Arnold von Winkelried

Arnold von Winkelried or Arnold Winkelried is a legendary hero of Swiss history. According to 16th century Swiss historiography, Winkelried's sacrifice brought about the victory of the Old Swiss Confederacy in the Battle of Sempach (1386) against the army of the Habsburg Duke Leopold III of Austria.

According to legend, the Swiss initially could not break the close ranks of the Habsburg pikemen. Winkelried cried: "I will open a passage into the line; protect, dear countrymen and confederates, my wife and children..." He then threw himself upon the Austrian pikes, taking some of them down with his body. This broke up the Austrian front, and made an opening through which the Swiss could attack.

As phrased in the Halbsuterlied printed in the 1530s by Aegidius Tschudi and Wernher Steiner:

Des adels her was veste, ir ordnung dik und breit,
Das verdross die frommen gäste, ein Winkelriet der seit
wend Irs gniesen lon,
min fromme kind und frowen, so will ich ein frevel bston.

The host of the nobles was solid, their order both thick and wide
This frustrated the pious host; one Winkelried said:
"If you will aliment
my pious wife and children, I will do a daring deed."

Trüwen lieben eydgnossen, min leben verlur ich mit,
sie hand ir ordnung bschlossen, wir mogänds in brechen nit.
ich will ein inbruch han,
des wellend ir min geschlechte in ewig geniessen lan:

"True and dear confederates, I shall lose my life doing it.
Their battle order is locked tight, we may not breach it
But I will make a breach
For this may you aliment my family forever."

Hiemit so tett er fassen, ein arm voll spiess behend
den sinen macht er ein gassen, sin leben hat ein end.
er hat eins lewen mut,
sin manlich dapfer sterben, was den vier waldstetten gut.

Saying thus he quickly grasped an armful of pikes,
He created an entrance for his own, and his life took an end.
He had the courage of a lion,
His brave and manly death was a benefit for the four forest-cantons.

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Wikipedia