Importance of collecting

[Normandy1944]

Hey guys,

 

I'm wondering what your thoughts are about the importance of collecting.

Why are we collecting, and why is it important?

 

Some students from the study journalism asked me if they could interview me for their television broadcast about WWII and the importance of collecting, so I'm curious what your opinions are.

 

Personally I think that you keep the history of the Second World War alive.

The objects we collect are the link between the present and the past, so we keep the remembrance alive.

Besides this we collect so we can tell the story of what happened in WWII.

 

What are your thoughts?

 

 

[Garandomatic]

I couldn't say it better, myself. I like the idea of bringing a soldier's memory back to life, myself, since a large part of my uniforms were found on ebay. Identifying a uniform's owner, doing the detective work, and finding the owner's story are my favorite parts of the hobby.

[Lancer-86]

This is just my 2 cents. Today people waste their lives watching crap like the Bruce Jenner sex change interview. 2 hours of asking questions to a guy who wants to become a women. And of course America was captivated. We have been piled on with so many layers to wear through the years. Debt, education, family, entertainment, money, etc.

 

The thing that I love most about collecting is that you can hold a piece of (barbaric compared to today's technology) equipment that for a few months or years was one of the most important possessions of a single man. To hold a helmet and think that this helmet at times was the only thing between some scared human being and the storm of steel that is war. To see his sweat on leather sweatbands or a name carved into the paint just hammers it home that this helmet was all that mattered to a single human being while he was literally watching hell consume the world. Or to hold a rifle that was cherished and clutched like a teddy bear during the hardest moments in battle. These artifacts always stand as a reminder to me that REAL problems exist, and the garbage that America eats everyday is nothing.

[Rakkasan187]

Preserving history and telling the stories of those Soldier's, Sailor's, Marines, Aircrew members who are no longer alive so the younger generation will understand the Patriotism, scarifices, and devotion to duty of these men and women that secured our freedoms...

 

Being the caretaker of some of these artifacts is only temporary, so what we do with them in the short time we are in possesion of them is most important and my goal is to share the stories and history as often as possible with as many as possible....All eras, from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War and our current conflicts...

 

 

Leigh

[Lee Ragan]

Why is it that so many people who collect militaria think that unless you collect only from one period such as WWII, your not even considered a collector? I've never restricted my collecting to one specific war, theater of operations, branch of service or anything else. I can appreciate those who do and their noble ideas as to why they collect. However, some of us just collect military items we like and just for the fun of it.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[double canister]

Well said, Lancer-86.

[cutiger83]

Personally, I think “collecting for the historical sacrifice/remembrance” has become a cliché. There are so many more reasons that people collect military items.

 

1) Some collect for the “cool factor”. They think buying items such as a helmet or a knife is something to say “look at this awesome item I found”.
2) Some collect for the beauty of the items such as the detail in wings and medals.
3) Some collectors enjoy the hunt. They are considered a completist. They want every example of an item such as a patch.
4) Some collect for the historical aspect. They like to research where the item was worn, earned etc.
5) Some collect because they served in that branch of the military/war. They have a personal connection to that branch of the service/war.
6) Some collect because a family member served in that war or branch of service.
7) Some collect because they have a connection on a more personal level. Being a woman, I like to research women in the military.

8) Some collect as an investment. They believe the value of items will continue to rise.

 

As I said, there are many reasons people collect. One reason is not any more important than the other. It is just a difference in collectors.

 

...Kat

[dag]

1) Some collect for the “cool factor”. They think buying items such as a helmet or a knife is something to say “look at this awesome item I found”.

2) Some collect for the beauty of the items such as the detail in wings and medals.

3) Some collectors enjoy the hunt. They are considered a completist. They want every example of an item such as a patch.

4) Some collect for the historical aspect. They like to research where the item was worn, earned etc.

5) Some collect because they served in that branch of the military/war. They have a personal connection to that branch of the service/war.

6) Some collect because a family member served in that war or branch of service.

7) Some collect because they have a connection on a more personal level. Being a woman, I like to research women in the military.

8) Some collect as an investment. They believe the value of items will continue to rise.

 

 

I think you nailed it. As I read thru your list, I said "yep, that's me" several times.