Re-enacting good or bad?

Combover

Good afternoon.

You ask for our views ?

I write as someone who has been known in the past to admit puzzlement about those who choose to dress up as Waffen SS.

Let me say from the onset, that re-enactment as a hobby is completely fine by me although I also admit that it is not my own particular scene and I am happy to leave it to others.

I also understand that just like when I was a six year old and we played cowboys & Indians, someone had to be the Indians and if you are already playing a WW2 war scene you would need to have someone playing the enemy.

My difficulty has always been that when your average SS Wanabee arrives on our forum and is very politely asked by me what there is about the SS appeals to him, I rarely, if ever, get an answer.

Whilst writing and purely for the record, your 1 star award did not come from yours truly.

Ron

ps

I am still mystified by the lack of candour shown by the SS wanabees who have graced this forum over the years.

Is it perhaps that my bio, which certainly states from where I am coming, that put's them off ?

Ron

 

I am glad you posted this, an intelligent conversation on the subject is long overdue.

I am neither for nor against re-enactment as such; I think it all depends on the reasons people do it and the dedication they bring to it. As a former teacher, I know that many of the recent WWII movies and TV series, however flawed, have done a lot to stimulate interest in the war, especially among young people. These movies and series would not have been so successful if not for the participation of many conscientious re-enactors. Re-enacting can serve a very useful educational purpose in more formal settings; I had a couple of excellent Civl War re-enactors go through the manual of arms for a class, and the students learned a great deal from them about Civil War combat.

My hat is off to re-enactors who take pains to get it right, not only with the externals of gear but with physical fitness as well. That's not an easy thing to do, and I know that re-enacting is an expensive and time-consuming hobby.

Of course there are people who do this for neurotic reasons as well, and others who are aligned with various fringe political movements, etc. There is a superb book called Confederates in the Attic that goes into all this in the context of our Civil War. Yet I doubt that the hobby (can we call it that?) has more unstable or silly people than any other. Some think that there is something ghoulish about re-eneacting, especially when you get to Nazis, SS, and so forth, but even there I think it is all a matter of what your motives are and how seriously you do it. In the meantime, I would not be discouraged or angered by your single star here. Other sites dedicated to re-enacting might be better for you, but it sounds to me as if you are dedicated about what you do and zealous for accuracy. I know of academic historians who take less care with their facts than you do.

 

Honestly I do not know much about it, but I am certainly not against it (assuming it is being done for the right reasons). For my part, what I am looking for at the moment are some of the finer details and I appreciate books that offer that. On the same vein if re-enactors capture that precise level of detail you describe, they are in essence preserving that knowledge and I say more power to you.

The only one I have ever seen was a Viking one when I was quite young but it certainly helped with my school studies and raised my interest in that area which is core to British and Irish history. I imagine it would be similar for encouraging learning about WW2 if such re-enactments were to be carried out for schools now.

I am not sure what the album is that you are speaking of, but could it have been a case that it was not up there long enough for someone, who would have given it a more positive rating, to see it??? If you feel like posting it up again I would be delighted to look at it.

Either way, all the best with it
Dave

 

There is a Chindit Re-Enactment Society. I am not a member, but they do attend some of the Chindit Reunions and functions.

http://www.farsettingsun.co.uk

 

I'm not really all that bothered about what rating it got, it was more the fact that someone (and i'm not bothered who) obviously took enough umbrage to give one star but not enough to comment.

I'm not above criticism (I don't believe anyone is - even veterans at times) so would have genuinely welcomed any form of discussion on it. It's a bizarre thing but I even like being wrong at times if it means I get the answer on something and can then take that forward. Instead of just clicking on it, why not say something and give reason to your action, have a discussion and either teach me something or learn something yourself...it just baffled me a little.

In terms of school trips, I offered our services for free to the high schools I went to when I was younger. They couldn't be arsed to get back in contact with me to arrange a date even when I politely chased them up. It seems in every aspect of life, even education, we are inferior citizens.

I understand Ron's reticence re: the SS re-enactors and some of them I have openly disagreed with at events. One bloke in particular I remember and in front of the public described him politley as 'f****ing hard work'. You do, however, get them in EVERY form of life, it's just more obvious when they're dressed in the uniform! In civvies, unless they're visibly kicking the stuffing out of someone 'foreign looking' you'd never know...

I think there's more to it than dressing up as some of the greatest things i've done in my life have stemmed from re-enacting. It's amazing what can lead on from an idle Saturday afternoon researching submarines et al.

The gallery was literally just to show what the kit looked like (in colour) as one of the queries we often get is for insgnia or what BD looks like etc.

 

Might go and see these guys this weekend, but I may be too busy :-(
They seem to get it right and I'll get to see authentic Tommy's kit of a fine Regiment.

If the SS guys have similar aims, then it's something I'd have a problem with, as you do Ron.

I do know another re-enactor who runs around with a blank firing Sten and a less than authentic vehicle. So I guess there are different standards within the hobby.

http://www.ragley.co.uk/whats-on-warwickshire/rennactments/royal-warwickshire-regiment/


The Warwicks 1914 - 1918 are a dedicated Living History Group formed to perpetuate the memory of the Great War soldier. Their aim is to portray the Royal Warwickshire Regiment soldier from 1914 to 1918 though dynamic displays and living history and they will be setting up a tented infantry camp at Ragley on 13th & 14th April 2013 and will be putting on displays throughout both days.

 

Massive. Some I have tried to help by politely informing them and have been told to 'do one'. They're more interested in popping off blanks.

A bit like someone who follows Ferrari in Formula one because they like the badge...their heart isn't in it and the less said about their head, the better.

 

Hallo,

I am not against re-enactment. And I think if you enjoy it, you should take the time to do it well.
My husband has been a scotsman from 17th century for a while. That was realy fun.

But last year I went to the Ginkelse Hei in Arnhem to see the parachute-jumping .
There were some guys walking arround in WW2 uniforms and wooden weapons.
Not children but adult men. There was nothing educational about it. They were just showing arround.

I do not know why they were wearing those uniforms but I found it disturbing.

To do re-enactment right about WW1 or WW2 right you need some good and some bad guys.
So it is not strange that some choose to be Waffen SS. But be sure that you that for the good reasons.
Don't make those Waffen SS to be heroes.

Greetings

Tanja

 

That is a pity about the schools - it is the students who will miss out because of the teacher's refusal.

As far as the "f******* hard work" types I am sure there are many like them involved in research, writing, "memorabilia" collecting etc.

Finally would you be willing to put the photos back up again. You might raise further interest in it in time and indeed bring new members to the forum with similar interests and who are willing to help people such as myself.

 

I have never seen anything wrong with it, as long as it is done properly (i.e the people are trying to be factually correct). We saw a particularly good re-enactment a couple of years ago. I forget the name of the people but they were Royal Engineers bomb disposal reenactors, and they did a rather good job. My husband was posted at a Royal Engineers EOD regiment at the time, and he enjoyed their display.

I have only ever been to one event where they have reenactors, and they do not allow Axis reenactors, I'm not sure what my opinions would be should I see them.

 

The short answer for me is MIXED. I have attended some events where the reenactors have done a bang up job, correct period clothing, kit, and attitudes. I have also been present where the opposite is true.

I do understand that reenacting is NOT an inexpensive undertaking, therefore it stands to reason, the age of many reenactors is that of 30 plus. Unfortunatly many seem to be in their very late 40's early 50's, portraying Pte.s and Cpls. during the Second World War. This coupled with the fact many I have seen are extremely overweight, begs me to ask the question WHY??

I am primarily a militaria collector. When I attend the militaria shows and sales, it drives me to disgust to see over weight lard butt mid 50's guys walking around with beer guts hanging out, trying to portray a fit young soldier of any era.

I am going to stop this rant now, so as to not totally piss off everyone.

 

I

bacon baps in the bivvy?

 

As you know yourself, and have stated, it's expensive. These people can afford this stuff much more readily than a young, fit 20 something.

They can also afford finer food and more beer than the 20 something.

It's common sense really. Even if it isn't 'right'.

 

LMAO you could be on to something

 

I'd have you down as more 'living history' than 're-enactment', with its implication of 'battles'. Is that an obvious distinction within the hobby?

 

Combover

Fortunately - or otherwise I don't have the benefit of re-enactors charging around my village so my comments may be useless to your arguement - but I would love to see a re-enactment of some of the hysterical things we did to keep

ourselves amused - rather than a reminder of the horrors we had to put up with on a daily basis - bearing in mind the expense of renting out the inner steeple of St Peter's ROME - or allowing a 40 ton Churchill Tank to gather speed down a

mountain side with a co-driver pumping out all the brake fluid - now THAT would make a real re-enactment for me - or the jeep driver who asked for a green envelope to send his flattened jeep home to his "MOM" ..but to dress up as

Waffen SS- yikes - can't see that...

Cheers

 

Very much so, idler. You've really rather hit the nail on the head there as there is something of a difference.

I like to look at it as more of a walking talking museum, rather than the battle of the box-hedges.

 

Common sense?? Common sense I would think, should dictate these guys keep some sort physical conditioning. I do understand it is somewhat difficult to stay in shape as we get older... But seriously, I do not understand these guys saying "well I am in shape, round is a shape."

Just because they can afford the finer foods, why must they feel the need to consume mass quantities of the stuff, then wiggle into a period or reproduction uniform and play silly bugger?

As I said previous, a least I think I did say it... not all reenactors are bad or poor, just seems these are the ones I keep running into.

 

We have done the 'fun' aspect to things but I think it trivialises it too much.

When we portray 15th Scottish Division, we reproduce the famous 'Tam O Shanter' newsletter for the date of the re-enactment event, using infor from the war diaries (thank you Drew) and period Giles cartoons etc.

The look on one particular woman's face as Fruitcake read the newsletter, tore it into 4 neat square sheets, picked up a shovel and wondered into the undergowth was a picture. It had obviously never occured to her how you go for a s*** outdoors...

Then there was the time we had the VD charge case cards printed out.