Yea, I must admit that I have done more than my fair share of WWII "living history". With the rite guys, who don't take it or themselves to seriously, it can be a bunch of fun. However, there are a LOT of guys in reenacting ( pick your time period), who go WAY over the top. Guys get really wierded out about authenticity etc. and the little Napolians seem to be everywhere. There are two basic personalities who seem to gravitate to WWII reenacting. A) The good guys. Mostly professionals in real life, they've got the bucks to buy cool shit. Mostly well educated, and usually guilty at some level becouse dad/uncle/grand pa/neighbor went to the big one/Korea/Vietnam and they didn't, becouse they didn't even serve, at all. They want to do it "For the Vets", or they just want to play army like they did at 10. B) The bad guys. Middle aged guys who are more concerned with their uniform and appearance than any 18 year old girl going to prom. Yet, the guy weights in at 290 lbs. These guys see history not how it was but how they want it be, and they'd love to tell you about it! In a nut shell it's playing army with REALLY expensive toy's, and just like when you were 10 there are guys you'll like and guys you can't stand, only as an adult you can't get away with cracking Joey in the nose when he wants to act like he really IS an NCO/Feildmarshal/ The Fuhrer/ Eisenhower. Enjoy! :dance:
WW2 Re-enactments?
Has any one been to one of these? I might be going to this one. http://www.michmilitaryhistory.com/
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Have always wanted to do this and be the germans. For awhile I was with this group of ex military guys going up against the local National Guard units. Wore EG uniforms with AK's,etc. Lasted a couple of years.
http://www.9thsspanzer.com/
http://www.9thsspanzer.com/
idk, sounds like a huge nerd fest. white guys playing japanese soldiers is hilarious. :lol:
I was a "real" paratrooper in the Army, but I have to admit that the paratroopers did not single-handedly win WWII. To look at those reenactors, you'd think the Band of Brothers was a million-strong.
Also, the German regular army did most of the fighting on their side, not the SS.
When so many of these guys seem to choose their "impressions" on the basis of which uniforms are cool, rather than what would most accurately represent the historical record, it's very hard not to characterize them as clowns.
Also, the German regular army did most of the fighting on their side, not the SS.
When so many of these guys seem to choose their "impressions" on the basis of which uniforms are cool, rather than what would most accurately represent the historical record, it's very hard not to characterize them as clowns.
WW2 is quite overrepresented in the reenactor department, which is why I chose a different conflict.
What counts a lot is what gets made into a cool movie or similar, for example, after Saving Private Ryan and BoB the interest in US items skyrocketed..
What counts a lot is what gets made into a cool movie or similar, for example, after Saving Private Ryan and BoB the interest in US items skyrocketed..
Maybe that's why I'm having a hard time finding a Crimean War reenactor's group. :goof:FW200 said:What counts a lot is what gets made into a cool movie or similar, for example, after Saving Private Ryan and BoB the interest in US items skyrocketed..
I used to be intrigued by the reenactors, and I've always had an interest in WWII because of my my Grandfathers, but I feel like I can keep the history alive by retelling their stories and the modest collection of real memorabilia I have form that era. I'd to imagine that at least one of my Grandfathers would wonder why I'd want to dress up and play out something that was really a terrible experience.
I have been reenacting for a couple of years now, I enjoy it and it can be a bear from time to time though. Some people think it is a fashion show and always have tons of gear and no idea of what to do with it, or some collectors are worried about stitch patterns and height if rivets in a helmet. It appears that appearnace at time has more bearing than what a unit can actually do and how well they re-enact.
One of my biggest problems are that some rather large individuals want to get involved and while I understand their want to do such things, but it is not good because they might be out of shape and lend themselves to getting hurt or worse especially at tactical events where running, crawling and other things might be expected.
I fell into a pretty good unit that is mostly ex-military paratroops and they know how to fight and run a camp and do the little things a soldier would know. But they also don't worry about stupid things which is cool and don't get to be to wrapped around the axle on lesser things.
I think some of the problem is some people try to make up for a lack of skill by having the mostest equipment. When I was putting together my 82nd Airborne impression I went to see a friend of mines' father who had been a paratroop and a gliderman in the 82nd in WWII (and in the army air corps before that) with a few books that re-enactors had put together of paratrooper uniforms and equipment, he thought the books in some cases were funny: he said something like "Wow, I wish we had all the equipment in the quantities available that you see in those photos-we would won the war a lot faster". He was also visibly angry at some of the uniform infractions he saw in the books., "Saying things like if he had done that in my outfit he would have been skinned by the Topkick".
I am not saying you need to be a gung-ho over the top guy to re-enact but you should learn a few things like how to stand in a formation and be able to do some of the squad and platoon level tactics. A German re-enacting friend of mine (Fallschirmjaeger) flew from Germany to a big Hoo-Hah in one of eastern states and was unimpressed by a few units of what he saw of units attempting to re-enact German paratroop units. He said the funnist thing he saw was a unit trying to form up and taking over 1/2 an hour to do so.
And yes you also have the proportion or guys who were never in the military and think it would be cool to do the hobby- which I see nothing wrong with for the most part. Except some can be annoying from time to time- Just like in the military when you get the newbie kid in your squad who is still real wet behind the ears, that made you want to pull your hair out.
One of my biggest problems are that some rather large individuals want to get involved and while I understand their want to do such things, but it is not good because they might be out of shape and lend themselves to getting hurt or worse especially at tactical events where running, crawling and other things might be expected.
I fell into a pretty good unit that is mostly ex-military paratroops and they know how to fight and run a camp and do the little things a soldier would know. But they also don't worry about stupid things which is cool and don't get to be to wrapped around the axle on lesser things.
I think some of the problem is some people try to make up for a lack of skill by having the mostest equipment. When I was putting together my 82nd Airborne impression I went to see a friend of mines' father who had been a paratroop and a gliderman in the 82nd in WWII (and in the army air corps before that) with a few books that re-enactors had put together of paratrooper uniforms and equipment, he thought the books in some cases were funny: he said something like "Wow, I wish we had all the equipment in the quantities available that you see in those photos-we would won the war a lot faster". He was also visibly angry at some of the uniform infractions he saw in the books., "Saying things like if he had done that in my outfit he would have been skinned by the Topkick".
I am not saying you need to be a gung-ho over the top guy to re-enact but you should learn a few things like how to stand in a formation and be able to do some of the squad and platoon level tactics. A German re-enacting friend of mine (Fallschirmjaeger) flew from Germany to a big Hoo-Hah in one of eastern states and was unimpressed by a few units of what he saw of units attempting to re-enact German paratroop units. He said the funnist thing he saw was a unit trying to form up and taking over 1/2 an hour to do so.
And yes you also have the proportion or guys who were never in the military and think it would be cool to do the hobby- which I see nothing wrong with for the most part. Except some can be annoying from time to time- Just like in the military when you get the newbie kid in your squad who is still real wet behind the ears, that made you want to pull your hair out.
I heard about that one going on in St. Clair shores, If i'm in town (might be going up to harbor springs that weekend) I'll drive my M151 to it. I just don't know how i'll get there, I sure as hell aint driving it down 696.WhiteRabbit said:Has any one been to one of these? I might be going to this one. http://www.michmilitaryhistory.com/
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