Feldgrau.net

I have never cared much for reenactors. The story below in the Army Times is excellent along with the vet comments at the end.

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/09/a ... r-091210w/

I thought the comment from one vet who suggested dropping the bum into Afghanistan was brilliant.

John

Strawman argument. The article doesn't say that he is a reenactor, just an imposter with criminal intent. Calling him a reenactor is a slur against the reenactment hobby. While the hobby has its share of clueless weekend warriors, the absolute majority are serious about their depiction of fighting men and women, and they don't try to pass themselves off as the real deal (which would be silly, considering e.g. ACW reenactors).

That may not sit well with some Vietnam vets, but it rather tickles me. And I was an infantryman in South Vietnam in 1968.

"tourist revenue generators."

Hi y'all
I have had the privillege to be aqainted with a leader of a reenactment group. He also is a U.S. Army Paratrooper in real life. Currently on nonactive, or in the reserves.
His groups portraits TWO sides.
a: U.S. marine Corps WWII, and
b: Waffen SS, changing fron H.J.Divisision to another older profile l, due to increasing ages of the members.
They try to be as authentic as possible, and even go to the trouble of restoring old equipment with original parts from Germany or wherever. An expensive hobby as I see it.
They have had the good fortune to work with some movie companies on ocassion.
They see themselves as 'living historians" in my opinion a great description.
I have had the good opportunity to work with him, and advise as to "what would go and what would not".
The biggest mistake i see, is that some of these men, hang themselves with as many things as possible; but believe me at yje front one wants to carry only the necessary items to survive the rest stay behiind with the Tross, hopefully to be recovered when returning to base, or establishing abase and have them catch up.
Of course there are other groups, who are just dressed up in overblown uniforms, hang themselves with medals, some of which they even do not know what they are for. Their objectve ??: just have fun and an excuse to drink a lot of beer, sing german songs, and fire a lot of blank ammo.
For the latter, I agree with John, but alas if you look at the stupid way some of the "Civil War"reenactors are dressed and behave, there is geat difference between idiots and living historians.
I hope the last wil still be around for some time, because the ranks of thosewho remember and were there, are thinning fast, and when i see a group pictured in so called SS uniforms with oversize Hakenkreuz armbands, I just gringe. But '''''to each his own.""
So in short: for the good guys keep it up !!!!!!! For the others; please start reenacting pre-Roman barbarians or so, but then you don't get to run around yelling Achtung and shooting blank.
Oh Well
An SS ex-criminal by association
Haen

p.s. sorry for the typo's, I tried to catch as many as possible, but at 86, fingers and eyes sometimes do not work the way we want to.
Haen

I suppose some could be both a reenactor and a faker. Was the faker in Alaska also a reenactor? I may have missed something.

After all, what are actors in war movies? Reenactors...and fakers.

L. Kafka wrote:After all, what are actors in war movies? Reenactors...and fakers.

In movies, they don't claim to be anything but entertainment.

Reenactors, the good ones anyway, use it as a learning and teaching tool. There are some that do it for education!