ULFHEDNIR
The combat group Ulfhednir was formed by a group of friends in an attic in Vesterbro, Denmark in 1994. The group was named Ulfhednir, which means “one who wears wolf clothing”. Today, the group has grown out of that attic loft and currently has around 60 members. Some members have been involved from the start and others are completely new.
The group specializes in combat and mediating Viking Age warriors. It was the love of the combat that brought most members to the group. To this day, combat matches still mean a lot to the group.
However the interest in historical authenticity has grown greatly. Now, it is not only important to know how a weapon feels in the hand, but also where it was found and how the blacksmith could have produced it in the Viking Age. In other words, the group members’ interest in reproducing the Viking warrior as historically accurately has grown. Combat equipment is no longer based on an idea, but made from careful studies of finds, rune stones and other available sources. The group works closely with the museum at Trelleborg and the National Museum.
Ulfhednir is a Viking battle group based in Copenhagen
THE GROUP: The warriors in Ulfhednir are of both sexes and come from all over Copenhagen. The group has retained its love for Nørrebro, where the group quickly settled down and where we still have access to the premises.
TRAINING: The group meets several times a week to practice matches. It is important for members to stay sharp, develop and be able to carry a weapon safely in order to participate in international competitions.
MARKETS: The highlight of the year is going to markets in the summer, where the group meets up with other groups from around Europe and competes on the battlefield to see if all our hard training has paid off.
SHOWS: Ulfhednir specializes in creating Viking battles for film, TV and exhibitions. We are good at making it look wild and violent, even when we do a live show for the audience.
Ulfhednir
“They [the ships] were loaded with men of the army
and white shields
with spears from Ireland
and Frankish swords.
Berserkers roared
where the strife raged
Ulfheðnar howled
and iron weapons skjalv.”
“Haraldskvæði” in The Harald Hårfagres saga
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