in knowing just how this crazy German Landsknecht Thing got started out at events in the United States. The subject of a Family Tree Project came back around recently via some postings in the Old Guard hanging around on FB, and one of the most involved of these 'Old Guard' members was kind enough to have a chat with me about his recollections of the early days of Germans on the West Coast. This is a work in progress - if you have any information to help fill in the blanks (literally!) please let me know! Also, if you'd like to be 'interviewed' for this project, or have interviewees you think should be contacted, I would love to hear from you. 
anjabeth and Scotty Moore, please shoot me a message with anything you think needs to be added in postscript - or if you'd like to participate! ;)

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Via Conn MacLir: As with most of us, Conn started out as ‘something other than a German reenactor’. First a Celt, then bodyguard for the nobles, then a southern Queen's Guard, then a Seadog; he had put time in with a number of groups and characters.


Conn MacLir & Tim Finkas portray Sea Dogs at Agoura Faire, Southern California

After being influenced early in the development of the California Landsknecht phenomenon by Carl and Elizabeth Ontis of das Schwarz Faehnlein; Conn MacLir, Tim Finkas, and Erin Harvey first promoted the style as a guild at the Southern California Renaissance Faire at Agoura starting in 1985 under the name St. Barbara's Guild (Landsknecht Trabanten). For a time J.F.Schreoder was a booth owner who also dressed Landsknecht with this initial SoCal group.

The next year this core of individuals moved in their own directions with Conn starting his own group, the die Ritterlich Fechtschule\ Fahnlein and Tim starting St. Martin's (German Reiters). Die Ritterlich was focused on historical swordplay, portraying the "Marx Brudder" of Germany in the early 16th century. Having come from Queen’s Guard Conn crafted the Germans of his group to that end…to protect the Queen. This is a common theme for many German groups at Renaissance Faire to this day, as is the tradition of Germans being employed as part of the Security for events.


Conn MacLir as Hauptman Sigrfied Von Bodensee of Die Ritterlich Fechtschule, Agoura Faire, Southern California

For a period of three or more years, Conn campaigned all over the west coast; going to every faire he could “like Johnny Appleseed”. This constant interaction with new groups and new people helped to foster the growth of the West Coast Landsknecht phenomenon at faire events. This growth continued to spread outward. Don Smith and Blair Reese – both having had their start in Landsknecht reenactment under Conn’s tutelage in die Ritterlich Fechtschule\ Fahnlein - were sent to the Texas Ren Faire where they were contact by management of the Renaissance Entertainment Corporation (REC) which was running the event. They in turn put these promoters in contact with Conn, who was asked to go to the Bristol Faire in 92 or 93 in order to start a German group at that event. (Group name?) Paula and Larry Perterka - also Ritterlich alumni - ventured to Maryland the East coast to begin das TeufelsAlpdrücken Fähnlein.

Conn’s time with Carl and Elizabeth Ontis in the early years gave him access to some of the best equipment and training to be had (even today); Firearms by Dale Shin, Fight manuals by Nicholas Worthington, costuming by Elizabeth Ontis, Adrian Butterfield and Victoria Ridenour. This early immersion in a high-quality environment drove him to seek the very best in his own groups, and to inspire the best from others .


Conn drumming with das Schwarz Faehnlein at Blackpoint Faire, Navato, Northern California

Conn in formation with das Schwarz Faehnlein at Blackpoint Faire, Navato, Northern California