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National Federation · Fencing · Germany

DFB — Deutscher Fechter-Bund

Germany’s national fencing federation, a registered association based in Bonn that dates its founding to Frankfurt am Main in 1911; it states membership of the FIE, the EFC and the DOSB.
✓ Last reviewed: October 2026
Founded1911 in Frankfurt am Main, according to the federation’s own Verband page[4]
HeadquartersAm Neuen Lindenhof 2, 53117 Bonn, the address on its site and in the FIE’s directory[3][1]
International federationFIE — Fédération Internationale d’Escrime, which lists it as “Deutscher Fechter Bund”[1]
Continental bodyEuropean Fencing Confederation, under which the FIE’s directory places it[1]
PresidentBenjamin Denzer, as listed by the FIE (“DENZER Benjamin”, October 2026)[1]

What is the DFB?

The Deutscher Fechter-Bund e.V. (DFB) is the national federation for fencing in Germany, a registered association (e.V.) whose site gives its address in Bonn.[3] It describes itself as “der nationale Spitzenverband für das olympische Sportfechten”, representing “rund 23.000 Fechterinnen und Fechter (Stand 2020)”.[4] The FIE lists it as “Deutscher Fechter Bund”, under the European Fencing Confederation, at “53117 BONN, Am Neuen Lindenhof 2”.[1]

What does the DFB govern or do?

The federation describes its role as that of the national governing body (“Spitzenverband”) for Olympic fencing, acting for the fencers in its member bodies.[4] Those member bodies are regional fencing associations, the Landesfachverbände, which it calls “ordentliche Mitglieder des Deutschen Fechter-Bundes”.[5]

Its site has sections on championships (“Meisterschaften”) and on referees (“Kampfrichter”),[4] a youth section (“Jugend”), and a news section on federation matters (“Verbandsinformationen”).[3]

When was the DFB founded and where is it based?

The federation states: “Der Verband wurde 1911 in Frankfurt am Main gegründet.” Its account places the founding at the Hotel Frankfurter Hof, and records that “Zu seinen Gründungsmitgliedern gehörten neun Vereine, die insgesamt 557 Fechter vertraten.”[4] With German reunification in 1990, it records, the Landesfachverbände of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt and Thüringen joined.[4] The federation is based at Am Neuen Lindenhof 2, 53117 Bonn.[3]

How is the DFB recognised?

International federation. The Fédération Internationale d’Escrime lists the Deutscher Fechter Bund in its directory, with Benjamin Denzer as president.[1] The FIE states that it has “156 affiliated Member Federations”, and lists five continental confederations that it recognises.[2] The DFB states that it is a member of the FIE.[4]

Continental body. The FIE’s directory places the DFB under the European Fencing Confederation, for which it gives 50 members,[1] and the DFB names the EFC as its continental federation.[4]

Olympic sport. The federation states that it “gehört dem Deutschen Olympischen Sportbund (DOSB) an”.[4]

What does the DFB organise?

National championships. The federation’s site has a championships section, and its news carried an item titled “Evaluation DM 2025/2026” on the German championships (Deutsche Meisterschaften) of that season.[3][4]

Calendar. The competition calendar it links is published on the Ophardt platform (fencing.ophardt.online).[3]

Officials. Its site keeps a referees section (“Kampfrichter”) beside the championships section.[4]

Who are its members?

The federation’s ordinary members are its Landesfachverbände (LFV).[5] Its list runs from Baden Nord, Baden Süd, Bayern and Berlin through Mittelrhein, Nordrhein-Westfalen and Südwest to Thüringen and Württemberg.[5] The federation gives the number of fencers it represents as “rund 23.000 Fechterinnen und Fechter (Stand 2020)”.[4] It is itself one of the members of the European Fencing Confederation listed by the FIE.[1]

References

  1. FIE — European Fencing Confederation: confederation details and national federations (directory). Accessed 2026-10-10.
  2. FIE — About the FIE (member federations and continental confederations). Accessed 2026-10-10.
  3. Deutscher Fechter-Bund e.V. — home page (name, address, news, calendar link). Accessed 2026-10-10.
  4. Deutscher Fechter-Bund — Verband (history, role, memberships). Accessed 2026-10-10.
  5. Deutscher Fechter-Bund — Landesfachverbände. Accessed 2026-10-10.