From en.wikipedia.org:
[Swiss folk wrestling] [topic=cult] [date=May 2022] {{Infobox martial art |
image = Schwingen 2.jpg | imagecaption = | name = Schwingen | aka = Swiss
Wrestling<br /> Alpine wrestling<br /> Hosenlupf | focus = Grappling | country
= [Switzerland] Switzerland | olympic = No | creator = | parenthood = |
famous_pract = }} [DE] (from German _[de]_ "to swing"), also known as SWISS
WRESTLING (French _[fr]_) and natively (and colloquially) as _[GSW]_ (Swiss
German for "breeches-lifting"), is a style of folk wrestling native to
Switzerland, more specifically the pre-alpine parts of German-speaking
Switzerland. Wrestlers wear _[de]_ ("wrestling breeches") with belts that are
used for taking holds. Throws and trips are common because the first person
to pin his or her opponent's shoulders to the ground wins the bout.
Schwingen is considered a "national sport" of Switzerland, alongside Hornussen
and Steinstossen. Schwingen and Steinstossen were included as
_Nationalturnen_ ("national gymnastics") in the _Eidgenössisches Turnfest_ at
Lausanne in 1855.
The modern history of organized _Schwingen_ tournaments begins with the
Unspunnenfest of 1805.[1]
** History
As with other types of folk wrestling, the roots of Schwingen in Switzerland
cannot be determined exactly. The modern sport was institutionalized in the
19th century out of older, regional traditions.
There are records of wrestling in Switzerland from the medieval period. A
picture from the 13th century (in the Cathedral of Lausanne) shows the typical
way of gripping the opponent.[2]
Schwingen as a special form of grappling in Alpine culture can be traced to
the early 17th century. This form of grappling is preserved during the 17th
and 18th century in the Emmental, Haslital and Entlebuch regions specifically.
In 18th century travel literature, Schwingen figures as part of the
stereotypes of Swiss alpine culture. The Entlebuch pastor Franz Josef Stalder
in 1797 records a set of rules in his _Fragmente über Entlebuch_.
The modern history of the sport begins during the period of Mediation, with
the Unspunnenfest of 1805. In the late 19th century, memorable Schwing
festivals and a lively activity of educated gymnastics teachers brought
Schwingen to the big cities. Thus the original fight of the herders and
farmers became a national sport that reached all social levels. The
associations, headed by the _Eidgenössischer Schwingerverband_ (national
federation, founded 1895), organized the sport by integrating regional
peculiarities, improving the abilities of the fighters with teaching books and
practices, and creating modern tournament rules.
** Tournament
[section]
The match takes place in a ring, a circular area with a diameter of 12 meters
that is covered with sawdust. The two opponents wear short pants made of jute
over their clothes. The wrestlers hold each other by these pants, at the back
where the belt meets, and try to throw the opponent onto his back. There are
several main throws, with names like "kurz", "übersprung" and "wyberhaagge",
some of them very similar to judo techniques - "hüfter" is almost identical to
koshi guruma, "brienzer" is basically uchi mata. These throws are found in
many wrestling systems that have even the slightest emphasis on throwing the
opponent, and can also been seen in shuaijiao. A match is won when the winner
holds the opponent's pants with at least one hand and both the opponent's
shoulders touch the ground. By tradition the winner brushes the sawdust off
the loser's back after the match.
The match is judged by three referees, one of whom stands in the ring. The
referees give points, with a maximum of ten points for a winning throw. If
the match ends without a clear win, the more active Schwinger is awarded the
higher number of points.
At a Schwing festival, every Schwinger wrestles six opponents, or eight at the
Eidgenössische. The two Schwingers with the highest number of points after
five (seven at the Eidgenössische) matches get to the Schlussgang (last
round). The matching of the Schwingers is done by the _fight court_ according
to arcane rules. Often there are suspicions that the matchings have not been
fair, and favor one contestant over the others.
There are no weight classes nor any other categories. Usually, though,
Schwingers are big men, over 180 cm tall and weighing in excess of 100 kg, and
are mostly craftsmen from traditional professions that require some physical
force, like carpenters, butchers, lumberjacks or cheesemakers.
Regional and cantonal Schwing festivals are held outdoors, between early
summer and autumn.
The most important Schwing festival is the _Eidgenössisches Schwing- und
Älplerfest_, which takes place every three years. The winner of this
tournament is proclaimed _Schwingerkönig_ and receives a bull as his prize.
*** List of tournaments and winners
A list of _Eidgenössische_ tournaments with _Schwingerkönig_: [col-begin]
[col-1-of-3]
- 1937 Willy Lardon
- 1940 Otto Marti
- 1943 Willy Lardon
- 1945 Peter Vogt
- 1948 Peter Vogt
- 1950 Walter Haldemann
- 1953 Walter Flach
- 1956 Eugen Holzherr
- 1958 Max Widmer
- 1961 Karl Meli
- 1964 Karl Meli
[col-2-of-3]
- 1966 Rudolf Hunsperger
- 1969 Rudolf Hunsperger
- 1972 David Roschi
- 1974 Rudolf Hunsperger
- 1977 Arnold Ehrensberger
- 1980 Ernst Schläpfer
- 1983 Ernst Schläpfer
- 1986 Harry Knüsel
- 1989 Adrian Käser
- 1992 Silvio Rüfenacht
- 1995 Thomas Sutter
[col-3-of-3]
- 1998 Jörg Abderhalden
- 2001 Arnold Forrer
- 2004, Lucerne : Jörg Abderhalden
- 2007, Aarau : Jörg Abderhalden
- 2010, Frauenfeld : Kilian Wenger
- 2013, Burgdorf, Switzerland : Matthias Sempach
- 2016, Broye District : Matthias Glarner
- 2019, Zug : Christian Stucki
- 2022, Pratteln : Joel Wicki
[col-end]
** Traditions
[section] Traditionally, Schwingen is a male sport. Women's Schwingen is a
more recent phenomenon, and the _Frauenschwingverband_, or Women's Schwingen
Association, was founded in 1992.
Members of a pure Schwingen club are called _Sennenschwinger_ and wear dark
trousers and a colored shirt, usually bright blue. Members of a broader
sports club with a Schwingen section are called _Turnerschwinger_, and wear
white pants and a white T-shirt.
Advertising and sponsoring are shunned at Schwingen. Successful Schwingers do
not receive cash prizes, but goods such as cowbells, furniture or livestock.
The best Schwingers at a festival are awarded a wreath. Schwingers who
receive a wreath at an _Eidgenössische_ or national tournament are called
_Eidgenossen_ (confederates). Good Schwingers at national level are called
"Böse" (wicked).
A winner of the _Eidgenössische_ is given the lifetime title of
_Schwingerkönig_ (Schwinger king), which includes some privileges such as
being a guest of honor at every _Eidgenössische_.
** Literature
- Urs Huwyler: _Könige, Eidgenossen und andere Böse: Schwingen - ein Volkssport wird trendig_ , ( _Kings, Confederates and Other Wickeds - a Folk Sport Becomes Trendy_ ) AT Verlag 2010, [978-3-03800-550-6]
** References
[Reflist]
- [16328]
** External links
[Schwingen] [Commons category]
- Eidgenössischer Schwingerverband (see http://www.esv.ch)
- Schwingerverband Rapperswil (see http://www.schwingerverband.ch)
- http://www.jabderhalden.ch/ (J. Abderhalden, _Schwingerkönig_ 1998, 2004, 2007)
- San Joaquin Valley Swiss Club (California, USA) (see https://web.archive.org/web/20120328114519/http://www.riponswissclub.com/index_files/Page320.htm)
- Aelpler Gruppe Swiss Club (Newark, California, USA) (see https://www.aelplergruppe.com/)
[folk wrestling] [Authority control]
Category:Folk wrestling styles Category:Culture of Switzerland Category:Sports
originating in Switzerland Category:European martial arts