Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2007

Does anyone know why Defoe makes a reference to a _German_ executioner?

Excerpt from Robinson Crusoe:

He no sooner had it, but he runs to his enemy, and at
one blow cut off his head so cleverly, no executioner in Germany
could have done it sooner or better; which I thought very strange
for one who, I had reason to believe, never saw a sword in his life
before, except their own wooden swords: however, it seems, as I
learned afterwards, they make their wooden swords so sharp, so
heavy, and the wood is so hard, that they will even cut off heads
with them, ay, and arms, and that at one blow, too.  

Regards,
Igor