‘Choosing the Right Moment’: HSE Revives the Traditions of Historical Fencing
Historical sabre fencing is actively developing at HSE University. In 2024, a student club dedicated to this martial art was established, and recently the HSE Open Cup was held in the atrium on Pokrovsky Bulvar. The tournament brought together representatives of 21 universities from different regions of Russia—from Crimea to the Far East—as well as from the Republic of Belarus.
Fencing in University Culture
In pre-revolutionary Russia, fencing was as much a part of university life as libraries or student societies. Universities had fencing clubs where students trained, and in many cases fencing was taught as a separate academic discipline. It was considered important not only from the point of view of physical education, but also for aesthetic development, helping students engage with cultural traditions and cultivate important personal qualities.
Mikhail Lomonosov, a famous Russian scholar and educator, took fencing lessons during his studies and was an excellent fencer. After the founding of Moscow University, he introduced fencing into the curriculum for students of noble origin. Alexander Pushkin was already the best fencer in his class during his years at the lyceum (his fencing mask and épée are kept in the Lyceum Memorial Museum in the town of Pushkin, next to the St Petersburg campus of HSE). Mikhail Lermontov, another brilliant Russian poet and writer, also practised fencing while studying at Moscow University—first at the university gymnasium and later at the university itself—and achieved notable success in it.
‘Fencing was also practised in the HSE building on Pokrovsky Bulvar, which previously housed the Kuibyshev Military Engineering Academy,’ noted Dmitry Zemtsov, Vice Rector of HSE University. ‘Most likely, it was practised in exactly the same place where the Open Cup in duelling sabre was held.’
Historical Fencing Today
In modern Russia, historical fencing began to experience a revival in the 1980s. It separated from sport fencing in order to hold bouts without electric scoring (the automatic registration of hits) and without lightening the weapons. The sabres and rapiers used in historical fencing today are almost identical to those used in duels in the 18th and 19th centuries. The technique also has much in common with historical practice—modern clubs draw inspiration from early modern fencing manuals.
Dmitry Zemtsov describes fencing as ‘chess in motion’ and ‘a complex dialogue with one’s opponent.’
‘As one of my teachers says, there is a very brief moment between “too early” and “too late” that is called “now.” That is the moment a fencer must seize. The ability to choose the right moment to act is very useful in life and in management practice as well. In fencing, it is the foundation of the art: the blade is fast, the distance is greater than in hand-to-hand combat, and it is crucial to choose that precise fraction of a second,’ explained the HSE vice rector.
The revival of historical fencing at HSE University began as a student initiative.
‘I had practised fencing before coming to HSE, and when I started studying here, I had the idea of promoting it at the university. I knew that Dmitry Zemtsov was interested in fencing, so I approached him with the idea of creating a student club and, in the future, possibly an inter-university league. He supported the idea,’ recalled the club’s head, third-year Psychology programme student Dmitry Dumbrov.
The Crow Crew club (@crow_crew) was one of the winners of the Competition for Support of Extracurricular Student Initiatives. Today, HSE students interested in fencing can join the club, train at the Cultural Centre, and take part in external tournaments. The university provides equipment and involves experienced coaches.
The First University Tournament
The club also began building ties with other universities. As it turned out, fencing communities exist at many higher education institutions, but not all of them receive administrative support. As a result, they often train at external clubs and compete under those clubs’ banners. This year, however, these communities were brought together for the first time under the auspices of HSE. On December 13, 2025, the Open Inter-University HSE Cup in Historical Sabre Fencing was held, with 32 men and 14 women taking part. They represented 21 universities from different regions of Russia as well as the Republic of Belarus.
The tournament was attended by Olga Petrova, Russian Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education. ‘Everyone who holds a sabre in their hands is already a winner. You are preserving not just a sporting practice, but something deeply rooted in our culture and identity,’ she emphasised. The participants were also welcomed by Sergey Fedorovtsev, Director of the HSE Sports Community Support Centre and Olympic champion. The final bouts were judged by Ivan Kashitsyn, Russian champion in duelling sabre and one of the leaders of the well-known club Bely Otryad (White Detachment).
The tournament took place in the atrium of the university building on Pokrovsky Bulvar, so anyone interested could watch the bouts and even hold the weapons themselves. Lectures on the traditions of student fencing were held in the Professors’ Club. Among the speakers was Sergey Myasishchev, one of the most renowned fencing coaches and historians.
The winners in the men’s category were Roman Pomelov (Moscow Aviation Institute), Oleg Kolganov (Lomonosov Moscow State University), and Mikhail Volkhonov (Bauman Moscow State Technical University). In the women’s category, the winners were Vasilisa Gracheva (RTU MIREA), Daria Bochkanova (Russian University of Sport GTSOLIFK), and Alina Vorobyova (State University of Education).
HSE’s partners in organising the tournament were the Duel Fencing Federation and the Path of the Sword Foundation. The judging panel and cultural programme were provided by the distinguished clubs Ultimatum, Black Lion, Tramazzone, White Detachment, and Angard.
Why It Matters
According to Dmitry Dumbrov, the very fact that the tournament was held in the atrium of the HSE building in central Moscow is important for the university community. ‘In my view, the atrium had been missing the sound of sabres, and I would very much like to hear it here again,’ he noted.
Dmitry Zemtsov believes that the tournament demonstrated that fencing with steel weapons is not merely an interesting hobby for enthusiastic young people, but a harmonious part of university life.
‘It is not only about fencing—it is about university traditions in general. There are certain special things that allow you to feel like part of history. Take, for example, a university library with printed books. It is no secret that many students mainly use electronic resources, and come to the library on Pokrovsky Bulvar simply to work in silence. But does that mean the library can be replaced by a co-working space? Of course not. When you enter a library, you find yourself in a different flow of time, where the classics come alive around you,’ reflected Dmitry Zemtsov.
In his view, university fencing plays a similar role. It brings to mind student life of past centuries, the idea of academic brotherhood, the Latin hymn ‘Gaudeamus,’ and reminds us that the university as a social institution has a history stretching back hundreds of years.