Stangenwaffen

Stangenwaffen, or pole weapons, describe a broad class of melee arms that center on a long shaft, typically wooden, sometimes reinforced with metal. The head can be a spear point, an axe blade, a hook, a blade with a spike, or combinations thereof. The defining feature is reach: the shaft length allows fighting at a distance beyond that of a typical sword or dagger.

Historically, Stangenwaffen were common in European infantry from the late Middle Ages into the early modern period. They were used to counter cavalry, form tight formations, and pierce or deflect armored opponents. Notable members include the spear and its variants such as the pike, the halberd (with a main spear head, an axe-like blade, and a hook for pulling riders or removing shields), the partisan (long spear with side blades), and the glaive or voulge-type weapons. They varied in weight, balance, and combat role, from light, fast spears to heavy, cutting polearms.

Tactics and warfare: polearms were often deployed in formations—phalanx-like lines or squares—combining reach, cohesion, and the ability to engage multiple threats. They were a core part of pike-and-shot formations, where firearms supported rows of spears. With the rise of gunpowder and bayonets, the use of traditional Stangenwaffen declined in formal armies, though some continued to be used in frontier warfare and ceremonial contexts, and today they persist in historical fencing, martial arts, and reenactment.