An interesting image

Gavin Nugent · 7th February 2010, 12:51 AM

G'day,

The EU armoury is not something I venture into that often but am always glancing to see what is happening on the dark side :-)
I thought this image below might be of some interest and discussion within these pages. The digital image is called Polish Scythe Men 1863.
My immeadiate questions are is this fact or fiction and if fact who where they and what was their purpose.

Enjoy

Gav

Berkley · 7th February 2010, 03:59 AM

Fact

Quote:

February 2, 1863, saw the start of the first major military engagement of the uprising between Polish peasants (mostly armed with scythe) and a squadron of Russian hussars near Čysta Būda, near Marijampolė. It ended with a massacre of the unprepared peasants. As hope of a short war was present, insurgent groups merged into bigger formations and recruited new personnel.

War scythes.

Jim McDougall · 7th February 2010, 04:12 AM

Hi Gav,
As Berkeley has noted, it seems these simple peasant scythes were mounted on polearms, much like halberds, and these were heavily used in the 1863 Lithuanian uprising.

Apparantly these infantry scythes were used well into the 20th century as paintings are known from 1906, 1918, and even regimental units known as kosynierzy (= scythe).

On the dark side

the Polish word for death is smierc, and of course the dreaded grim reaper carries a pole mounted scythe........eek!!

Spooky stuff.

All the best,
Jim

Gavin Nugent · 7th February 2010, 04:33 AM

Thanks Berkley, thanks Jim.

A great link you provided Berkley and I like your new Avatar.

Thanks

Gav

Samik · 9th February 2010, 11:34 PM

Those scythes sure look mean (as do those kosynierzy)... However it seems that it didn't help them much against the Hussars...

junker · 20th February 2010, 05:22 PM

Hi everybody,
this picture i take in a museum in Poland, Kolobrzg (Kolberg).
It is a site of a book which shows the transformation of an normal scythe into a weapon. I just dont kwow how old the book was, but i guess it was 19 century.
Dirk

7th February 2010, 12:51 AM	#1
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	An interesting image G'day, The EU armoury is not something I venture into that often but am always glancing to see what is happening on the dark side :-) I thought this image below might be of some interest and discussion within these pages. The digital image is called Polish Scythe Men 1863. My immeadiate questions are is this fact or fiction and if fact who where they and what was their purpose. Enjoy Gav Attached Images Last edited by freebooter; 7th February 2010 at 01:09 AM.

7th February 2010, 04:12 AM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,946	Hi Gav, As Berkeley has noted, it seems these simple peasant scythes were mounted on polearms, much like halberds, and these were heavily used in the 1863 Lithuanian uprising. Apparantly these infantry scythes were used well into the 20th century as paintings are known from 1906, 1918, and even regimental units known as kosynierzy (= scythe). On the dark side the Polish word for death is smierc, and of course the dreaded grim reaper carries a pole mounted scythe........eek!! Spooky stuff. All the best, Jim Attached Images

7th February 2010, 04:33 AM	#4
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	Thanks Thanks Berkley, thanks Jim. A great link you provided Berkley and I like your new Avatar. Thanks Gav

20th February 2010, 05:22 PM	#6
junker Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 140	Polish Museum Hi everybody, this picture i take in a museum in Poland, Kolobrzg (Kolberg). It is a site of a book which shows the transformation of an normal scythe into a weapon. I just dont kwow how old the book was, but i guess it was 19 century. Dirk Attached Images

9th February 2010, 11:34 PM	#5
Samik Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Slovakia Posts: 48	Those scythes sure look mean (as do those kosynierzy)... However it seems that it didn't help them much against the Hussars...