K. u. k. Military Fencing Tournament

K. u. k. Military Fencing Tournament, Prague 2026, is an annual event dedicated to fencing with weapons taught at the K. u. k. Theresian Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt – foil, sabre, bayonet rifle.

This event continues the tradition of the K. u. k. Armee Fechtturnier, a series of eleven successive Austro-Hungarian Army fencing tournaments held alternately in Vienna and Budapest between 1898 and 1914. The inaugural 1898 tournament was held as part of the jubilee celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of Emperor and King Franz Josef I’s accession to the throne.

The K. u. k. Military Fencing Tournament, Prague 2026, is open to practitioners of all styles and skill levels interested in military fencing from the 1895–1914 period.

DETAILS:

Official program:

Saturday April 18
9:30-10:00 registration
10:00 Opening ceremony
10:15-11:00 Foil fencing workshop with Maestro Michael Kňažko
11:00-12:30 Foil fencing tournament preliminary rounds and eliminations (max. 12 fencers in the pools).
13:00-14:00 lunch in the restaurant Na Urale
14:15-15:00 Bayonet fencing workshop – Maestro Leonid Křížek
15:00-16:30 Bayonet rifle fencing tournament preliminary rounds and eliminations (max. 12 fencers in the pools).
16:30 Bayonet rifle x sabre
17:00 Bayonet rifle x field shovel
Bayonet rifle charge
Target shooting
Test cutting
Pistol duelling
20:00 – 23:00 official dinner – restaurant U Topolu, Prague 6, Jugoslávských partyzánů 943/32, 160 00 Praha 6-Bubeneč

Sunday April 19
10:00-10:45 Sabre fencing workshop – Maestro Michael Kňažko
11:00-12:30 Sabre fencing tournament preliminary rounds and eliminations (max. 24 fencers in the pools)
13:00-14:00 lunch Na Urale
14:15 Pistol duelling workshop
15:00 target shooting & test cutting workshop
Closing ceremony

Tournament weapons:
Czechoslovak spring bayonet rifle – provided by the organizers
Classical French or Italian foil – own weapon required
Barbasetti Sabre 1895, model 2 – provided by the organizers

Tournament requirements:
– own complete protective foil/sabre/bayonet fencing gear (mask, jacket, gloves, protectors)
– own French or Italian foil
– bayonets rifles and sabres will be provided by the organizers

Host:
Barbasetti Military Sabre (since 1895), Prague, Czech Republic
Ars Dimicatoria School of Historical Fencing, Prague, Czech Republic

Place:
Main gym of the Primary School Emy Destinnové, náměstí Svobody 930/3, 160 00 Prague 6 Bubeneč 160 00, Czech Republic
Price: EUR 120
Official T-shirt: EUR 20

To reserve your place contact Michael Knazko
via fb messenger or e-mail: a.dimicatoria@gmail.com

Please note: The organizers reserve the right to make changes to the event program. The organizers also reserve the right to cancel the event wholly should unforeseen circumstances or/and risks to public health arise.