OT: Historical Re-enacting

[Der Mann]

OT: Hsitorical Re-enacting

Does anyone do any re-enacting.
I do personaly, i portray a WW2 panzer grenadier with the 1SS panzer division.
www.lssah.com

 

[Vulture]

Actually I have to close this down cuz it links to SS material which is forbidden in Germany
But maybe it's safer to move it to the History Forum...

I'll go and check this thread over there, because I find WWII history, and especially the German forces very interesting. And I myself am very interested in the W-SS...

So... What does re-enacting mean? Does it mean you dress up like a historical soldier unit? Meaning that person is you?

 

[Vulture]

BTW... Extremely slick uniforms on that site... Are they copies? I doubt they are originals. Would be a tad bit too expensive for a private collection methinks

 

[Dark Knight]

The website's disclaimer:

NEITHER THIS WEBSITE NOR ITS PARENT UNIT, 1. SS PANZER DIVISION "LAH" IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NSDAP, NEO-NAZISM, THE KKK OR ANY OTHER RACIST, EXTREMIST OR OTHERWISE un-American ORGANIZATION.

Some comments were made in the past, on various newsgroups, by individuals claiming to be a part of our unit. They were not. Our Reenactment unit does not, nor will ever, accept members with racist or extremist attitudes. Any member found to display any extremist attitude is immediately expelled from our unit.

We, of the "LAH" are interested in military history, specifically the 1.SS Panzer Division. The display of the Sigrunen, Hakenkreuz (Swastika, for instance on the World War Two German War Flag), etc., during Living History Displays and subsequent photographs on this website are for historical purposes only. At several events we have been asked to refrain from displaying these symbols and we have complied in good faith. We are aware that we portray a controversial unit, however, we portray the Panzer-grenadiers of the "LAH" in good-taste and for historical purposes. We are not a paramilitary organization, nor a form of a militia.

We hope that, if you are a visitor, you view our site with an open-mind and keep in mind that we are a APOLITICAL reenacting organization.

So linking to this site shouldn't violate any laws or board rules.

 

[Vulture]

Great... Just the way I like it

 

[Vulture]

This is there too somewhere...

The Leibstandarte membership is acutely aware of its unique position in this hobby and is resolute in condemning the political and religious persecution which took place in Europe before and during World War Two and as a result, permits no paramilitary, political or ideological activity by its members. We are unanimous in this policy.

 

[Der Mann]

Yes the rules of the LAH are not taken lightly, once i saw a re-enacter give a nazi salute, the individual was immedatly removed from the unit and banned form the East Coast Historical Society(re-enactment HQ) we are in NO way nazis or anything. we try to accurately live a life of a front line combat SS trooper. Vulture some uniforms are Orignal some are repo. any questions you can e-mail me @ stormtroopa05@juno.com

 

[unmerged(8084)]

Civil War re-enacting is very popular in the United States... didn't realize it was done in Europe as well... I bet it is much more expensive though, with the Civil War you don't have to have semi-automatic guns or tanks or anything...

 

[Der Mann]

I also do US Civil War re-enacting. it is very popular in the southeast. it is interesting living in the 1860's way cheaper than WW2 re-enacting tho

 

[unmerged(9531)]

in france, the most popular re-enacting are medieval or napoleonian one.
but i've never been in one.

 

[unmerged(2833)]

Originally posted by KriegHund
in france, the most popular re-enacting are medieval or napoleonian one.
but i've never been in one.

Surprisingly, i think its the same in Poland.

Although i heard Italian knights are the best/most common in Europe. No idea why actually.

 

[Arilou]

It's not very popular here, although there's a bit medieval re-enacting going on now and then.

 

[Der Mann]

wow medieval re-enacting i would love to see one of their events i think it would be very interesting.

 

[Intosh]

Even if I'm not partisan of PC ideas. And I already meet people in re-enacting societies during wargames or historicals conventions.

I personnaly find a little shocking that people pre-enact soldiers from SS divisions.

I completely accept the idea of historical re-enacting. But if you want to study german history from WWII, you can re-enact others soldiers than SS troops.

Of course, americans and people from countries who don't suffered from occupation think the SS were soldiers as others, only elite troops. A lot of people in Europe are sick only by seeing black uniforms.

For the anecdote, people re-enacting as Panzer crews, normally wearing black uniform, must often explain that they are not SS, but normal wehrmacht soldiers.

 

[Jools]

the music!!! THE MUSIC!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!

 

[unmerged(2833)]

Originally posted by Der Mann
wow medieval re-enacting i would love to see one of their events i think it would be very interesting.

I think i posted a lot of pictures in some thread about Grunwald/Tannenberg battle... don't remember how the thread was called, but if you want, i can find it.

 

[Der Mann]

Originally posted by Intosh
I personnaly find a little shocking that people pre-enact soldiers from SS divisions.

Of course, americans and people from countries who don't suffered from occupation think the SS were soldiers as others, only elite troops. A lot of people in Europe are sick only by seeing black uniforms.

We portray the Waffen SS very different than the SA or the allemeine SS (Black Shirts). the Waffen SS were elite troops i do not know of any re-enactment groups who portray the SA or Allemeine SS (Black Shirts). the Waffen SS fought hard with the german army (Heer) and the SS often sufferd high casulties and won alot of battles. I am sorry if i have offend anyone.

 

[unmerged(2833)]

Originally posted by Der Mann
We portray the Waffen SS very different than the SA or the allemeine SS (Black Shirts). the Waffen SS were elite troops i do not know of any re-enactment groups who portray the SA or Allemeine SS (Black Shirts). the Waffen SS fought hard with the german army (Heer) and the SS often sufferd high casulties and won alot of battles. I am sorry if i have offend anyone.

I think thats what Intosh meant. Allgemaine and Waffen weren't really that separate, soldiers from both branches were routinely used as deathcamps guards, and you can't get much worse than this.

 

[Vulture]

Ok... Intosh let's not feel offended here. Now, Der Mann, it is impossible to deny the atrocities even the Waffen-SS commited. The SS-Totenkopf comes to mind as a slightly ferocious pack. Commanders like Eicke and such must surely ring a bell. They were brute and ruthless in many cases. Indeed, they were elite soldiers, no need denying that... But they sure as hell did disgusting things. So did SS-Das Reich, SS-Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler, SS-Wiking, etc etc. Of course, such activites were not a privilige for the SS, das Heer did just as many stupid things.

But on the other hand, people in Europe should be a little less sensitive when it comes to re-enacting the military side of WWII and even the Waffen-SS. As long as people don't start re-enacting Auschwitz or the Ustasha, there should be no problem. People seem to have no problem with other people re-enacting military moves by Douglas McArthurt, who was questionable in some things just alike. Anyway, I find re-enacting really interesting. And no matter how you turn it, the Waffen-SS is an interesting unit. I guess it's part of the legend. They behaved like pigs from time to time, but pigs are remembered in history... Just look at Nero, Napoleon, and others...

People are entitled not to aprove with re-enacting and such. But others are just as entitled to find it interesting. Personally I don't see the problem and I like re-enacting, collecting uniforms, etc etc. in a historical way...

 

[Der Mann]

Thank you, and well said