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Amtsrichtschwert

English translation: Executioner's sword

16:21 Jul 19, 2014
German to English translations [PRO]
History / list of historical museum exhibits
German term or phrase: Amtsrichtschwert
One of the exhibits is the town Amtsrichtschwert:

.."Mit dem Amtsrichtschwert führte der zuständige Scharfrichter Hinrichtungen durch"..

so it's an execution sword, but is there a special term for this?

Thanks in advance!
Janet Muehlbacher
Local time: 06:27
English translation:Executioner's sword
Explanation:
is the term used in the auction catalogs that I translate.
You don't post a picture, but it should have a sharp edge all along the length and a blunt tip. Optionally, the quillions would short and straight. These features distinguish it from a broad sword.
Selected response from:

Rebecca Garber
Local time: 00:27
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +6Executioner's sword
Rebecca Garber
5 +1headsman's sword
Yorkshireman


  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +6
Executioner's sword


Explanation:
is the term used in the auction catalogs that I translate.
You don't post a picture, but it should have a sharp edge all along the length and a blunt tip. Optionally, the quillions would short and straight. These features distinguish it from a broad sword.

Rebecca Garber
Local time: 00:27
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 23
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Teresa Reinhardt
7 mins
  -> Thank you, Teresa :)
agree  Dennis Boyd
1 hr
  -> Thank you, dboyd1 :)
agree  Yorkshireman: Yes, but see my answer, too.
5 hrs
  -> Thank you, Yorkshireman
agree  Helen Shiner
5 hrs
  -> Thank you, Helen :)
agree  Wendy Streitparth
17 hrs
  -> Thank you, Wendy :)
agree  Kirsten Bodart
1 day 17 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
headsman's sword


Explanation:
Although I generally agree with Rebecca's answer, I would prefer to call this particular instrument a headsman's sword.

This differentiates a little as there were numerous different arts of execution - hanging, burning at the stake, dismemberment, drawing, quartering and decapitation by various methods (sword, axe, guillotine (German Fallbeil),

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2014-07-19 23:29:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The official title of the executioner who performed judicial beheadings with either sword or axe was headsman.

"A 'non-combat sword' may sound like an oxymoron, but there were two types of such swords in the period. One was the headsman's sword used for judicial executions. Since only one good swing was supposed to be needed, they could be heavier than a combat sword. Headsman's swords generally take the form of a short bladed two-hander squared off at the tip."
Source: http://ejmas.com/jwma/articles/2005/jwmaart_dawson_0205.htm

Yorkshireman
Germany
Local time: 06:27
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Wendy Streitparth: Can't disagree, but I do think the more usual expression is executioner's sword.
11 hrs
  -> Thanks, Wendy
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