I’m Roland Warzecha — professional illustrator and swordsman. The name Dimicator comes from the Latin for “sword fighter.” I share cutting-edge research into historical martial arts, focusing in particular on Viking and high medieval sword-and-shield combat. My work is carried out in collaboration with museums, fellow martial artists, and scholars around the world.
Churches, Bucklers, and Blades
History in Stone — And SteelHello fellow history enthusiasts and sword lovers, living in rural Mecklenburg means being surrounded by traces of the past. Within only a few kilometres of where I live, one encounters Neolithic monuments, Bronze Age burial mounds, Iron Age cemeteries, Slavic settlement history, and medieval fieldstone churches. Much of this remarkable heritage remains little known beyond the region itself, despite its historical significance and enormous cultural potential. These layered landscapes continually inspire my work. Recently, I created a colour version of a pencil drawing showing what the church at Zahrensdorf might have looked like around 1250. While working on the image, I deliberately tried to preserve the handmade quality and atmosphere of traditional historical illustration — something that, I hope, stands apart from the increasingly generic flood of AI-generated pseudo-history imagery. Read more about the landscape I live in and the history behind it in my dedicated Patreon post.
The 25th Berlin Buckler BoutsThis weekend, the 25th Berlin Buckler Bouts will take place, gathering participants from Poland, Denmark, and Germany. As always, the BBB are less about competition than about exchange, experimentation, and the shared joy of sword & buckler fencing. Historical martial arts thrive when people test ideas together, compare interpretations, and challenge one another in a constructive spirit. I am very much looking forward to seeing many familiar faces again. Although the BBB are not organised as a public event, anybody with a genuine interest in historical fencing is welcome to contact me if they would like to drop by as a spectator. Simply reply to this email. Sword & Buckler in SuitsThose unable to attend the BBB but still in the mood for buckler fencing may enjoy a video that recently went live on my YouTube channel. It shows Cornelius Berthold and myself fencing in suits on the day of Cornelius’ wedding last summer. Elegant clothing, sharp movement, and sword & buckler — a fitting combination. If the video inspires you to learn from us or deepen your existing practice, our I.33 online courses are currently available with a 15% discount. Simply use the code SUMMERWEDDING during checkout. Direct links with the discount already applied: • I.33 Sword & Buckler: The Fundamentals Bundle • Course 1 — The Medieval Art of Fighting with Sword & Buckler • Course 2 — Schutzen: Fighting with Sword & Buckler 2 🛡️ Shields up!🛡️ Roland P. S. If you enjoyed this newsletter, please recommend it to your friends. They can sign up here or on my website. Or simply forward them this email. Special thanks to all my loyal supporters on Patreon – you keep me going! And if you are not a patron yet, you are most welcome to join. If you feel like dropping a coin into my tip jar, you can do so here. Thank you for your time and your interest. You are receiving this newsletter because you have signed up for it, or because you have previously expressed your interest in my work and events. If you prefer to not receive further emails, you can unsubscribe below. |
Dimicator
I’m Roland Warzecha — professional illustrator and swordsman. The name Dimicator comes from the Latin for “sword fighter.” I share cutting-edge research into historical martial arts, focusing in particular on Viking and high medieval sword-and-shield combat. My work is carried out in collaboration with museums, fellow martial artists, and scholars around the world.
Blades, Belief, and Hidden Design Documenting a 4000-year old dagger in Halle Hello fellow history enthusiasts and blade aficionados, two weeks ago, I returned from a research trip to Jena and Halle. During this excursion, I had the opportunity to examine and document a range of remarkable Bronze and Iron Age artefacts. I also met with Professor Harald Meller and Dr Jan-Heinrich Bunnefeld to discuss future research ventures — more on that in due course. For now, I invite you to explore my...
Research Concept Completed Print copies of my 20-page document Hello fellow (pre-)history enthusiasts, over the past months, I have brought together many strands of my work into a structured research concept on Bronze Age combat. At its core lies a simple question: how were these weapons actually used? By combining archaeological evidence, experimental testing, and practical martial expertise, the project aims to move beyond long-standing assumptions and towards a clearer understanding of...
Shield Combat: Prehistoric, Viking, Medieval ⚔️ Hello fellow fighters, history enthusiasts, and shield bearers,🛡️ spring is here, and with it comes the perfect opportunity to take shields in hand — whether in the field, in study, or in imagination. Hedeby This Weekend The Hedeby Bouts will take place this weekend, 18–19 April 2026, at the Wikinger Häuser Haithabu. Participants from Denmark and Germany will gather for training, exchange, and, of course, a fair amount of good-humoured martial...