We spend a lot of time on ModBlog talking about the image galleries, and the wide variety of images contained within them. In addition to the galleries, the stories, and ModBlog, BMEzine is host to it’s own Wiki. It’s a great resource to get information regarding all sorts of topics that cover the entire spectrum of the body modification world.
Today I wanted to share with you an article about an unusual form of scar that at one point was extremely popular in certain parts of the world.
What you’re seeing here is what is known as a dueling scar or Renommierschmiss. I’ll let the Wiki explain.
At the turn of the 20th century, the dueling scar (or bragging scar, or Renommierschmiss) was popularized by upper-class Austrians and Germans who saw it as a mark of their class and honor, due to the social importance of dueling societies at Austrian universities at the time. If you were a doctor, lawyer, or professor, the dueling scar was a tattoo that signified your inclusion in an elite social rank, and visitors to university cafes would expect to see young men with bandaged faces.
The sport at the time was very different from modern fencing. The men used heavy sabers, and took turns chopping at each other five times apiece repeatedly. While padding was worn, the goal was to be injured. Kevin McAleer (author of Dueling: The Cult of Honor in Fin-de-Siecle Germany) writes,
The idea was to stand your man and show courage—not to inflict a wound, but to be wounded. That’s the very strange part of it—the true winner was he who walked away with a nice juicy scar, to show that he’d stood the test. The point was not to get the other guy, but to show that you could take it. You’d get these guys who looked like they’d walked into a propeller. It was pretty gnarly, but the guys were damn proud to look that way.
The scars showed you had courage and education, and were good husband material. A lot of these kids were rather good-looking, and you didn’t have to ruin your whole face in dueling. The scars usually accumulated on the left side of the face, so from the right profile, he still looked good. And even if it was an ugly, knotted scar, women were attracted by everything it implied, and the pride with which the wearer bore it.
The main thing we’ve learned from this, is that no matter the culture or the era, chicks dig scars.
But seriously, it seems that while the practice of dueling for scars seems to have faded over time, the practice of intentional scarification has definitely carried on. Now I haven’t had the pleasure of getting a gnarly, unintentional scar, but I’m sure some of you have. Anyone have a “I got this scar when…” story to share?
Comments
166 responses to “The more you know”
Prepare for a shitstorm.
Prepare for a shitstorm.
What Shawn said.
While I find the article particularly interesting, someone’s going to get butthurt over the person in the image.
What Shawn said.
While I find the article particularly interesting, someone’s going to get butthurt over the person in the image.
only major scar I have is on my wrist, awesome battle with a surgeon who put metal rods into it. Walked away proudly…when I was 12 haha
only major scar I have is on my wrist, awesome battle with a surgeon who put metal rods into it. Walked away proudly…when I was 12 haha
i agree with shawn and await the content of the comments. it should be interesting to say the least.
i agree with shawn and await the content of the comments. it should be interesting to say the least.
Funny thing is, I didn’t even realize the man in the picture was SS until I read the comments saying to prepare for the shit storm…. and then I went looking for what was wrong!
Very interesting story, though! 🙂
Funny thing is, I didn’t even realize the man in the picture was SS until I read the comments saying to prepare for the shit storm…. and then I went looking for what was wrong!
Very interesting story, though! 🙂
@Brittney. That was my thinking exactly. You could choose to focus on who the picture is of (one of the most evil people to walk the face of the earth), or you could look at the scar as a relevant example of the topic of the BME wiki article.
@Shawn: I knew I may get flack for the photo, but the fact is, it s a good example of the type of scar that was popularized. In no way am I endorsing the guy in the photo for anything other than possessing the scar that is being discussed.
@Brittney. That was my thinking exactly. You could choose to focus on who the picture is of (one of the most evil people to walk the face of the earth), or you could look at the scar as a relevant example of the topic of the BME wiki article.
@Shawn: I knew I may get flack for the photo, but the fact is, it s a good example of the type of scar that was popularized. In no way am I endorsing the guy in the photo for anything other than possessing the scar that is being discussed.
In theory I agree. In practice…. expect whining.
In theory I agree. In practice…. expect whining.
didn’t we already have this not too long ago?
didn’t we already have this not too long ago?
When I was younger I played a similar game with friends called wack the shins. Pretty self explanatory. It wasn’t about hurting the other person as much as who could take the most pain. We used metal and wooden broom stick rather than sabers. Stil have dents in my shins lol.
When I was younger I played a similar game with friends called wack the shins. Pretty self explanatory. It wasn’t about hurting the other person as much as who could take the most pain. We used metal and wooden broom stick rather than sabers. Stil have dents in my shins lol.
Harvey Dent rejoices!
Harvey Dent rejoices!
like anybody else, i too think nazi culture is pretty cool and should be celebrated here on modblog. i know skinhead culture is huge in canada, but we don’t get much of this stuff here in the states anymore because of the diversity etc. thanks dude!
like anybody else, i too think nazi culture is pretty cool and should be celebrated here on modblog. i know skinhead culture is huge in canada, but we don’t get much of this stuff here in the states anymore because of the diversity etc. thanks dude!
Well…. I got my first scar on my forehead (it’s partially covered by my eyebrow) when I was two. My sister and I were jumping on the couch and we both fell off. She knocked her chin on the edge of the coffee table and I cracked my forehead open on my dad’s toolbox. We both got stitches from that xD Then, when i was ten, I sliced my left ankle open on the stopper on a friend’s scooter. I had walked all the way from the corner back to his house before I realized something felt off. I’d left a long blood trail all down the sidewalk and I didn’t even flinch until my parents told me they were taking me in for stitches. Then, not too many years after that I almost broke my right leg on a metal spike. The scar starts under my kneecap and ends just above it. Then there was the time I attempted to ride a cart through the parking lot. Once I had gained speed and went to jump on it, both me and he cart crashed to the ground. From that, I’ve got a faint scar on my right knee, a big,dark one on my left knee, and a gnarly one on my right index finger. I think that does it for now… LOL
Well…. I got my first scar on my forehead (it’s partially covered by my eyebrow) when I was two. My sister and I were jumping on the couch and we both fell off. She knocked her chin on the edge of the coffee table and I cracked my forehead open on my dad’s toolbox. We both got stitches from that xD Then, when i was ten, I sliced my left ankle open on the stopper on a friend’s scooter. I had walked all the way from the corner back to his house before I realized something felt off. I’d left a long blood trail all down the sidewalk and I didn’t even flinch until my parents told me they were taking me in for stitches. Then, not too many years after that I almost broke my right leg on a metal spike. The scar starts under my kneecap and ends just above it. Then there was the time I attempted to ride a cart through the parking lot. Once I had gained speed and went to jump on it, both me and he cart crashed to the ground. From that, I’ve got a faint scar on my right knee, a big,dark one on my left knee, and a gnarly one on my right index finger. I think that does it for now… LOL
@oppositronic: Sorry to disappoint but the practice is much older than the nazi party, and in no way is this post meant to celebrate it. Not to mention the fact that most skins hate the association with the boneheads who still think the nazi way of thinking is somehow positive.
@oppositronic: Sorry to disappoint but the practice is much older than the nazi party, and in no way is this post meant to celebrate it. Not to mention the fact that most skins hate the association with the boneheads who still think the nazi way of thinking is somehow positive.
first off, that thing goes from his tragus to his chin and, it looks like there may have been a few other slash wounds in there as well. thats pretty f-n gnarly to sit there and take a big ass sword to the face.
secondly, its history. get over the fact the guy was in the SS (i dont condone those views), any one who gets pissy over this is as bad as senator finster from “thank you for smoking” who was trying to remove cigarettes from classic films. i mean they could have photoshopped unicorns shiting rainbows where the ss pin is but that would be ridiculous and take away from the gnarly ass scar were all supposed to be looking at.
thirdly ive got a scar on my elbow that feels like a plastic grocery bag from getting towed on my bike by a car to jump over an island in a parking lot and having that go tremendously horrible and about three bitching suture scars from having some cancerous tumors removed off of me.
and a scarification i did my self on my calf.
chicks totally dig scars and always will
first off, that thing goes from his tragus to his chin and, it looks like there may have been a few other slash wounds in there as well. thats pretty f-n gnarly to sit there and take a big ass sword to the face.
secondly, its history. get over the fact the guy was in the SS (i dont condone those views), any one who gets pissy over this is as bad as senator finster from “thank you for smoking” who was trying to remove cigarettes from classic films. i mean they could have photoshopped unicorns shiting rainbows where the ss pin is but that would be ridiculous and take away from the gnarly ass scar were all supposed to be looking at.
thirdly ive got a scar on my elbow that feels like a plastic grocery bag from getting towed on my bike by a car to jump over an island in a parking lot and having that go tremendously horrible and about three bitching suture scars from having some cancerous tumors removed off of me.
and a scarification i did my self on my calf.
chicks totally dig scars and always will
I ran through a glass door at the young ripe age of four.
Perhaps I am judged upon that along with neck tattoos (who knows what others think if its not spoken).
The only time I have been question was in an irish pub where I was questioned if it was a result of a
chelsea/ glasgow smile http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_smile
I have contemplated having the right side repeated in likeness of the left.
I ran through a glass door at the young ripe age of four.
Perhaps I am judged upon that along with neck tattoos (who knows what others think if its not spoken).
The only time I have been question was in an irish pub where I was questioned if it was a result of a
chelsea/ glasgow smile http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_smile
I have contemplated having the right side repeated in likeness of the left.
The ritual (this fenceing thing) is the same today, only the scar has gone (or maybe they changed a little, but who cares about stupid tradionalists with their stupid honor-rituals).
And it’s only done by the same people as the picture shows: right-wing (extremist)/nationalist students.
So in my opinion you couldn’t get a better picture.
The ritual (this fenceing thing) is the same today, only the scar has gone (or maybe they changed a little, but who cares about stupid tradionalists with their stupid honor-rituals).
And it’s only done by the same people as the picture shows: right-wing (extremist)/nationalist students.
So in my opinion you couldn’t get a better picture.
Actually Hitler banned the duelling societies as soon as he got to power since alot of them looked down on him and the NSDAP as uppity proles and because the dueling societies was a left over from when Colleges and Universities was almost small citystates.
And the only reason for the use of Otto “Scarface” Skorzeny as an example of this is because he was a vain shutterbug and therefore there are alot of documentation of him and his prime example of a schmiss.
And my latest unintentional scar i a big purple-pink blotch on my left knee that i got after drinking about a quart of gin and went bicycling in Malmoes docklands and encountering a railroad track.
Actually Hitler banned the duelling societies as soon as he got to power since alot of them looked down on him and the NSDAP as uppity proles and because the dueling societies was a left over from when Colleges and Universities was almost small citystates.
And the only reason for the use of Otto “Scarface” Skorzeny as an example of this is because he was a vain shutterbug and therefore there are alot of documentation of him and his prime example of a schmiss.
And my latest unintentional scar i a big purple-pink blotch on my left knee that i got after drinking about a quart of gin and went bicycling in Malmoes docklands and encountering a railroad track.
Brilliant post.
Brilliant post.
maybe i live in the wrong part of canada but i haven’t seen skinheads regularly in probably 10 years or more. skinhead culture, whatever that is, is certainly not huge, i think it mainly leads to gang beatings, the same as it does many other places.
maybe i live in the wrong part of canada but i haven’t seen skinheads regularly in probably 10 years or more. skinhead culture, whatever that is, is certainly not huge, i think it mainly leads to gang beatings, the same as it does many other places.
hmm fat tony i agree. not being into nazi shit and not posting images of nazis to modblog is a form of censorship. keep the nazi shit coming, it’s history bro.
hmm fat tony i agree. not being into nazi shit and not posting images of nazis to modblog is a form of censorship. keep the nazi shit coming, it’s history bro.
All the possible shitstormedness aside,I found the post quite informative, and even interesting.
All the possible shitstormedness aside,I found the post quite informative, and even interesting.
now that i think of it, being a skinhead in this day and age may get you a scar like that whether you wanted it or not.
now that i think of it, being a skinhead in this day and age may get you a scar like that whether you wanted it or not.
That scar is pretty bad ass.
Last year I was involved in a motorcycle accident. I was on my way to work and some impatient bastard pulled out in front of me on the highway. I wound up breaking both my arms in half and had alot of other damage to my legs, feet and knees. Thankfully I have recovered and am now back to work piercing and tattooing but I was left with two scars on my right forearm, completely ruining my sleeve, from were my radius and ulna bones broke through. The same happened to my left arm just not as bad. I also have two insision scars on each forearm going from my wrist to my elbow and the back of my left hand that were made to repair the damage to my bones.
Scars can be pretty cool just not when they mess up a beautiful tattoo.
That scar is pretty bad ass.
Last year I was involved in a motorcycle accident. I was on my way to work and some impatient bastard pulled out in front of me on the highway. I wound up breaking both my arms in half and had alot of other damage to my legs, feet and knees. Thankfully I have recovered and am now back to work piercing and tattooing but I was left with two scars on my right forearm, completely ruining my sleeve, from were my radius and ulna bones broke through. The same happened to my left arm just not as bad. I also have two insision scars on each forearm going from my wrist to my elbow and the back of my left hand that were made to repair the damage to my bones.
Scars can be pretty cool just not when they mess up a beautiful tattoo.
ok i’ll admit, the story is interesting and informative, but i mean come on, you posted a portrait of a SS officer to the front page of modblog, wtf is that? i find it weird because this website has a long history of not posting nazi shit.
PS i think there are still racist skins in calgary and elsewhere
ok i’ll admit, the story is interesting and informative, but i mean come on, you posted a portrait of a SS officer to the front page of modblog, wtf is that? i find it weird because this website has a long history of not posting nazi shit.
PS i think there are still racist skins in calgary and elsewhere
i’m sure there are still racist skins in toronto as well, but you certainly don’t see them in the same numbers as you did in the late 80′s or early 90′s., and that’s if you see them at all.
i’m sure there are still racist skins in toronto as well, but you certainly don’t see them in the same numbers as you did in the late 80′s or early 90′s., and that’s if you see them at all.