I'm a softy. I'm not interested in giving or receiving what I consider severe pain—I knew a kid who considered a bullwhip session as satisfying as a deep massage, but I could not have tolerated it, or done it to him. On the other hand, I have published and posted pieces, often as cautionary tales, in which the activities described went much further than made me comfortable, if the narrator of the piece was the writer who'd experienced the activities himself, or if the experience was described from a (sane) top's perspective, with his own cautions attached. The scary (to me) narrative below is one such case in point. What the writer devised was his own version of what was, as he himself says, a real torture meted out to victims in 17th Century Germany, from which recovery was neither expected nor desired.
I recently found this piece in a box full of submissions to Bound & Gagged which we didn't have time to publish before suspending operations in 2005 (I'll be posting more such pieces here). I include the writer's name, since he himself put it at the top of his manuscript in such a way as to make me believe he wanted to be credited.
The Aufziehen Experience
By
Tomm Dunn
While doing background research for a novel…I came upon an elaborate refinement of torture that evolved in 17th Century Germany. I decided to contact a friend whose enthusiasm for erotic S&M is equal to my own. My friend’s collaboration was essential. My hard and fast rule is to experience first anything I do to a submissive and for that I needed my friend.
The Aufziehen was a machine which hoisted the prisoner’s weighted body up into the air by a rope tied to his hands which were fastened behind his back. For this device I stayed pretty close to the original concept, but instead of building the large timber frame used by the Germans, I improvised with pulleys and eyebolts sunk into the walls and ceiling.
I switched from my usual role of Master and surrendered myself to my friend. Once I was naked my friend used sheepskin-lined leather cuffs to attach my ankles to ropes connected to a pulley mechanism. My wrists were cuffed together behind my back in matching cuffs and a rope was run from the cuffs up to a roller and over to the same pulley mechanism used for my ankles. When the ratchet-type pulley was turned it pulled my legs out in front of me (a spreader bar kept them apart) and pulled my arms up behind my back at the same time. My friend attached a parachute ball stretcher and added lead fishing weights. To make the scene everything it should be he strapped a ball gag around my head, blindfolded me, and shoved a cone-type butt plug up my ass. Then he began.
Like any good Master, I have been everywhere I take my slaves. I’ve been given very severe whippings, full suspension, creative TC&B work and all the rest, but nothing I had ever been through as a submissive could prepare me for this. At first it was merely uncomfortable and moderately painful. As the pulley was turned more I had the sensation of being widely spread at some very odd angles. My feet were dutifully kept three-feet apart by the spreader bar and pulled out from under me by the action of the pulley. At first I was standing on the floor. Then, slowly, as the pulley did its work, I found my weight being supported by my heels. Eventually my legs were pulled forward, in front of me, and completely off the floor. That was a critical moment. It threw tremendous pressure on my arms and shoulders.
The first real pain came from the simultaneous hoisting of my arms behind my back and my legs being lifted off the floor. It was incredible pain. It far exceeded a heavy whipping in terms of magnitude. Sharp, stabbing bolts of pain shot down from my biceps to my elbows. Equally sharp bolts shot from my shoulders down into my chest and tore painfully at the muscles beneath my nipples.
After each turn of the pulley my friend added weight to the parachute ball separator. After several more turns the pain easily exceeded the level even the horniest submissive would find tolerable. Four or five turns later I thought my arms were going to break. The pain was constant, throbbing and needle-like. I think if someone had pierced one of my nipples at that point I wouldn’t have even known it.
I found it difficult to breathe. Movement was impossible. My legs were stretched and pulled. My entire torso was totally immobilized by the Aufziehen. The weight hanging from the parachute ball harness made the slightest pelvic movement intolerable. Polaroids taken by my friend later showed me to be as completely immobilized as I have ever seen anyone, anywhere, anytime. My limits are very high, but the Aufziehen had brought me to the edge. Had my friend not thoughtfully gagged me I would surely have been doing my best to call it off. Still it did not end.
My friend, being an equally dedicated dominant and knowing my personal limits, experience and physical condition, decided to top the experiment with a thorough whipping. He used an oiled leather bootlace whip and brought it down relentlessly on my chest, stomach, buns and spent a lot of time zeroing in on my cock and inner thighs. The pain in my arms and chest from the Aufziehen clouded the experience. I knew what was happening and the sting of the whip came through loud and clear, particularly when it caught up my cock. Still, the tremendous pain of the Aufziehen clouded the whipping. It was not until later that I learned that my torso was criss-crossed in tender, puffy, bleeding welts.
Eventually the pulley was reversed and I was lowered back to the ground. The weights and parachute harness came off, the butt plug and ball gag came out, and the blindfold and cuffs came off. I collapsed to the floor. I was literally unable to get up. Everything above my waist was throbbing with dull, sore pain. Even so, my friend handcuffed my wrists behind my back and for the next 40 minutes or so made good use of my mouth and my ass.
For six or seven days afterward I experienced constant pain in my chest, biceps, shoulders, and right in the middle of my back. My balls were tender to the touch for a day or so and the welts were visible ten or twelve days after.
I can report to you that the Aufziehen is a fascinating and very effective addition to any dungeon. But I have some precautions to recommend…
First, the Aufziehen should only be considered for use with submissives who are into heavy S&M and have high limits. It’s definitely not for beginners.
Before putting a submissive into the Aufziehen, you should take the time to warm up their muscles. I did not have the benefit of a warm-up and it is only because I have been a dedicated bodybuilder for years and have 17” biceps and a 42” chest that my musculature was not strained or torn by the Aufziehen. Force your submissive to do at least 100 jumping jacks, 30 push-ups and bench press 5 reps of 150 lbs. If your submissive can’t do that, you may not want to put him into the Aufziehen.
Increase pulley tension slowly and gradually. Stretch those muscles slowly. Also, be sure your pulley arrangement is working on arms and legs with equal measure.
Don’t keep anyone in the Aufziehen for extended periods of time. It is not only a very effective bondage position, but it is a tremendously effective torture device as well. An Aufziehen novice should be released after 15 minutes maximum. My introduction lasted about 25 minutes, but I consider that too long for most men. When you release the pulley pressure, do it slowly.
Although I was gagged, I strongly suggest you do not gag someone in the Aufziehen. It’s fairly easy to exceed limits with this device. If you’re not familiar with its use you are going to find it difficult to judge pain levels.
Nobody should use the Aufziehen on someone else until it has been used on them. I urge everyone to adopt this as a hard and fast rule.
Some of us are bi-sexual and work with women as well as men. The Aufziehen can be used on women easily. In 17th Century Germany the Aufziehen was used to torture men, women and boys as young as 16.
As with any form of suspension bondage use wide leather cuffs softened on the inside with some kind of lining. Blindfolds, butt plugs, ball harnesses, clamps, clothespins and whippings are fine.
My first Aufziehen experience involved a rope pulley I have since modified the design. I am a writer and visual artist who works in oils. I have a studio and it doubles as a dungeon. I use steel eyebolts with 4” shanks sunk into ceiling beams and wall studs. My current pulley uses steel cable. I use 3” sheepskin-lined leather ankle and wrist cuffs fitted with steel D-rings. I attach the cuffs to the cable loop with hardened steel “S” hooks. I want to make sure nothing pops loose and shocks the musculature system of my submissive.
Aftercare: Be nice to your slave. Give him a hot bath or steamy shower and a long, deep massage and multi-orifice penetration!
Good luck!
I strongly agree with the "try it first" approach.
Posted by: Leo Devin | November 03, 2015 at 10:12 PM