Why I don't reenact Waffen-SS (anymore)

[J. Sproat]

About four years ago I hung up my repro Waffen-SS uniform and stopped
reenacting WWII German. I used to enjoy doing it, we did 28th SS
"Wallonien" and had a great time doing it. But in the last few years the
hobby seemed to produce a "bumper-crop" of closet-Nazis in reenacting
circles. A lot of these clowns seem to think that the Nazi were right in
everything they did to the jews and everybody else they came into contact
with.
I guess my unit started doing SS for a couple of reasons:
1. At first we enjoyed doing the bad guys (plus there were fewer reenactors
doing WWII German than Allied). But as time wore on I began to realize that
there were far too many "Little Hitlers" doing WWII German (not always SS,
either, some were doing an army impression). Note: A "Little Hitler" is a
WWII German reenactor who thinks that since he owns an officer's uniform
that he is God. I think ACW reenactors call them "Little McClellans."
2. The uniform. Let's face it, the standard WWII German uniform is amazing.
The Nazis could take the skinniest person in the world, put him in one of
their uniforms, and make him look (and feel) ten feet tall. And in
reenacting SS, one could acquire and use some of the best camoflauge the
world has ever seen.
3. The history behind each unit. There were only some 36 SS divisions but
some of them are the most well known (or in some cases, infamous) units in
history. We were the only people to do a foreigh volunteer unit in German
service in reenacting circles. Most WWII German reenactors only do the 1st
LAH, 2nd, 5th, 9th, 10th, 12th and 17th SS divisions. I guess we were the
odd people out (along with the guys who did 500/600 SS FJB).
But along came the closet-Nazis and people like them who are slowly killing
off the hobby.
If anyone would like to comment please do so.

Thank you
Jay Sproat

[Allan and Rosemary]

J. Sproat wrote:
>
> About four years ago I hung up my repro Waffen-SS uniform and stopped
> reenacting WWII German. I used to enjoy doing it, we did 28th SS
> "Wallonien" and had a great time doing it. But in the last few years the
> hobby seemed to produce a "bumper-crop" of closet-Nazis in reenacting
> circles. A lot of these clowns seem to think that the Nazi were right in
> everything they did to the jews and everybody else they came into contact
> with.

I gave up re-enacting World War II British in the UK about 10 years ago
because I could see it creeping in then. I admit that it's not all
people who play Germans but it did give me a shock to visit the house of
someone who I thought I knew very well and find a large picture of
Hitler over his fireplace, and be told that 'Hitler was just
misunderstood and was never given a chance.' I also found out that one
of the commanding officers of the German re-enactors had been thrown out
of Germany during a visit for distributing pro-Nazi literature.

On a different note, I agree with your comment about the SS uniform but
although the 'Tommy' uniform is ugly it did the job and one of the
finest pictures you can see is a gang of beautifully dressed Germans
being herded along by a short, ugly scruffy British soldier carrying a
gun that is too big for him and grinning from ear to ear!

Allan Jones

[The Werewolf of London]

J. Sproat (35D...@prodigy.net) wrote:
: About four years ago I hung up my repro Waffen-SS uniform and stopped
: reenacting WWII German. I used to enjoy doing it, we did 28th SS
: "Wallonien" and had a great time doing it. But in the last few years the
: hobby seemed to produce a "bumper-crop" of closet-Nazis in reenacting
: circles. A lot of these clowns seem to think that the Nazi were right in
: everything they did to the jews and everybody else they came into contact
: with.

The really sad part is that I've seen closet-Nazis skulking into WW1
German impressions too. I do WW1 German (23rd Upper Silesian Infantry
Regiment), and imagine my surprise (and disgust) at a
recent WW1 reenactment when I saw people in another German unit throwing
around Heil Hitler salutes. Even though it was done in jest, I thought it
was in bad taste and of course unauthentic, it was especially
inappropriate at the safety briefing, with all the units gathered there,
and a German NCO told one of his soldiers to do something and the private
responded with a Hitler salute. I was thinking "Man, all we'll need is one
civilian photographer to snap a photo of that and this hobby will be
branded." At that same event I happened to end up pinned down in a
shell-hole
with a stray member of yet another German unit, who annoyed me because
first of
all he broke character (I try to keep a first person impression always)
and started telling me how he also does WW2, in the Leib-Standarte SS, and
then started ranting about Jews and how no Jews fought in the German Army
in WW1, I suggested he read "With the German Guns" by Herbert Sulzbach, a
(Jewish) German soldier in WW1, but he continued his anti-semitic rant and
I
scrambled out without even a backwards glance or goodbye, preferring the
bullets of a Tommy's Lewis Gun to the ramblings of an ignorant babboon.

[J. Sproat]

Monsider wrote in message
> And at an event in Ohio last year, I recall overhearing two SS reenactors
>defending the actions of the SS at Oradour Sur Glane (sp?) and stating that
the
>Maquis were largely responsible for the deaths of so many civilians, etc.

>Eric Pastrick
>2nd Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment

A lot of the German reenactors I've met over the last ten years don't act
this way, but..... I always seem to run into the obnoxious German reenactor
who starts telling me how great Kurt Meyer was or how Hitler was
misunderstood, or how Karl Doenitz should not have gotten prison time, etc.
I now do WWII G.I., the field gear is far better than WWII German. German
field gear was designed by an idiot (just try to put on Ger. field gear).
Plus the G.I. weapons in reenacting are far superior to German, an M1 Garand
or a M1 carbine can pump out a hellious amount in blanks over the standard
98k bolt-action rifle. And a Thompson or a M3 SMG is an even better
"bullet-pump."
Another plus is that vets will talk to me, people smile as we march by and
we get to win all the public-display battles!
And for Eastern Front events we now do Russian, it's cheaper!

Jay

[LadyLee]

I am looking for someone to do some research with me reguarding the Lee
family liniage lines.
Please let me know if you are interested,
Thanks
Briannon

[J.A.B.]

I have seen it too - however, I don't think you should run away because of
it! The hobby must stay unpolitical and it doesn't help if the ones who
have sense leave at the first signs of stupidity.

What do you expect? The hobby will draw those who are serious and those
who are not. I don't think I could imagine a "registered nazi" not
wanting to join in dressing up in a SS uniform and shooting at Allies.

Do more public events; push the idea of German units having an Allied
second impression. It keeps the wackos out or keeps them humble.

SET AN EXAMPLE!!

Jason Bice

9. SS Pzdiv.

> The Werewolf of London wrote in message <6m4aci$ouk$1...@node2.nodak.edu>...