My first (and perhaps only) German impression.

[Patrick Dempsey]

Hi all,
i've attached a pic of me at this years "War and peace" show in the UK (i'm on the left). This was my first public outing in German uniform, and i was VERY nervous about it to be honest..there were far too many overt Neo-Nazi idiots milling around (although you could always tell them a mile off as they looked terrible in their "recreations" ) for me to feel comfortable.

this may mean that i don't do this again....
It's surprising how large the MKIV is when you stand next to it, it looks so much smaller in period photo's and film

if you will indulge me i need to thank the forums own Brian M too, his kindness enabled me to get my hands on a good repro set of trousers. Thanks Bri


Patrick.

[Patrick Dempsey]

Also..

Just for interest here's a shot of the full set of fieldgear i was carrying too.
I've now become aware of how noisy a platoon of Germans must have been on the march!


Patrick.

[Jan B]

Impressive display Patrick, is all the fieldgear ( especially the shovel carrier and Y-strap) original?

cheers

Jan

[Patrick Dempsey]

Hi Jan,
thanks for the kind words. You are indeed correct, all the fieldgear you see is original (messkit and straps, belt and buckle, Y-straps,K98 pouches, breadbag, gasmask cannister and pouch, waterbottle, entrenching tool, A-frame and Zeltbahn and bayonet and frog).
Just for the record i would NEVER run around a field in this stuff, but as a static display, i could justify the use of original kit.
Don't worry, it's all cleaned and back in the collection now, never to leave again
The cap,helmet, shirt, boots and smock are all US made repros, and the trousers are Janke.

Patrick.

[J Melvin]

Patrick, some nice photos. I'm concerned to hear about the influx of Neo-Nazis into what should be a "hobby" and not a means of political expression.

How are the units in the UK dealing with such people? From a unit level? Do the organizations have any say-so over the memberships?

The units in the US are all quick to espouse that they have no ties/leanings towards the NSDAP. Each unit usually polices itself. The adherence with this rule depends upon how well a unit does self-police. From my knowledge, I only know of one person that was ever rejected by a unit for being a Neo-Nazi. That was many years ago.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Patrick, well done on your impression. I know you were nervous about wearing German kit in public. But you did look well turned out.
Cheers, Ade.

[fergmacleod]

Neo-Nazi's

Guys, don't worry too much about neo-nazi's 'infiltrating' the hobby. In the 20 years that I've been playing this game, the nasty skin-head types (that I've seen) are always too cheap to spend what it takes to put together a German impression. Most of those guys seem to be under-employed loosers anyhow. Now that does'nt mean that you won't find a few German reenactors out there who are perhaps more than a little 'sympathetic' to Adolf and his pals than is healthy.

I did attend a public battle at the Brands Hatch speedway many years ago where the local Skinhead club decided to 'seig heil' the German troops as they left the battle area. Highly embarrasing, to say the least. Even today, I am very carefull when selecting public events to attend. Luckily, here in Atlanta, the people are too buisy re-fighting the Civil War, oops, I mean the war of northern aggression, to worry about a few 'nazzies'

Ferg.

[MartyC]

tank

Awsome pictures. Whose PZKW IV is that?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Marty, the Pz IV belongs to Ron & Rex Cadman (they organise the "War & Peace" show). It is a non runner and it came out of Norway, I beleive, about 4 or 5 years ago. It has been at the show the past few years. They hope to restore it to running condition.
Cheers, Ade.

[Patrick Dempsey]

Hi Jack,
in my limited experience of German re-enactment units, they would seem to follow the methods that you have mentioned regarding no affiliation with far right ideology or groups and they maintain that they are self policing.....but (you knew that was coming i'm sure) how far this is enforced is open to debate to say the least.

As an example, one individual belonging to a VERY well known group over here (you'll forgive me if i do not explicitly name them on a public forum) happened to have -in German no less- tatooed around his stomach in Gothic script in a horseshoe shape "My honour is loyalty"
Now tell me that isn't a political statement....
The irony is of course that if this person was alive in late 30's Germany, he would have in all probability been turned down for SS membership due to being covered in tatoos.

Ferg makes an interesting point regarding the cost of the hobby barring more undesirable elements, but that depends on how stringent the parent unit takes it standards. UK (German) standards seem to have PLUNGED in the last few years, and the norm now seems to be undyed, unaltered Swedish wool items, copious amounts of post war Italian camo, some smocks that owe more to a 1960's drugged fuelled haze than Professor Schick, and some awful Dot 44 ( most of which comes from a dealer who "had"-i'm not convinced it's all in the past to be honest-very close links with an odious fascist organization called the "National front" here in the UK).

That was primarily why i chose to create an impression in my own small way, in an attempt to try to redress the balance. If i could get at least one person interested in my appearance, and then the history of the uniforms and period then that would have made all my nerves worthwhile.

Thanks for the thumbs up Ade and Jack, it makes all the difference to me.

Sorry for the rant, just some thoughts from a concerned newbie.

All the best,

Patrick.

[DJT]

Hi Patrick,

I think you did very well. Your impression looks spot on and accurate which is the name of the game. I personally could never put on a German uniform but I can appreciate well meaning and accurate efforts by guys like yourself. As you probably noticed at Beltring though there is alot of muppets who think wearing a German WW2 style helmet and a 1970`s nazi fancy dress costume equals re-enactment Its nice when I see guys like yourself doing it correctly

Regards,

Des

[fergmacleod]

Standards seem to have plunged in recent years.........

Interesting comments from Patrick. Reproduction uniforms being made here in the U.S. have improved greatly in recent years. I had somehow imagined that European reenactors would have access to similar or better 'stuff'. Converted Sweedish wool would be laughed-out of a reenactment here.

Ferg.

[Lars11thpz]

Swedish anything is bad news in US reenacting. So are any kind of politics, right, left, or upside down.


lars