Jump to content

Is this too far to go in "re-enacting".....?


glenm
 Share

Recommended Posts

No...not at all Bill. It's all about context. If you'd seen him, as I have, you'd know why he gets a big thumbs down from me. It's a fact of life that miltaria shows attract a whole lot of "wannabes" outside of those who are there as a part of organized "living history" groups or uniformed crews of restored military vehicles. Let me give you another example of someone I saw just walking around in the crowds at "War & Peace" last year. Another mature male...late 50s maybe? Short and quite overweight. Heavily bearded. He was wearing a complete Falschirmjaeger combat uniform with an MP40 across his chest. The uniform and gear were very authentic. Given his "non-military" build I assume the uniform would have been made-to-measure for him? What did he look like? Absolutely ridiculous! He didn't greatly "offend" me (though I usually don't like to see pseudo-Nazis strutting around) However, he was just another example of an attention seeker, like the other individuals discussed here. Just my humble opinion, of course! ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No...not at all Bill. It's all about context. If you'd seen him, as I have, you'd know why he gets a big thumbs down from me. It's a fact of life that miltaria shows attract a whole lot of "wannabes" outside of those who are there as a part of organized "living history" groups or uniformed crews of restored military vehicles. Let me give you another example of someone I saw just walking around in the crowds at "War & Peace" last year. Another mature male...late 50s maybe? Short and quite overweight. Heavily bearded. He was wearing a complete Falschirmjaeger combat uniform with an MP40 across his chest. The uniform and gear were very authentic. Given his "non-military" build I assume the uniform would have been made-to-measure for him? What did he look like? Absolutely ridiculous! He didn't greatly "offend" me (though I usually don't like to see pseudo-Nazis strutting around) However, he was just another example of an attention seeker, like the other individuals discussed here. Just my humble opinion, of course! ;)

I understand your point but for those people as well as the posers I meet NOT wearing uniforms the greater disservice is to themselves. Of course I can cast a negative glance their way but I cannot use the singular examples shown here to broadly condemn the greater majority who, whether with a military background or not have devoted time, money and effort to render the honors to our past. I can easily live with these guys as long as they understand they will also have to live with me, a far more difficult task when they put on a uniform.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ludwigh1980

Guess My concern about this type of stuff is minimal. To each their own, especially in another country. Now impersonation of a Government / Military official, that is another thing and should be considered a crime. I remember a sign somewhere on a large Military Base in the South. "Its not the Ranger Tab that makes the Man, It is the Man that makes Ranger tab" . Medal's, Rank, Badges could be fit into the this statement. I remember reading that for the longest time the U.S. refrained from awarding Medals unless for extreme acts of Bravery because they wanted to leave behind the pomp and ceremony of Europe behind with all its orders and awards. Usually people that dress up like this in the U.S. get enough glares and jeers its surprising they do it. Guess I have always held that It not my thing to tell others what and what not to do.

This seems to be a far to common occurrence in todays world. Live and let be....

 

(Note: Served myself (U.S. Army), Sister is a Captain in the U.S.A.F. Dad (U.S.Army), Grandfather (Army) Landed at Okinawa, 5 Uncles in WW1,

Two ancestors (GR Grand Fathers) in the Civil War and way back in the Prussian Army))

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Too Much WW1 Militaria

I AM an old man because of 27 1/2 years in uniform, some of it is physical, most mental, beginning with "SP4 Jones what were you thinking?" LOL I don't have an opinion on re-enactors/living history folks one way or another, but I wouldn't do it. Too darn much work to do it right! When I retired, I thought I should of been able to put "Qualified Zookeeper" on a resume'. 11B's in garrison, fun, fun, fun!!!! LOL

 

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

dakotanorth

When I look at the photo of the young man with all of those medals, I think "There's a kid who's trying to gain status through something he didn't actually do."

Sometimes you wear the medals- sometimes, the medals wear you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

willysmb44

The woman in the first photo has a very well-put-together MI officer uniform from what I can tell. The "LTC" to the right is decked out like he'd be if he was stationed at Ft Meyer and in the presence of the Commander-In-Chief.

Being in another country, I wouldn't have as much problem with this then I would if these folks were doing that here (it'd clearly be illegal in such a case), just as I wouldn't be as upset with someone portraying a NOTA country officer for a display here in the US...

 

Who knows, maybe you might have inspired him and I'm not being sarcastic. You'd be surprised the difference a comment like that can make.

 

 

Good point. I was talking with a ROTC recruiter one day about some of the WW2 re-enacting experiences I've had on Army bases, and he looked at me blankly and said, "Why don't you do it for real, then?" By the end of the day, I'd decided that's exactly what I would do, and was enrolled in ROTC the following semester and did become an Army officer for a few years...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not a fan of people dressing in uniforms being worn in conflicts currently ongoing because there is too much strong emotion involved. The war, and it's tragic losses, are still too fresh. I believe in remembrance and honoring military past by wearing their uniforms, because their stories can be lost over time and sometimes live interaction can reach the public that a book or static display won't. However, there are still too many folks who can portray the modern military for real. Let them be the experts of their own story.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And I'm nor referring to the the General Patton lookalike here, but the two on the right playing dress-up, seen like this at dances and other events in the UK, or sometimes walking around in current US Army/Air Force field uniform (inc full equipment and various (airsoft probably) weapons....

 

What's the general impression/thoughts/comments from you guys over in the US?

 

Cheers,

Glen.

 

734292_520458551322020_649503053_n.jpg

It's an insult to every soldier, sailor or Marine who earned those medals.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's an insult to every soldier, sailor or Marine who earned those medals.

 

Except me. I'll be the one to decide if I have been insulted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

willysmb44

 

Except me. I'll be the one to decide if I have been insulted.

 

 

Darn right.

I'm getting sick and tired of others saying what I'm supposed to be insulted or offended by...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To keep the discussion going, this attracted some attention in the UK a few days ago. At a living history museum, a '40s event was planned to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the famous "Dambusters" raid. Some SS re-enactors turned up and their presence offended many people. You can read about it here.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2326991/Nazi-enthusiasts-defy-ban-SS-uniforms-World-War-Two-themed-celebration-Dambusters-raid.html

 

 

 

post-8022-0-14917600-1369033661.jpg

post-8022-0-80854700-1369033673.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Except me. I'll be the one to decide if I have been insulted.

+ 1---- i don't feel insulted by their actions, but admit to some skepticism about their motivations.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

To keep the discussion going, this attracted some attention in the UK a few days ago. At a living history museum, a '40s event was planned to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the famous "Dambusters" raid. Some SS re-enactors turned up and their presence offended many people. You can read about it here.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2326991/Nazi-enthusiasts-defy-ban-SS-uniforms-World-War-Two-themed-celebration-Dambusters-raid.html

 

 

 

 

I can see how that would cause a stir, especially since that was not part of the event. I have to say I saw a kid like 13 or 14 at SOS this year walking around in a Nazi uniform that didn't sit right with me. I wanted to find a kid in a US uniform to go reenact who won on that kid. To me that is not teaching the right thing to a teenager and just looking for attention at a show.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I can see how that would cause a stir, especially since that was not part of the event. I have to say I saw a kid like 13 or 14 at SOS this year walking around in a Nazi uniform that didn't sit right with me. I wanted to find a kid in a US uniform to go reenact who won on that kid. To me that is not teaching the right thing to a teenager and just looking for attention at a show.

 

 

You've hit the nail right on the head...it's just attention seeking...pure and simple. Lots of guys collect Nazi militaria, but strutting around looking like an Obersturmbannfuhrer takes it to an alogether different level!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Remarkable that a Heer Artillery Officer and a Luftwaffe Pilot are considered "death head SS" .....

I can understand the "no SS allowed", especially at occasions like this perfectly, and if you had one healthy brain cell in your head you would not go to these events dressed as "Herr Flick" or similar.

Seeing people dressed up as SS - especially Allgemeine SS or SS Police - made me cringe when I attended events or militaria shows.

It just didn't feel right.

But to them it is "cool" I guess.

 

Erwin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

29thinfgeek

I often see pictures of teenagers in SS uniforms, I often wonder if they have any idea what they are portraying, what their unit did, etc. I've even seen SS totenkopfverbände uniforms being worn. Maybe they should visit a KZ camp while they are wearing it and see what people think of that? Whether they are just ignorant, or neo-nazis, I sometimes wish I could give some people a kick in the arse through my computer screen...

 

As for the medals, I'll leave it to the veterans.

 

Frederik

Link to comment
Share on other sites

+ 1---- i don't feel insulted by their actions, but admit to some skepticism about their motivations.

There is the day to day and then threre is the re enacting. One is the throngs who go to see the displays and then there is the guy with the display. For a bit of time we get to haul out our accumulations, sometimes shoehorn ourselves into an old or newer version uniform {depending on our girth} and tell a story to those throngs of people willing to listen. For that period of time we are them, the men and women who fought and bled in the mud of another's soil or who put them back together. We have that interest but sometimes the focus is turned toward those who are more gaudily attired with not a whit of information to attend those flashy adornments other than what they are called and how much they cost. Yep, even re enactors have PX heroes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the benefit of our American readers and to explain the reference to "Herr Flick" above, watch this clip from the popular old BBC sit-com " allo! allo!" which was set in occupied France during WW2 and took the mickey out of everyone...especially the Germans! "Herr Flick" was a caricature of a Gestapo officer.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=C2kgRmECMhs&feature=endscreen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Patton does not insult me, unless he does it badly.

the two dweebs in blue I think are just plain stupid and people need to tell them to their face.

The Nazi's, well, this has always been an issue and probably always will. There are times and places for everything, but there is also a time and a place to use your brain.

 

Odd that if the modern bozos were were wearing all field uniforms and gear it wouldn't bug me as much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...