world war ii reenactment
this was a world war ii reenactment that was held at dellwood park in lockport, illinois .
republican congressional candidate rich iott is catching flack for his historical reenactment involvement of dressing up as a world war ii nazi solider .
annual world war ii living history weekend at the eisenhower national historic site. the public is invited to tour world war ii encampments of over 700 living historians portraying allied and german troops. the camps are authentically recreated by over 90 living history units and include original world war ii vehicles .
is revealed to have participated in a world war ii reenactment society, and donned nazi regalia (waffen - ss, to be specific) .
williams said he has been re - enacting the civil war, and now world war ii, for the past 16 years .
railway bosses have banned world war ii re - enactors from wearing nazi regalia during a 1940s wartime weekend .
the weekend also features book signings, special guided tours of world war ii burial sites in the soldiers’ national cemetery, and a world war ii style “uso” dance. both days, visitors may purchase lunch at the site courtesy of the heidlersburg volunteer fire company. guest speakers for the event include world war ii veterans and authors .
iott said he has been involved in reenactments on and off for roughly 35 years. he said he has dressed as an american soldier for world war i and world war ii reenactments, as well as a soldier from each side of the civil war .
the ww ii historical reenactment society is dedicated to keeping world war two history alive and in the public eye and to honor the veterans as well as preserving world war two artifacts. we look forward to continuing in our mission to grow interest in historical re - enacting as an educational hobby .
joe cooper, who is a metro police officer by day and has fought both as a civil war and world war ii reenactor, says that the latter group is a little more sophisticated .
as the veterans and monuments of world war two grow old and the nation rediscovers its heritage of that era, the world war two historical re - enactment society continues to move forward .
the 5th regimental combat team living history association has one simple mission: to provide korean war reenactment and living history activities in an organized setting. however, achieving that mission isn’t so simple! in contrast to the civil war and world war ii, the korean war has not received much attention from reenactment enthusiasts. the association seeks to remedy this situation with period - accurate reenactments for the education of the public .
call of duty: world war 2 is the first game in the series since 2008 to take place in the second world war. back in 2008, call of duty: world at war was a brief diversion from the franchise' s turn to modern warfare, and eventually futuristic and even space warfare .
interestingly, the civil war and world war ii reenactors form entirely different subcultures. civil war reenactors are typically more prominent among the general public than their world war ii comrades. they’re featured at fairs, town celebrations, and school events. in tennessee especially, their reenactments often make for more entertaining public displays, given that the blue and the gray often fought in close proximity and that many decisive battles happened in the volunteer state .
hello, second world war reenactor here. the value of reenacting can be boiled down to two parts :
there’s a reoccurring complaint — history buffs want to get involved in world war ii reenactments, but can’t find a group interested in roleplaying anything other than the waffen s. s .
historical reenactment societies provide an incredible window into how men and women lived in historical times. these societies often focus on war reenactment, providing members (and sometimes the public) a glimpse into what life was like during the conflicts that shaped history. without historical reenactment societies, we wouldn’t get a visceral sense of the scope of war .
world war ii weekend is produced by the mid - atlantic air museum (an irs recognized 501 (c) (3) charitable organization) for the sole benefit of the museum itself .
columbus, ohio - a republican congressional candidate rejected criticism from a house gop leader monday, saying that he did nothing wrong by wearing a nazi uniform while participating in world war ii reenactments .
“some civil war reenactors come across as rednecks, ” cooper says. “the world war ii reenactors are a more subdued group. you have doctors, lawyers, and professors. you don’t feel embarrassed about bringing your family around them. ”
iott defended his hobby as arising from an interest in military history. “it’s purely historical interest in world war ii, ” he said. iott had roleplayed in other contexts as well, including the american side in the war, and as a union soldier from the american civil war .
currie’s late father was a world war ii combat veteran who was shot down in a b - 17 flying fortress in february 1944 while on a bombing run over the ploesti oil fields in romania .
the civil war reenactment society is the oldest such organization in the state of california. members voluntarily donate time, passion, and knowledge to the reenactment of civil war battles. all of their equipment is period - accurate, and their goal is to educate individuals and families about the only war ever fought between the states .
this is an world war two, historical reenactment society event. all participating reenacters will abide by the wwii hrs by - laws, safety and authenticity standards. you should review these items at the hrs website
the civil war traveler is not a reenactment society per se, but it is a fantastic resource for anyone interested in civil war living history and reenactment. the site offers detailed travel information for civil war attractions in the east, the midwest, and the west. it also offers maps, hard - to - find books, and more—all fantastic resources for the civil war enthusiast .
the 9 th reenactment society portrays the 9. waffen ss panzer division “hohenstaufen, ” a german panzer division from world war ii. the society believes that for reenactments to be accurate, both sides of the conflict must be represented in a historically accurate manner. the society is clear about its condemnation of neo - nazism and the fact that the society only seeks historical accuracy in reenactment .
in a july 23 letter to currie, mcdonnell apologized for the distress currie suffered, but said many veterans – including a few from world war ii – attend the event each year and later express their gratitude .
the florida frontier guards are an unincorporated association of reenactment enthusiasts. members are passionate about reenacting the “florida war” of 1835 - 1842, which is now known as the 2 nd seminole war. the group specializes in reenactment and living history. their tactics are especially well - researched and historically accurate .
it is an image that captured an epic moment in u. s. history - a sailor locked in a passionate kiss with a nurse in new york city' s times square at the end of world war ii .
iott…said his interest in nazi germany was historical and he does not subscribe to the tenets of nazism. “no, absolutely not, ” he said. “in fact, there’s a disclaimer on the [ wiking ] website. and you’ll find that on almost any reenactment website. it’s purely historical interest in world war ii. ”
world war ii reenactors choose a stage that is often hidden from the public eye. that makes them, they claim, motivated more by the intrinsic pleasure of mimicking history than by playing soldier in front of their uncle curtis .
the 9th reenactment society is nationally recognized as a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization .
the american civil war society is dedicated to educating the public on “the bloodiest conflict in america’s history” through passionate, period - accurate reenactment. the california - based acws is active in san bernardino, orange, los angeles, and san diego counties. they have a large and active schedule of upcoming civil war reenactment events .
at recollections, we’re passionate about historical reenactment and historical accuracy. we love historical clothing of all eras–but as you know, we’re particularly fond of victorian clothing and styles from the american civil war era. we wanted to honor some of the most outstanding historical reenactment societies which we know of. this list is by no means exhaustive—all reenactment societies are performing a great service .
neo - nazi groups have in fact infiltrated world war ii and waffen s. s. reenactment clubs. but then there were reenactors such as rich iott, who ran for an ohio congressional seat in 2010. photos of iott dressed as a member of the 5th s. s. panzer division surfaced before the election, which he lost .
all recognized reenactment groups / societies welcomed, but again you must follow hrs s & a standards period .
but there are a growing number of people in middle tennessee who fight to keep the memories of that epic war alive. they are world war ii reenactors, and they restage key battles and military themes of the bloody conflict. they wear intricate reproductions of war uniforms and weapons, ride in vintage military vehicles, and choose sides. in fact, in local parks, forests, and fairgrounds, you’ll find g. i. and russian reenactors and even reenactors mimicking the struggle of the french resistanceall waging tactical contests and gamely recreating actual world war ii battles. they’re not as prominent as their civil war counterpartsa continual sore spot for some of thembut they’re an emerging contingency nonetheless .
the sbg was set up in 1978 and describes itself as
britain' s longest - serving second world war living history and historical society
.
fairfax county park authority officials have canceled next year’s world war ii bivouac at sully historic site in chantilly and will re - evaluate the event’s future, after a veteran complained that this summer’s event featured re - enactors portraying a notoriously vicious group of nazis .
“i am speaking for him and every other world war ii veteran, for everyone who is offended by nazis and all they stood for, and for everyone who does not want the holocaust and nazi atrocities to ever be forgotten, ” he told the supervisors .
retired u. s. army col. james currie of alexandria became incensed after seeing a washington post photo taken at the site’s world war ii weekend, held july 11 and 12, which had actors dressed as members of combat unit 1 ss leibstandarte a. h .
no, they aren' t duds - just temporarily disarmed until they are ready for the 2018 world war ii weekend. we' ll start re - arming during the month of december - so check back then, and keep an eye on our facebook page for announcements .
park authority spokesman judy pedersen said agency officials in november “decided to take a look - see” and agreed not to schedule the world war ii program next year at sully historic site. officials may hold the event there again, but not before at least 2017, she said .
the mystique around the waffen s. s. , sustained in part by the reenactment groups, needs to be busted .
the civil war reenactors have been around since 1996. they even have their own magazine, the camp chase gazette, which covers many fascinating details of the civil war, including uniform lineage, reenactment on a budget, and more. the civil war reenactors are passionate about preserving history and demonstrating what life was like for soldiers in this bloody conflict .
“the park person running [ the world war ii event ] should inquire a little more about the groups being re - enacted, ” said currie, adding that the ss unit’s portrayal was “like having the ku klux klan re - enact a lynching. i just can’t see nazis in our parks. ”
ok, those guys weren’t real germans, but german ss reenactors. when they shot, they fired blanks. and they participated in a field training exercise with 20 or so cadets from mtsu’s rotc forest raider unit. so no, we’re not breaking any bad news hereworld war ii is still over .
the park authority has held the world war ii weekend for 10 years. this year’s event featured re - enactors representing both allied and axis forces, who held a “tactical skirmish” each afternoon. offerings also included presentations about victory gardens and displays of authentic uniforms, weapons, equipment and vehicles from that era .
they were walking along the street when they were confronted by trio wearing the uniforms of the third reich paramilitary organisation responsible for many of the atrocities against humanity in the second world war .
the incident was broadcast around the world and the prince issued a statement in which he apologised for causing offence .
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almost every weekend, there is a re - enactment somewhere around the country, and while most are invitation - only affairs drawing from several dozen to several hundred participants, last year’s world war ii weekend in reading, pa. , attracted more than 20, 000 to witness the liberation of a faux - french village .
when contacted by the atlantic, iott confirmed his involvement with the group over a number of years, but said his interest in nazi germany was historical and he does not subscribe to the tenets of nazism .
no, absolutely not ,
he said .
in fact, there' s a disclaimer on the [ wiking ] website. and you' ll find that on almost any reenactment website. it' s purely historical interest in world war ii .
but robert m. citino, a military historian and professor at the university of north texas, told mr. green that the nazi division’s role in the second world war was far from heroic :
took a less harmless view. one historian questioned iott’s take on history, and pointed out that nazi reenactment has been outlawed in austria and germany .
a representative of the local ss reenactors did not return repeated calls, but other world war ii reenactors support bonner’s contention that the ss guys are in it for fun and historynot the nazi ideology of white supremacy. the same way actors such as dennis hopper relish playing the bad guy, some reenactors enjoy taking the wrong side of a conflict .
overall, bonner reports that the cadets learned from the exercisewhich is the primary point, given that these young men and women are charged with ensuring that another world war is never reenacted on the global stage .
but neitzel and welzer cautioned that wehrmacht soldiers had their own biases, and mass casualties in operations gone terribly wrong were not unusual during world war ii. the difference, the researchers wrote, is that wehrmacht soldiers often blamed their own officers for failures, while they blamed the waffen s. s. as an organization, reflecting an inter - service rivalry .
our efforts seek to preserve the memory and experiences of our grandparents and great - grandparents during world war ii. we are losing the memories, experiences, and culture of that era. our goal is to preserve that time and pass it on to the next generation. it is vital that people understand what we have gone through to become who we are today .
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the wehrmacht considered the waffen s. s. to be poor soldiers | war is boring
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world war ii was the largest, most deadly conflict in human history. the after effects of that conflict are still felt today, over 70 years after the last shots were fired. the cost of allied victory was staggering, as some 50 million people worldwide lost their lives. by engaging in pubilc education efforts, living history displays, and reenactments, we hope to keep the history of this dark period alive, and to help educate the public about what america' s enemies looked like and why victory over them was such a monumental achievement. sadly, many in america today have little to no connection with the past. our group, and dozens like it, hope to help folks understand world war ii, its impact, and its relevance to modern day events .
awesome last days of ww2 battle re - enactment .
war and peace show england 2011
saturday night, a world war ii style “uso” dance will be held at the gettysburg national military park museum and visitor center from 7: 30 p. m. to 10: 30 p. m. , featuring 1940s music by the gettysburg big band. open to the public, tickets will be sold at the door for $ 10. 00. a cash bar will be available .
a photo from the german government' s national archives shows adolf hitler reviewing the ss leibstandarte a. h. combat unit in december 1935. a re - enactor group' s portrayal of the unit drew the ire of one u. s. military veteran, and has caused the fairfax county park authority to scrap the world war ii re - enactment planned for sully historic site in 2016 .
the great war society, based in the u. k. , was founded in 1984. they offer members practical education in everyday aspects of the war, including perspectives from both sides of the conflict. this is a living - history group, not a combat reenactment group. they believe it is actually undesirable, let alone impossible, to portray combat accurately in front of the public .
first off, i' m a reenactor. i very rarely do battlefield reenacting (which i agree isn' t very illuminating); generally we do demonstration campsites at various reenactment events. i portray an american sailor from the war of 1812, a us navy agent (government contractor in charge of supplies) in the war of 1812, and an english archer in the wars of the roses .
iott, whose district lies in northwest ohio, was involved with a group that calls itself wiking, whose members are devoted to re - enacting the exploits of an actual nazi division, the 5th ss panzer division wiking, which fought mainly on the eastern front during world war ii. iott' s participation in the wiking group is not mentioned on his campaign' s website, and his name and photographs were removed from the wiking website .
the 1 st marine division korean war reenacting group has one mission: to portray the experiences of the brave men who fought in the korean war from 1950 - 1953. the group seeks to educate people about the most - overlooked us war in the modern era. they are based in pennsylvania, and they’re always looking for new members .
the 22 nd mass / ussc boston branch is a reenactment group dedicated to portraying the 22 nd massachusetts, company d, a real union company that fought in the civil war. these valiant soldiers fought in many of the bloodiest and most gruesome battles of the civil war, like gettysburg and fredricksburg. anyone in the northeast can join the ranks and help these reenactors tell the stories of the soldiers who lived during this time .
williams said he has not seen any white nationalists or similar sympathizers among the ranks of civil war re - enactors .
licensed battlefield guide ralph siegel will present free guided tours of the world war ii burials in the soldiers’ national cemetery. though well known for civil war burials, the national cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400 soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen who died between 1941 and 1945. the interments include men who fell at pearl harbor and on d - day in normandy. these hour - long free guided walks are offered saturday at 5 p. m. and sunday at 10 a. m. and 1 p. m. the tour begins inside the taneytown road cemetery gate .
i recently read soldaten, which was based on secretly recorded conversations between german prisoners of war while in british custody. it’s a fascinating and disturbing look at how those soldiers — in many different and individual ways — felt about the war .
it can be hard sometimes to dress up in what many people consider an evil uniform, but we come out time and time again, and are nearly always well received because we are knowledgeable on the subject we are portraying, and are honest about the reality of the second world war .
asked whether his participation in a nazi re - enactor' s group might not upset voters, particularly jewish voters, iott said he hoped it would not :
they have to take it in context. there' s reenactors out there who do everything. you couldn' t do civil war re - enacting if somebody didn' t play the role of the confederates. [ this ] is something that' s definitely way in the past... . [ i hope voters ] take it in context and see it for what it is, an interest in world war ii history. and that' s strictly all .
the sykes’ regulars group emphasizes excellence in drill, discipline, and authenticity. their high level of discipline has earned them the respect and recognition of numerous reenactment societies, and they place a high value on continuing research and documentation. they are a not - for - profit organization focused on education and honoring the heritage of those who fought in the civil war .
' it was the moment. you come back from the pacific, and finally, the war ends,' mendonsa told cbs .
' they stopped the show and they said ,
the war is over. the japanese have surrendered ,
' he recalled .
some re - enactors cite a decision by the city of manassas, virginia, site of two civil war battles, to cancel this year' s civil war weekend, aug. 25 - 27, which would have featured tours, lectures and re - enactments .
it' s an exciting return to the historical for many call of duty gamers, your humble narrator included. as much as i really do enjoy modern cod multiplayer, it' s great to have variety, and from what i' ve seen and played of world war 2 it' s going to be a great game .
since 1975, the wwii historical reenactment society has brought history to life as an educational hobby, providing its members and the public with an authentic, safe time machine to the 1940s, using authentic uniforms, equipment, and vehicles. the membership of our organization is composed of historians, teachers, students, military collectors, veterans, and others interested in the second world war. members provide displays and battle simulations for the public, tactical simulations for members, school presentations, veteran' s reunions, air show displays, parade participation, and other community events when called upon .
williams portrayed the seemingly incongruous, yet historically accurate fact that some blacks once fought for the very states that enslaved them during the civil war .
“the waffen - ss was an enemy of the united states during world war ii, ” says a matter - of - fact maj. jeff bonner, an assistant professor of military science at mtsu and an advisor to the forest raiders, a small, tactical unit of the school’s rotc program. “there are people here locally who have formed an organization who have utilized the waffen - ss’s training techniques for recreational purposes, ” bonner says. “they are not trying to honor or glorify the political entity known as the ss. this is purely out of respect for their military organization. ”
so if it' s just policy now to have multiplayer function as an abstraction - - - almost a reenactment, in this case - - - okay. i' m fine with that. and i completely understand leaving swastikas out of multiplayer. i' m happy they' ll at least be in the campaign and that sledgehammer is really focusing on creating a historically authentic european theater of war .
the north west territory alliance is an american revolution reenactment group that works primarily out of illinois, though their events can be found all over the midwest. none of the members are professional actors; they all just have a passion for history, which is why their events are so compelling. the high - quality battle reenactments put on by this historical reenactment group are open to the public, and are on fields in parks, history centers, and everywhere in between. even if you’ve never acted in a reenactment before, you can join the north west territory alliance on their next adventure as a guest. then, you can decide if you would like to join as a full time member or not. the only prerequisite is that you must have a passion for history to come aboard !
at public displays its members, who number 200, portray scenes from throughout the war, while wearing replica uniforms and using authentic weapons and vehicles .
campbell said he chose the southern side because
the civil war was not just about slavery, it was about states determining their own destiny .
“portraying an elite group, such as the s. s. , ” the website for one north carolina reenactment club states, “is a study in military tactics, technological advancements, cutting edge training regiments, and an understanding of the mindset of a formidable opposition from wwii. ”
the burning of the valleys military association is a historical reenactment group that began in 1989. the group originally put on a reenactment of the “the johnson – brant raid of october 17th - 19th, 1780? in 1990, but since then it has expanded and formed relationships with other regiments to create a truly memorable and accurate event. they reenact this battle annually now, and the program has expanded enough to offer awards to different members of the group. these awards are recognitions given to individual members of the association, and the group can even provide scholarships .
several years ago i saw on the website of an american reenactment society, images of a military manual which is in london by an author hynd. (?) there were at least two volumes describing late 18thc military practice marching order diagrams and music. for fife was included .
iott said monday that he was in a reenactment group called wiking for three or four years - though he thought his name remained on the group' s roster for longer. he said he and his then - teenage son had joined as a part of a shared interest in history .
rabbi moshe saks told the magazine “any kind of reenactment or glorification of nazi germany, to us, would be something unacceptable and certainly in poor taste, if not offensive…i think the reaction here will be very negative. and not just among the jewish community, but the broader community. ”
the event at zoar, described as the largest civil war re - enactment in ohio, will still go on, according to tammi shrum, zoar site director .
we’ve broken this list down by historical period, and we’ve numbered the societies to make this easy to read. here are our favorite historical reenactment societies. note: they’re not listed in a particular order. they’re all doing great work in educating their members and the public on life in times past .
without indisputable proof, life launched a bid in 1980 to identify the couple, and a flood of war veterans and nurses came forward to claim their kisses were recorded .
jason klein, director of hale farm and village, said there were no protestors or problems at the aug. 12 - 13 civil war re - enactment this year .
during recent activities related to the civil war, park leaders were cognizant of ongoing controversies about slavery and the confederate flag, but received no complaints from visitors, mcdonnell added .
partisan bickering aside, the reenactment community is rather tight - knit. according to participants, most of the reenactors aresurpriseconservative white males with an affinity for guns. however, they are no more to the right of the political center than the members of a hillsboro / west end book club might be to the left .
now the couple who won the nation' s heart have reunited in the location of the famous smooch to reflect on the photograph that came to symbolize the end of the war .
the entire german war effort in the east was a racial crusade to rid the world of ‘subhumans, ’ slavs were going to be enslaved in numbers of tens of millions. and of course the multimillion jewish population of eastern europe was going to be exterminated altogether. that’s what all these folks were doing in the east. it sends a shiver up my spine to think that people want to dress up and play ss on the weekend .
cleveland, ohio - the controversy and violence surrounding the removal of confederate statues has local re - enactors concerned about future civil war re - creations that attract thousands of spectators in northeast ohio .
the spanish american war 1898 inc. has one primary goal: to portray the period of the war accurately and passionately for the education of its members. the organization focuses on providing immersive experiences for its members, rather than entertaining the public. they use original rifles and authentic uniforms, and they consult u. s. army manuals from the period to ensure that everything is period - accurate .
according to its website, the aim of the group is
not to glorify war or the nazi regime but … to portray the fighting german waffen ss soldier of wwii as accurately as possible .
shrum said the civil war event is held every other year, and the 2017 re - enactment will feature upwards of 1, 000 re - enactors, with more than 4, 000 spectators expected .
' the excitement of the war being over, plus i had a few drinks,' he told cbs.' so when i saw the nurse, i grabbed her, and i kissed her.'
with two copies of the photograph hanging in the couple’s rhode island home – it is clear that the photo holds special memories for the couple – the day the war ended, and, their first date .
shared, global ones, so we needed to adhere to local laws and regulations, while ensuring that everyone has the same level and identical playing field .
in other words, german gamers wouldn' t see a different game in multiplayer than the rest of the world, which makes sense .
the wwii historical re - enactment society has over 1200 members in the us, canada, and europe. their sole mission is to bring the history of the second world war to life. they do this through parades, public displays, and simulated battles. they reenact experiences on all sides of the conflict, including the axis. however, they focus only on the military history of this conflict, and they do not tolerate nazism or fascism of any kind. they are always looking for new members .
lawrence verria, co - author of the kissing sailor, jokily cautions about grabbing strangers today adding,' but in times square, 1945, they hear the war’s over — it’s not such a bad idea.'
greta later discovered that her parents died in the war camps and she has never returned to austria. a widow with children, she now lives in maryland, according to the authors of' the kissing sailor' .
he hopes that one of those reminders could be a unit of youth re - enactors he hopes to assemble, based on the 5 th u. s. colored infantry, a regiment from ohio during the civil war .
the british brigade portrays the loyalist and british companies in the revolution. while americans might typically learn about the american militia and regiments in school, the british soldiers also had a rich history while they fought on american soil. through this historical reenactment group, you will be able to experience the truth about the british army, and not get all of your information about the british from a mel gibson movie .
she said :
we very much want to respect the people that we lost in the war and would totally discourage anybody wearing the nazi uniform and swastikas .
we did ask people who were wearing swastikas if they could possible
we don' t really take a position one way or another on confederate statues ,
she added .
our role is just to talk about facts of the civil war and present them in an engaging way .
a lot of people will see this as blatant pandering to the
social justice
crowd. women soldiers in world war 2 was already a point of contention, but having black nazis seems to many like a bridge too far. after all, this was an army that prided itself on its whiteness and racial superiority. hitler' s entire philosophy was built around aryan superiority, and while black people were never the subject of his most intense hatred (that was saved for the jewish people) they were certainly never soldiers in the nazi army .
mr. iott admitted to mr. green that he had spent time playing a character he named reinhard pferdmann as a member of the 5. ss wiking re - enactment group, which is described on its web site as “a nonprofit, nonpolitical organization dedicated to the preservation of the history of ww ii and the lifestyle of the german combat soldier (specifically waffen - ss foreign volunteers). ”
i’ve always been fascinated by the fact that here was a relatively small country that from a strictly military point of view accomplished incredible things. i mean, they took over most of europe and russia, and it really took the combined effort of the free world to defeat them. from a purely historical military point of view, that’s incredible .
recent events have ignited passions in this country surrounding the civil war and the symbols representing it ,
city officials said in a press release, opting to shut down the event for the safety of residents, visitors and re - enactors .
the fort mchenry guard is nationally significant. they reenact the battle of baltimore that occurred in the summer of 1816, which inspired the star spangled banner. visitors can come and see the everyday activities of 19 th century citizens in the fort, watch the battle reenactment, learn historical interpretations of the events, and watch demonstrations. sponsored by the national parks service, the reenactors are carefully selected to provide a window into our nation’s past .
but regarding the question whether or not the waffen s. s. was “elite” unit, at least in terms of fighting skills compared to the wehrmacht, the answer was probably not. and that became increasingly the case as the war went on .
what happened in (charlottesville) virginia is that you had morons of the modern - day (ku klux) klan associated with neo - nazis, neither of which have anything to do with civil war re - enacting ,
he said .
the fort norfolk garrison works to educate the public about the war of 1812. consisting primarily of two family - friendly units, this unit is set on authenticity. depending on the level of membership a certain reenactor has, he must be willing to abide by authenticity standards to ensure that reenactments done by the unit are as authentic and realistic as possible. we had to include them on our list because of their dedication to authenticity and providing the public with an accurate depiction of the war of 1812 .
in order to form the defensive flank, i got a second unit an s. s. battalion, that is, it wasn’t much more than a glorified company. the company consisted of about a hundred and seventy - five men, a few heavy machine guns and two mortars. there was one hauptsturmfuehrer von benden, a grand fellow who had also been in the world war. these fellows had been acting as a protective division in the rear and had engaged guerrillas. they were then withdrawn and sent up to the front. i gave them orders to take the village of volchanka (?) .
rabbi moshe saks, of the congregation b' nai israel in sylvania, ohio, a suburb of toledo that sits in the 9th district, disagreed .
any kind of reenactment or glorification of nazi germany, to us, would be something unacceptable and certainly in poor taste, if not offensive ,
he said .
i think the reaction here will be very negative. and not just among the jewish community, but the broader community .
the santiago campaign ninth infantry re - enactors, c - company, are dedicated to bringing the spanish - american war to life. they use period - accurate clothing, weapons, and maneuvers to educate the public on this crucial chapter of american history .
mr. kruger’s former commander wrote that the officer should have known that a plaque honoring “a waffen ss member and the commander of a battalion responsible for a large - scale massacre of prisoners of war could alarm a member of the public familiar with these historical events. ”
christopher browning, a professor of history at the university of north carolina - chapel hill, said ,
it is so unhistorical and so apologetic that you don' t know to what degree they' ve simply caught up innocent war memorabilia enthusiasts who love putting on uniforms .
regular army soldiers would also single out the waffen s. s. for atrocities. but in some cases, the regular soldiers appeared to be trying to distance themselves — and the wehrmacht — from war crimes which were pervasive on the eastern front and in which they were complicit .
currie likened the controversy to holding a civil war re - enactment that glorified confederate maj. gen. nathan bedford forrest, whose troops in april 1864 massacred surrendering black union soldiers at fort pillow in henning, tenn. forrest later became the ku klux klan’s first grand wizard, he noted .
the cumberland plough boys, sons of confederate veterans, is a unique organization. membership is open to male descendants of veterans who served with honor in the confederate forces during the civil war. members receive many benefits, including participation in organization events, a confederate veteran magazine subscription, and more .
“any person or political group who believes there is some bizarre hidden nazi agenda by reenactors is not only ignorant of the facts but using false representation to foster their own political ambition and beneath contempt. would these same accusers point a finger at civil war confederate reenactors and say they are all racially prejudiced? ”
iott, a member of the ohio military reserve, added ,
i' ve always been fascinated by the fact that here was a relatively small country that from a strictly military point of view accomplished incredible things. i mean, they took over most of europe and russia, and it really took the combined effort of the free world to defeat them. from a purely historical military point of view, that' s incredible .
the annual wwii reenactment held at buckley homestead in lowell indiana is an amazing living history event. reenactors recreate wwii american gi' s, german soldiers, us marines, russian soldiers and more. it' s one of the best wwii reenactments in the mid - west. please support mac on patreon: urltoken - ~ - ~ ~ - ~ ~ ~ - ~ ~ - ~ - please watch :
bcm mk12 with aem5 silencer and some cool winter rigging !
urltoken - ~ - ~ ~ - ~ ~ ~ - ~ ~ - ~ -
we' re not playing war, and we' re not promoting hate speech. we' re representing an educational moment ,
he added .
re - enacting is living theater, not promotion of moronic causes. we are not a political entity. we' re outdoor theater, that' s all we are .
as soldiers died, were wounded or taken prisoner, the waffen s. s. loosened recruitment standards from the much stricter requirements earlier in the war. there’s also no evidence the s. s. , in general, took higher casualties than the wehrmacht — perhaps reflecting the regular army’s bias. although the allies captured fewer s. s. prisoners .
still, a few reenactors grumble that while ss guys may not adhere to the insidious ideology that led to mass extermination of jews and the deadliest war in the history of human civilization, they nevertheless reflect that less - than - congenial nazi personality. as an example, rival reenactors note that their ss counterparts often refuse to play dead when they’re shot during tactical contests .
there are, of course, cultural boundaries that we felt we needed to respect ,
he adds ,
and we also wanted to be authentic in our approach to game design. it’s a fine balance of not glorifying the symbolism, while also not ignoring or shying away from this dark moment in human history. there’s certainly a line that we are very conscious not to cross, while still honoring the sacrifice of those who fought to push back the world from the brink of tyranny. in short, it' s not something we take lightly .
the national civil war association is dedicated to “keeping history alive by living it! ” the ncwa reenacts the famous battles of the eastern front, as well as the lesser - known conflict in the pacific theater, which was instrumental in directing the development of california. the ncwa welcomes new members, and it offers individuals, couples, and families the option of attending one event for free as new members .
the great war association seeks to recreate the sights and sounds of “the 20 th century’s most significant conflict. ” on a 100 - acre site near newville, pa, the gwa has created an accurate representation of the western front as it was c. 1917 - 1918—complete with trenches and a bombed - out no - man’s land. clothing, food, trenches, and more—this experience is totally immersive to the time period .
the royal sussex living history group was founded by john a baines (1952 - 2012). though he has passed on, the group continues his work in educating the public about the experience of the great war. specifically, the group demonstrates what it was like to serve in the royal sussex regiment. the group will hold a centenary 100 th anniversary commemoration on june 30, 2016, at 17: 00 hours .
those last letters stand for adolf hitler, for whom that unit was formed in 1933 to serve as his personal bodyguard, said currie, a military historian. soldiers with the ss (or schutzstaffel, which is german for “protection squadron”) rounded up jews in berlin and sent them to death camps; killed nearly 100 american prisoners in malmedy, belgium, in 1944; and murdered about 5, 000 russian prisoners of war, he said .
people are also visual learners. a demonstration of a period trade or military tactic will be easier to understand than reading a book or article on the same topic. doing these things correctly is also the best way to combat the (sadly more common) incorrect portrayals usually seen in tv and the movies. if most rev war historians seem to have an unhealthy obsession with the patriot, it' s because that movie enshrined every dumb myth about the revolution to a huge audience .
multiplayer, however, is another beast altogether. in both competitive multiplayer and zombies mode, the swastika was left out. in many ways, sledgehammer has ditched historical accuracy and created something that they view as accessible to everyone, with the horrors of that specific war - - - and the nazi' s fascist, racist regime - - - left out altogether. it' s an interesting approach, and a tricky decision to make. but condrey says there were several deciding factors .
but few reenactors face the kind of social stigma suffered by those who join the infamous waffen - ss. considered to be the best of the best of hitler’s ground troopsa dubious distinction if there ever was onethe waffen - ss had special weapons, uniforms, privileges, and, most of all, expectations. at the end of the war, it had 600, 000 soldiers in its ranks. the waffen - ss was part of the nazi party and was more ideologically driven than the wehrmacht .
but mendonsa wasn' t so sure. a friend of his recognised the sailor' s picture on the iconic cover but mendonsa took some convincing.' he says ,
i know it' s you ,
' mendonsa said.' i said ,
you' re crazy !
this was 1980, 35 years after the war ended... . so he brought the magazine over to the house and, the minute i looked at it, i said ,
damn. that is me !
'
and maybe it' s just my biases, but some groups of reenactors are more prone to transmitting myths than others. civil war confederate reenactors often know a shit ton about uniforms, supplies, food (or lack thereof) etc, but they aren' t going to be quoting
the fall of the house of dixie
or indeed, acknowledging the centrality of slavery at all. the less said about wwii germans, the better (by my experience, few of them - seem - to be nazis, but the' good german' wehrmacht soldier myth is repeated ad infinitum) .
thanks for the massive generalization of something i do. yeah, ss reenactors can be a bit weird and some are closet nazis, but a huge majority of us (german reenactors) understand that the german military (all branches) engaged in war crimes, even by the standards of the time. part of what we do is understand how otherwise reasonable people get to the point where they were willing to destroy whole villages full of people. it is wrong to paint them as monsters, because it over simplifies what happened, allowing us to fool ourselves into thinking that
it could never happen here .
i mentioned aspects of daily life rather deliberately - - accurate clothes can show a lot about what a time' looked like' (no, not everyone in medieval england wore brown), and foods can really hilight the differences between life in the past and the present (heavily spiced medieval foods vs. subtler modern flavors). i think this is the biggest strength - - the little things. but keep in mind that a lot of people going to reenactments are tourists who have little inclination to pick up a work of academic history, and may never have read a word about the war of 1812 since high school. what i say about the american navy in 1812 to a passerby might be the only thing they ever hear about it.
world war ii reenactment is the historical reenactment of the various combatants involved in world war ii . the types of events include living history , which emphasises the garrison life of the average serviceman or servicewoman , and tactical events , involving simulated combat operations . the activities of groups engaged in waffen-ss reenacting have been a subject of significant controversy . 
world war ii reenactment is the historical reenactment of the various combatants involved in world war ii. the types of events include living history, which emphasises the garrison life of the average serviceman or servicewoman, and tactical events, involving simulated combat operations. the activities of groups engaged in waffen-ss reenacting have been a subject of significant controversy.
world war ii reenactment is the historical reenactment of the various combatants involved in world war ii. the types of events include living history, which emphasises the garrison life of the average serviceman or servicewoman, and tactical events, involving simulated combat operations. the activities of groups engaged in waffen-ss reenacting have been a subject of significant controversy.