WWII Reenactment Pics

[Marcus]

Yeah do the Germans win? That sounds kind of depressing [huh]

I have seen some reenactment footage from Polish events. THEY ARE AWESOME!!!!! They fight right through towns with sound effects (planes and artillery) and pyro. We could only dream of that here unless your making a movie!

 

[FinalVestige79]

Are reenactment a way to go back in time?
The majority of WW2 reenactors particapate in three types of events
- Private Tactical Battles
- Public Living History Events - Encampment where do a lot of Q&A with the publick
- Community Events - Parade, Airshows, etc
So as a group reenactors don't do so to go back in time to bring the past back to life in a make believe sort of way. Reenactors all have a basic interest in WW2 Military history from one angle or another, whether that be armor, weapons, historical events, collecting militeria etc.

For the most part reenactments are a way for reenactors to see and hear WW2 battles. And to handle and use WW2 equipment in action. rather than reading it from a book or seeing it in a movie.

Also in the case of World War II Reenacting, there is very little reenactment of a battle. reenacting really applies to Civil War. WW2 reenactments are not stage battles or recreations. WW2 Reenactments are basically random skirmishs between several fighting units out in the countryside.

I mean, I want to experience the social customs and riturals, say a typical day or evening on the town
Reenactors do the same, in appreciating the weather conditions, the food, the having to deal with dated equipment, clothing and weapon mechanics.

What role do females play in a re-constructed war? Both the Allied and German sides have Medical Reenactment units. There are pictures in this section fo the fedora lounge



Bottomline WW2 reenactors attempt to walk in the average soldier or nurse shoes. We realize and appreicate we are only getting one slice of the experience, separate from the war itself. There is no way for us to have a realistic experience, only to have part of their experience, using the same equipment and some of the confusion of war.

There are personal reasons from person to person...those were yours and those were mine and the opinions of the guys in my unit.

But, you take that from what your own opinion tells you. What I said is from the personal opinions of guys in my own unit. There are more reasons for reenacting that what you just listed...its all a personal matter to the individual. To categorize and pigeon hole why a WWII reenactor chooses to take part in a reenactment is to take away from the expirience of reenacting. So please don't speak for the rest of us...some of us have a deep personal need / reason to reenact besides just playing with guns and running around playing cowboys and indians.

Bottomline WW2 reenactors attempt to walk in the average soldier or nurse shoes.

Is that not in the same vein as "going back in time" to expirience what they did to the best of your own ability. The bullets aren't there but the emotions and thought processes are. To keep memories alive, not only for us, the public, and the veterans, but for the future generations who will know less about the past than the current one.

Its like working on a tank...I am preserving history for my children, and possibly my childrens children. Its a privelege to reenact and restore tanks...because I know I'm doing something worth while and fulfilling. One can't fully understand till you're in it, elbow deep in grease and grime, timing the dual engines, you begin to hear how it run and you can tell if somethings wrong with it. You begin to take on the mindset of, "If I take care of it, it will take care of me."

 

[Davep]

Who said I was speaking for the rest of us? This is a forum where people post their thoughts and opinions. I was giving the young lady my opinion, and I'm sure others will give theirs as well.

We attempt to experience what they did, but we will always fall short. Because we lack the fear of what comes next, the loneliness, being homesick. Hungry for the lack of having real food. Living in dirt for days and weeks. Not being able to stay home when you feel sick, having to deal with dental problems without being able to take time off to go to the dentist when you want. Worries about what your going to do when the war is over, is your wife or girlfriend still going to be there. Being exhausted at the end of the day.

What we are doing is "reenactment lite"

But that is just my opinion, just like yours and other guys in your unit have their opinions. There are no right answers or correct ways of looking at this. Most opinions in many respects is nothing more than rationalization of what we do at tactical battles.

As far as the public goes, private tactical battles do nothing for the public. And at Living History events, "most" (not all) just want to look at the old WW2 weapons or tell "you" what they know.

 

[FinalVestige79]

Every individual takes away and bring something different to reenacting. Thats the resolve.


And of course we will never truly expirience combat as they did...but we can sure as hell try.

But...as for feeling like they did...here are some testimonials, I'm sure you've already read them but here you go.Most Realistic Moments Testimonials

 

[FinalVestige79]

This is actually a thought provoking discussion! I like it! but since this is a picture thread...I thought I'd show some pics.

M3 37mm AT Gun with a BAR.

Moving through Snow

Just a great shot

I really like the contrast in foreground.

 

[Teabag1927]

Iv'e had some pretty thrilling moments in reenacting, and had alot of moments where it seemed as though, if just for a split second, i was in the real thing, and the emotions that go with it. Everyone reenacts for their own reasons, they do their selected impressions for their own reasons too, mostly i think, because that is the bit of wwII ( or which ever war) that they have most interest in, and wish to portray. I myself have branching of interest into all sorts of portions of it, and i do a plethora of impressions, everything from US Army Air Corps, German infantry, even to a pre-war Queen Mary crew impression, There is no one answer really, everyone will tell you something different, it might be similar to others, but never identical.

I suppose my major reason is to experience it first hand, or as first hand as a reenactment can be, and to escape from my own world for a weekend, and be somebody else in history.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Davep]

Kurt, your comments are spot on ( or at least that is my opinion)

But back to reenactment pictures

 

[billgaston]

davep - Nice Pics

Nice photos there where were they taken at?

 

[Teabag1927]

All those photos are So-Cal events, i was at most of them. Camp Roberts, Camp San Louis Obispo, Stoddard Valley, etc.

 

[DutchIndo]

All those photos are So-Cal events, i was at most of them. Camp Roberts, Camp San Louis Obispo, Stoddard Valley, etc.

Stoddard Valley by Bell Mountain ? My one time secret shooting spot was off of Main St. Barstow. I heard it closed off now, they put up street signs in my old hunting grounds. I need a new spot anyone down here know a spot ?

 

[FinalVestige79]

I think thats the Stoddard Valley

 

[Davep]

Camp Roberts - San Miguel - Northern Cal
Camp Slo - San Luis Obispo - Northern Cal
Stoddard Valley - Southern Cal - Barstow area.

Those pictures are a mixture of several units both allied and axis. Also that shotgun picture was at a PTO event. The Marines are a collection of two units pulling their members together to form a once a year unit for this event. The Panzer III is attached to a German unit from Colorado, who comes out to the CHG's mega armor battles.

 

[murena]

Davep thank you very much for posting these very nice pictures :eusa_clap
i am very interested in german reenacting (WW1 and WW2) has someone more pics from a event where i can see german reenactors?


murena

 

[FinalVestige79]

Here are some pictures from the last West Coast Regional Event where both Allied and Axis bivouaced in the the field.

 

[FinalVestige79]

 

[Davep]

Davep thank you very much for posting these very nice pictures :eusa_clap
i am very interested in german reenacting (WW1 and WW2) has someone more pics from a event where i can see german reenactors?


murena

Murena

here you go try these unit's photo ablums
http://picasaweb.google.com/12SSreenactors
http://picasaweb.google.com/21panzerdivision
http://picasaweb.google.com/Oziron/FrundsbergHighlights#
http://picasaweb.google.com/drkvorhelferin1

 

[Davep]

 

[FinalVestige79]

No where else will you see this amount of Armored Fighting Vehicles, both Allied and Axis. Outside of a museum of course, no where else can you touch, and climb onto these vehicles and shoot "rockets" at them.

Its a great privilege to experience these events. And its a greater expirience to keep these vehicles running...and knowing that my hands are working on the same parts that a real tanker worked on during the war.

 

[Marcus]

Davep thank you very much for posting these very nice pictures :eusa_clap
i am very interested in german reenacting (WW1 and WW2) has someone more pics from a event where i can see german reenactors?


murena

If you have any questions on doing German WWI or WW2, let me know. I'm with the 21st Panzer Division www.21stpanzerdivision.com . I also know all the contacts for doing WWI .

Marcus

 

[p51]

And at Living History events, "most" (not all) just want to look at the old WW2 weapons or tell "you" what they know.

AMEN to that! I have started to mentally compile a list of the personality types you encounter. There’s the postwar vet who never went anywhere or did anything and wants SOMEONE to hear his barracks floor buffer stories, there’s the ROTC cadet who has to show off his skills because his friends are sick of watching demonstrations of low crawling or how to disassemble an M-16. There’s also the baby-boomer who wants to know everything about their long-departed father but can’t recall anything about his service (and always says “No” to every question asked to try to narrow it down, leaving you to wonder if Dad maybe served with the Germans). And there's the video game kid. They're between 10 and 16, and will proceed to tell you all the false info they leanred off their videogames and that you can't poissibly be right about a tommy gun magazine only havving 20-30 round because Call to Bulge 5 has an unlimited bullet supply in one. [huh] And lastly, there’s “The camper.” He’s the guy (they’re always guys) with questionable intelligence, social skills and hygiene, who will stand at your display ALL DAY and try to muscle into every conversation you have with the pubic, often with ramblings that don’t fit the discussion. Often you can totally ignore The Camper’s existence and they’ll just hang there all day anyway.
I do mostly display events now. I try not to call it “living history” when we dress up in uniforms and stand by a display explaining what it all is. To me, living history is what they do at places like Williamsburg. While I have seen people at WW2 events doing a “day in the life” thing, it’s not very common at all.
I’ve been into re-enacting overall since the age of 5 and have been into WW2 since 1989. Seen it all. In the past few years, I’ve been hearing the “we do it to honor the vets” argument, which is relatively new. I don’t buy into that because the majority of re-enactments are private and closed to the public. That doesn’t “honor” anyone other than the people who take part in them. If you want to honor vets, well, your events should be public so people can see what you’re doing (better yet, go volunteer at a VA hospital like I have, but that’s another topic). WW2 re-enacting seems to be unique in the overall hobby in that the people portrayed are still around in appreciable numbers. You can say you do Civil War or other more archaic time periods simply because you like doing it. Not so apparently with WW2. Saying you like going to events, wearing the gear and enjoying the event seems to be some kind of unacceptable answer. I have no idea why this is. Also, people who have served in the real military often sit on their high horse, looking down on those who never served. Well, I did serve and frankly, I see myself as no more entitled to wear a WW2 uniform than anyone else. Unless you were actually IN the war, we’re all just living the fantasy and enjoying ourselves when we go to events. I will go to my grave wondering why that isn’t an acceptable answer for so many WW2 re-enactors.