ArtiFacts: Gottfried “Götz” von Berlichingen—The “Iron Hand” of the Renaissance
From the column editor, The Renaissance-era German mercenary Gottfried “Götz” von Berlichingen defied the chances by surviving each a big battle wound to his proper arm and an higher extremity amputation at a time when few survived both. Ambroise Paré’s discovery that surgical sufferers had been extra more likely to survive their operation with out cauterization wouldn’t happen for an additional 30 years. The invention of the tourniquet didn’t happen for an additional century.
Nonetheless, von Berlichingen did survive, solely to be confronted with an issue that’s nonetheless related 500 years later. Certainly, regardless of twenty first century silicone chip microprocessors, miniature electrical motors, sensors, and myoelectric controls, growing an higher extremity prosthesis with appropriate performance stays a remarkably troublesome drawback to unravel.
However within the visitor ArtiFacts column that follows, Berardo Di Matteo and his analysis group from Milan, Italy use their established experience within the subject of orthopaedic historical past [3, 4] to element how, with the assistance of an area blacksmith, von Berlichingen managed to efficiently put on and function a practical iron prosthesis able to wielding a sword in a number of battles, incomes him the nickname “Götz of the Iron Hand.”
— Alan J. Hawk BA
The Renaissance contributed extra than simply artwork and structure, and extra even than the science of Kepler and Galileo. Then [1] as now [6], battle and bloodshed advance the artwork and science of medication, and wars had been part of life in the course of the Renaissance. An innovation arising from a type of wars—a real illustration each of the creative and medical ingenuity of the time—is the extraordinary case of the “iron hand” of the 16th century German knight and mercenary Gottfried “Götz” von Berlichingen.
Born right into a rich German household in 1480, von Berlichingen was drawn to the battlefield at an early age. Earlier than his seventeenth birthday, he enlisted into the Brandenburg-Ansbach military, the place he served the Holy Roman Empire, earlier than leaving to kind his personal mercenary squad on the age of 20 [7]. A talented and fierce mercenary and commander, von Berlichingen’s spectacular 47-year navy profession [7] spanned quite a few German civil wars, together with the German peasants’ battle (1524 to 1525), in addition to bloody European battles towards the French and the Ottomans [1, 10].
Whereas invading the town of Landshut as a mercenary in 1504 [11], enemy cannon fireplace jolted von Berlichingen’s blade towards himself, maiming his proper arm on the elbow. German medical doctors amputated his hand and wrist, seemingly placing an finish to his navy profession. However von Berlichingen commissioned an area blacksmith to forge and engineer an iron prosthesis able to wielding a sword. The blacksmith constructed a modest prosthetic hand composed of 4 fingers and a thumb hooked up to a glove. Two hinges on the higher fringe of the prosthesis’ palm would rotate the 4 fingers inwards, permitting von Berlichingen to understand and use his sword. The fingers could possibly be moved in pairs of two. Shifting the left finger block (consisting of the index and center fingers) mechanically precipitated the thumb to maneuver in the other way by the motion of a lever mechanism. By urgent a button on the again of the hand, all fingers would spring again to the stretched beginning place [10]. From then on, von Berlichingen can be often known as “Götz of the Iron Hand”.
After sporting the “iron hand” by a number of conflicts, von Berlichingen desired a more-functional prosthesis. His second iron hand prolonged just under the elbow and was secured with a leather-based strap. He had a blacksmith assemble three individually articulated joints on every of the 4 fundamental fingers and two on its thumb, offering higher grip (Fig. ). Moreover, the place of every digit may be locked into place utilizing spring-loaded mechanisms constructed immediately into the prosthesis. Two buttons had been used to reset the thumb and the 4 fingers again to their regular place (open hand). A 3rd button would additionally angle the wrist by about 15° as a approach, we imagine, to additional enhance the variety of actions achievable by the higher extremity prosthesis [9]. Nonetheless, von Berlichingen may fine-tune the place of his proper hand and fingers, permitting him to grip quite a lot of objects resembling his sword, quill, and even the reins of his warhorse. The complicated mechanical construction of the prosthesis accompanied Gotz for his complete navy profession—one other 15 years of onerous combating—and maybe even till the top of his life in 1562.
A nineteenth century engraving primarily based on von Berlichingen’s second “iron hand” is proven [12]. (Public Area).
Each iron palms at the moment are displayed on the Jagsthausen citadel museum, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany (situated close to Berlichingen’s hometown), and are nonetheless considered a number of the best examples of Renaissance biomedical engineering [2].
Though not a world-renowned Renaissance determine, together with his extraordinary navy feats [7], compelling life story [5], and legendary iron hand prosthesis, von Berlichingen is deeply related to Renaissance lore. Certainly, some 200 years after von Berlichingen’s dying, the famed German playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe penned a play primarily based on the charismatic mercenary’s autobiography [5]. Within the play, Goethe features a line that has been tied to von Berlichingen for hundreds of years (Fig. ). It’s believed that, in response to a give up ultimatum throughout a siege, von Berlichingen muttered, “Er aber, sabs ihm, er kann mich am Arsch lecken,” or, roughly, “Inform him he can kiss my ass” [8].
A plaque depicting Gottfried “Götz” von Berlichingen from Goethe’s play is proven. The plaque, situated in Weisenheim am Sand, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, options von Berlichingen’s well-known line: “Er aber, sabs ihm, er kann mich am Arsch lecken”. (Public Area).