The International Jugger Blog

Gott nytt år, frohes Neues und happy new Year 2013!

Last year, quite a bit happened with Jugger, again:

Mexico
While the state and background of Jugger is unknown there, a video turned up on YouTube showing Jugger probably played in Mexico.

See also this clip with an explanation and their Facebook page.

Colombia
News have reached us from Colombia:

- Now we are an official (legal) sports association, and we have some support from the government.
- We have a lot of new members and some new teams that play Jugger every Saturday.
- We have a new ranking system.
- The Colombian Jugger League is a reality; we are beginning with the team sing ups on 1st January.
- We are improving a lot our training scheme, and the results are notorious.
(via e-mail from Speculum Alae)

Keep it up!

Sverige
We are working hard since September in establishing Jugger in Sweden as well, under the "working title" Järnfalkar Projektet. The start sounds quite promising:

• We are invited to have the first full-scale Jugger games at all in Sweden at the Metalsvenskan metal festival in Örebro,
  
• a Historic Fencing group is already preparing to make their own pompår,


• and regular trainings are held in the village of Järnboås every monday and at irregular intervals at sundays as well, for adults.


• Furthermore, new Jugger teams and activities can be coordinated via the Svedish Jugger platform http://www.jugger.se.

Espania
The Spanish Jugger community is strong as ever – they are quite young but already made an impact. They even participated in the 3rd German Open with many teams and gained high respect for their well-trained style of playing.
Furthermore, some German teams will participate in their 2nd International Tournament in 2013.

Australia
Jugger is also spreading in Australia. Of course, they visited us at the 3rd German Open as well!

Eire
Irish Jugger are still in full go. They also competed in Berlin.

Nederlands
Jugger has also been started in the Netherlands. It will be interesting to observe their development!

U.S.
It is hard to say something precise on the development in the U. S. There are very active groups of the post-apocalyptic branch with the CUJL (see flickr), juggersalute is down, and it is unclear how far the sports branch got until now.

(Not so) finally, Deutschland
Jugger is still growing rapidly in Germany.

• It is reported that more and more schools and youth projects are starting Jugger groups. New independent teams are popping up almost every month now.


• Therefore, the 3rd German Open / 15. Deutsche Meisterschaft, held on the Tempelhofer Feld (former airfield) in Berlin, was the biggest tournament in history, and even exceeded its predecessors by one third: 62 teams plus 4 youth teams came together for this huge traditional Jugger Championships, and considering the many hundred players on the fields, it is reported to have worked exceptionally well.


• Also, towns are already competing for the best week-ends to hold tournaments – there will be many week-ends now which are double- or triple-booked for tournaments.


• Berlin, one of the first Jugger towns, might now possibly have even four big tournaments, after a branch left the Jugger e. V. to form their own group: The traditional Berliner Juggerpokal; possibly the traditional Deutsche Meisterschaft (if Berlin applies this year again and is elected); maybe the Freundschaftliche Winterspiele (not confirmed yet); and the new new Jugger Masters 2013 - Der Kessel von Berlin, a special tournament.


• At the end of this entry, enjoy the expectional clip from the Hallesche Doppelsöldner, and below the famous ambient clip from Falco jugger Freifalke Linus.

I would like to recommend a look at the German Jugger forum, which is very detailed.

Other countries
There are other countries like Polska (see former entries in this weblog), but I don't have first-hand news on them now.

Uhus News
In other news, Uhus Jugger weblog, the most detailed weblog on Jugger until then, is closed now, since I am changing weblog software and will probably blog mostly on Jugger i Sverige after relaunch. The old blog will be still available, though.

Uhus Rulebook Comments (Das Juggerregelwerk – Uhus Kommentar)
After I have quit my "assignment" as Keeper of the German Jugger Rules in 2012 which I had since 2007, I have compiled Uhus Comments on the Jugger Rules (updated just in the last days). Many questions came up in the forums, some things were misunderstood, some phrases are not exact, and some details are better explained in an external comment instead of in the official rules document itself.
While the Jugger Rules are "officially" legitimated by an election process by the whole active German Jugger community, this comment barely shows my personal views and opinions on the matter, but makes it possible to point out potential flaws or misunderstandings.
Uhus Comments on the Jugger Rules ⇒ can be downloaded here in German.

A new Jugger book
Furthermore, I have just finished the work on a new Jugger book, my fourth now (not counting the free PDF ebook in English). I have highest expectations for this one for it could become the best book on the topic I was able to publish yet:
Thanks to my fellow Juggers from Berlin, Greifswald and Jena, I could take many hundred "stop-motion" photos on basic fighting techniques. The book will be a bit like those Judo/Karate factbooks where every move is shown, to enable unexperienced players to quickly grab the basics of Jugger duelling and play. Even more experienced players might find interesting bits, for I could win some of the most experienced German Jugger players for the job. Every (German) Pompfen type will have it's own chapter and also chapters how to fight against other types. And of course, strategy and teamplay also get their due share.
I am now waiting for the preprinted proofs from the publisher, so i hope the book shall be released this spring, at Zauberfeder Verlag: Ruben Philipp Wickenhäuser: Die Jugger-Schule. Training, Taktik, Teambuilding, Zauberfeder 2013.

If you learn of Juggers in other countries, don't hesitate to contact us! Thanks!

So now, a happy new year with tons of Jugger games!
Time for the Videos – cheers!

Metalhead? And Jugger? Than this is for you. Rrriktig Metal. Riktig kul sporten.



The first tournament (at least we know of) in Sweden, Järnfalkar Metal turneringen, will be held in association with the Heavy Metal festival Metallsvenskan 2013 -- an event where you can get hårdaste metal and where the bands challenge each other in a football match.
And we, the Juggers, will play The Game right where we belong, in the midst of all: Just during the break of the football match, on the field, with all the metal fans as spectators, sparking the flame for Jugger in them.
But even that is not all. The fight for the dog skull will continue during the event near the football field. And after that, the tournament itself will determine the best team in Sverige. Details follow.

We hope for some German teams to join us as well, for this is a dream for any real fan of Heavy Metal come true (and for other Juggers as well).

If you wish to join us for this great event, contact Uhu and have a look at the tournament system JTR.

⇒ Here are impressions from Metallsvenskan, with bands like U.D.O., Amon Amarth, Sabaton, Hardcore Superstars and many others.

⇒ Informations on Jugger i Sverige är här.

⇒ Für deutschsprachige Spielerinnen und Spieler: Hier geht's zur Jugger-Foren-Diskussion zu Metallsvenskan (interessierte Söldner und Teams).

Vi ses!



Foto: Xenia (Metal Festival Slovenia)

[⇒ Download the patches as eps and png at Dropbox (no registration required)]

[⇒ Load the PDF "How-to for ironing patches to shirts"]

First, I did them just as little symbols for my personal, more general use in Jugger-related topics.

But then I made patches out of the graphics that could be ironed on jerseys ... and they became quite well! A team already asked for a set of those and it worked fine; so if you want some as well, just send me an email.

See also the updated symbols for Juggermasters (5 or more years of experience plus some more things).
Here are the motifs:


Upper row: Qwik, Staff, Q-Tip, Longsword, Shield, Chain.
Middle row: Captain, Head of team, Juggermaster (distribution restricted), Wardrobe carrier.
Lower row: Trainer, enforcer in general, "weaponsmith".

(See Uhus finest-assorted Weblog Droppings for more details in German and a guideline for ironing-on.)


EDIT: Some designs have made it even on a mexican poster (see facebook) and on the tröjor of two teams in Germany. Fine!

The first training in Jugger in Sverige known to me will be held at the upcoming monday, September 24th, by Järnboås IF at Järnboås fotbollplan, kl 18.00.


It will be just an easy little "what is this??", and hopefully will spark some first enthusiasm about Jugger in the Swedes, ancestors of the good old vikings ...
Interested people from Örebro eller Nora är välkommen.

Bring gloves.

Addendum: Success! It has been a nice session indeed.

Träning är i varje måndag, kl 18.00. Järnboås fotbollsplan eller skola.

Next week-end, the 3rd German Open/15th German Championships will take place in Berlin, on the former Tempelhof Airfield. It is the biggest Jugger event that has ever taken place, by far:

62 teams have registered to take part in the upcoming event, plus 4 more who will compete in the Youth Jugger mini tournament. Even better, Spain is sending four teams, Australia will be there with two (including the Redbacks) and Ireland takes part with Setanta again.

More information is available ⇒ on the website of the Jugger e. V.

Discussion takes place ⇒ at the Jugger Forum.

We are quite sure there will be lots of pictures for those who can't take part in this great event, and certainly there will be some video footage as well.



Photo: Andreas Naurath, cc nc-by-sa

2011 passed like a flash. Yet many things have happened that I would call remarkable in the Jugger world:

Item. Development in Spain.

The Spanish community is growing even stronger. Spain held an International Tournament. Galicia has posted a nice intoduction on its Association on Jugger at the IJB, showing the high spirits for the sport.
Also there had been an unpleasant, yet important discussion on a spanish team that had symbols and names associated with the fascist movement Falange, leading to a declaration at the IJB and at other places against such ideologies.

Item. Development in the U.S.
U.S. Jugger developed further to a stable sport Jugger community, also it might be the country with the most different ways of (current) Jugger styles.

Item. Development in Germany.

The re-formed Jugger League has made its second year now.

For the first time, the German Championships have not been held in Berlin, but in Waidhaus, Bavaria.

The Ostdeutsche Winterliga has started (East German Winter League games). For a detailed description, see Jugglers Jugg.

The Jugger e. V. Berlin has now its own official training grounds at the former Tempelhof Airport airfield.


Item. Miscellaneous Jugger stuff in Germany.

The Jugger-Wiki has been set up by Nalf and Uhu and is expanding as a good resource on the sport (only in German yet, sorry). Editors welcome.

Inspired by Munchkin(r), Falco jugger player Leo initiated an own card game called "Pompfkin". Get it for free at the web page of team Falco jugger.

The (up to my knowledge) first printed issue of a fanzine has been published and released at the 14th German Championships. It is still ready for download.

A patch was made by Falco jugger for those teams who expressively do not want to play in a highly structuralized Leauge but have sportive ambitions nevertheless, "Jugger libres".

Item. Uhus stuff.

The team I founded in January 2007 has had a very successful year, in all tournaments except Hamburg we got ranks 2-4. And even in Hamburg, we were part of the top one-third. The falcon is flying high!

Last, the first factbook on Jugger has been "freed", thus becoming a free-to-download ebook/PDF in English at uhusnest.

foreword: I hope this post is OK for all current editors of The International Jugger Blog. I felt it necessary because of some discussions, see below.

Fascism is not just another political point of view.
Fascism is not a joke.
Fascism is not history.
But well learn of fascist history.


Fascism, and its associated ideologies like Nazi/Neonazi ideologies, negates basic human rights. It is responsible for the death of millions of millions of people, in Germany alone for over 6.000.000 (!) Jews being murdered just for their belief, or just for being what they were; in addition to so many others murdered for their belief, sexual orientation or political engagement. Look it up in the history books.

There is no way we can tolerate such an ideology. This is not a matter of left-wing bearings or similar. This is a duty to anyone respecting human rights.

Politics should not be intermixed with sport. But especially in extremist tendencies, an intermixing is inevitable. So "Politics has nothing to do with sports" does not solve, merely ignore the problem in this case. And ignoring all too quickly equals accepting.

The International Jugger Blog hereby states that it, as well as anyone posting entries on it (at least after 11-24-2011), declares that he or she stands for tolerance, democratic tenets and human rights.
The founder and chief editor of the Blog, Uhu, in November 2011

Examples for images for web pages (click to enlarge), CC nc-sa 3.0 (for more logos etc., see the Jugger Wiki):





You will find this post as a permanent page at http://juggerblog.net/index.php?/pages/jugger_vs_fascism.html .
--
Reason for this declaration is a discussion on a Spanish Jugger team, ⇒found here at the Jugger forum.

The rise of German-style, European Jugger began in October of 2010, in the small and historic town of Marietta, Ohio by Wess Apshaga-Meaux. He had been a fan of The Blood of Heroes movie since seeing it in the early 1990s but had no idea it was being played for real as a sport until he ran across German and Australian videos online.

Within a week, he had made two complete sets of pompfen (including chains), a mock dog skull and goals. By the following week he had the first Jugger game in that part of the world organized and "Jugger Ohio" was born.

Utilizing social media to plan everything, weekly Jugger matches continued to draw people both of a young and of an older demographic. This use of social media also allowed Jugger Ohio to communicate with the handful of other Jugger groups spread out over the USA as well as groups worldwide.



Wess and Jugger Ohio, with the help of Chad McCann of Oklahoma City's Red Dirt Jugger Club, organized the first ever American Jugger tournament. Two teams from Oklahoma traveled over 1,000 miles (1,682 km) to compete against two teams from Ohio in the innagural tournament, "The Dogskull Classic". The hosting team, The Marietta Murder prevailed as the winning team and the first official American Jugger Champions.






Though still a small community compared to elsewhere in the world, the American Juggers are very dedicated to the promotion and growth of the sport we all love so much!



Contact Jugger Ohio via their facebook page by searching for "Jugger Ohio" or email us at jugger.ohio@gmail.com


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((/ Note of the Moderator, please clear [IMG] tags to display pictures properly, and set width="450", thanks))