Medieval scene

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Show fighters at the Spectaculum 2004

As a medieval scene one is subcultural scene referred to the art, culture and everyday life of the European Middle Ages rezipiert in many ways, especially with musical and theatrical elements and crafts, arts and crafts and culinary offerings. This scene has been enjoying increasing popularity since the late 1970s. Through their events, the members of the scene in Germany attract an audience of millions every year, who visit medieval markets , seminars and concerts. The scene is broad and consists of many different subgroups that are influenced by other scenes.

history

Having existed since the late 1970s, the scene also attracted a larger number of followers in the late 1980s. Medieval and oriental songs were played on bagpipes, shawms , drums and, in some cases, electric guitars in a modern form. From the beginning or the middle of the 1990s, other bands such as Subway to Sally and In Extremo were added, so that the new style of music could establish itself within the next ten years.

During this time, the first major events such as medieval markets , Celtic festivals or Roman festivals took place . The first to arrive were the reenactors and living history actors, who now made their hobby accessible to a larger audience. There was a potential for conflict in the composition of these groups, which have members who value authenticity and realism as well as people who include elements of fantasy. For a better demarcation, the medieval scene has been assigned to histotainment for some time , to make it clear that no claim is made here to scientifically correct representation.

Other groups associated with the medieval scene in various ways are role-players , especially live role-players .

Field of activity

The field of activity of the medieval scene is just as broad as music. There is the medieval market , the bow making seminar , medieval or Viking villages , oriental stalls, camp life, drama ( exhibition fight ), knight tournaments , concerts and theatrical, cabaret and acrobatic performances. Medieval pubs and restaurants can also be found in cities. The Peter and Paul Festival in Bretten is an important event .

Facts and legends

In the Middle Ages scene, not just one epoch of the Middle Ages is treated, but several, which means that these are mixed up. For example, battles between Vikings from around AD 800 against knights from the High Middle Ages are depicted. This is due to the fact that visitors, groups of showmen, but above all the market organizers usually do not attach great importance to historical uniformity or historical reference. Since the market events are commercially oriented and the majority of the visitors are not informed about historical details, what the visitor could attribute to the Middle Ages is usually allowed.

The degree of this attitude differs from organizer to organizer. For example, dressed in the Middle Ages is sometimes only understood to mean renouncing wristwatches, plastic and jeans , while others actually check the cut of the clothing, the historical classification and hand-sewn seams. The first type are mostly commercial organizers, the second type mostly historically oriented markets, for example organized by museums or history associations. The third type, including most groups, are interest groups that want to experience the Middle Ages. These groups or interest groups are mostly located at castles. They bring historical handicrafts, knighthood, exhibition combat (historical sword fighting ) and the life of the nobility and peasantry back to the castle. In contrast to the medieval markets, the interest groups can be found in the surrounding castles.

Another characteristic of the medieval scene is that a large part of the members of the scene produce almost everything themselves. From clothing to tents and musical instruments to everyday objects from the Middle Ages - everything is handmade. There is often a connection or interaction between the medieval scene and experimental archeology . It is not uncommon to find archaeologists who want to test their theories in practice and do so in the context of medieval associations or events.

So-called medieval markets can be mentioned as meeting points for the scene. In these markets, scene members appear either as showmen or as normal guests. Since the so-called jousting games are also an attraction in these markets, but the aim is to achieve a high degree of realism, professional showmen are usually employed for them. At most of the medieval markets in Germany, the motto no blades, no bows for visitors applies . Concerts and festivals serve as additional meeting points, for example the knight tournament in Kaltenberg (D) or the Folkwoods Festival (NL).

The German scene, in contrast to others, hardly receives any government support (see English Heritage ).

Most of the events that place great value on authentic presentation are almost entirely private initiatives without any significant budget or media support. They also often remain without connection to the public (mostly due to a lack of media interest; see “Unspectacular”). Commercial events are therefore given public consideration and attention with their own advertising material.

Some of today's popular events, such as the Freienfelser Ritterspiele , were planned as attempts at a burgeoning authentic line in historical representation, but have turned into their opposite with increasing popularity in the "scene". Organizers of so-called “medieval” events often place little value on authenticity, on the grounds that only a fraction of the (paying) visitors notice these differences at all.

Festivals

Music festivals from the areas of medieval rock , music from the medieval scene and folk are: