Docu about the War & Peace show 2007

[MG-Freak]

Found this on the net. The first 20 minutes are nice, but then the BCC journalist comes with all these questions and the reenactors are not quite happy with that.

http://quicksilverscreen.com/watch?video=42936

Regards,

Erwin

[pzrwest]

There has been alot of discussion about the video that they set out with an agenda and kept at it till they got what they wanted.

[Tom Castell]

Guy blue t-shirt running away from reporter, imagines this in the combat realy!

[Abzeichen]

Mr. Sweeney's Doc

I have just viewed Mr. Sweeney's "investigate report" on the "War and Peace Show, 2007" for the BBC. It is obvious that Mr. Sweeney had a clear agenda prior to making the program.

I do agree with to of the points Mr. Sweeney made in the program, (1) that there is a disproportionate number of SS to Heer soldiers portrayed in reenacting as compared to the historical record. I am a firm believer that problem should be rectified. (2) There are white supremists among the legitimate German reënactors. However, his program refuses to portray any of the legitimate WWII reënactors who seek to portray the WWII German accurately, collect artifacts, and associate with people of a common interest in history.

I also agree that the typical public battle primarily for entertainment and not education. In WWII a soldier did his best to keep from being observed, which is inconsistent with a public entertainment. The actual education comes from the camp site when the daily life of the soldier is portrayed and discussed.

I also take issue with the manner in which he invaded the privacy of the reënactors. In the US, he committed illegal wire-tapping. It seemed he made his point when members of the LAH refused to speak with him. I think the program administrators should have done a better job of keeping David Irving away from the show. The public events I have attended in St Louis and Rockford, IL were more family oriented. I did not see vendors hawking neo-Nazi mugs and T-shirts.

Bruce

[oli4vercammen]

David Irving, he was invited by a vendor, so the people of the show couldn't have known if he would come. He didn't do anything wrong so on wich ground could he be trown out, signing the books the vendor sells for him?
I was there: I didn't like the store, but it didn't bother me, as I believe in freedom. I wouldn't have bought anything overthere, but I wouldn't forbid it.

As for the ballance of Waffen-SS vs. Wehrmacht/Luftwaffe or even Axis vs. Allied, how would you solve that in a free world? It is still the choise of the re-enactors to do what they like.
but this is only seen in the WW2 re-enacting field. Do you think there are 50/50 VC vs. American troups or for the Gulf wars, do you think there are 50/50 Iraq vs. American troups? I don't think so... The problem is also that the WW2 Allies where shatered between other periods. There where also some re-enacting groups in the vehicle collector park so if you count them also it could be a tie for the Allies vs. the Axis.

[Abzeichen]

Get the numbers right

David Irving, he was invited by a vendor, so the people of the show couldn't have known if he would come. He didn't do anything wrong so on wich ground could he be trown out, signing the books the vendor sells for him?
I was there: I didn't like the store, but it didn't bother me, as I believe in freedom. I wouldn't have bought anything overthere, but I wouldn't forbid it.

As for the ballance of Waffen-SS vs. Wehrmacht/Luftwaffe or even Axis vs. Allied, how would you solve that in a free world? It is still the choise of the re-enactors to do what they like.
but this is only seen in the WW2 re-enacting field. Do you think there are 50/50 VC vs. American troups or for the Gulf wars, do you think there are 50/50 Iraq vs. American troups? I don't think so... The problem is also that the WW2 Allies where shatered between other periods. There where also some re-enacting groups in the vehicle collector park so if you count them also it could be a tie for the Allies vs. the Axis.

You can control the number and types of units in your reenactment society. In the HRS they had a moritorium on "elite units" years ago. This is to prevent two problems, (1) an excessive amount of SS/FJ units and an excessive number of 3-4 man units. 15 years ago the HRS had become a collection of 30+ SS units of which 30 were made up of less than 5 members. The HRS forced the mini units to join the larger units. Also a lot of the small units were farbs who wanted to "do their own thing" and this problem was eliminated as well.

You can control what units attend an event. You can have an invitation only event.

This is not a free world, it is a world with countries of various degrees of freedom. However none of these "free countries" guarentee the right to reenact. Mr. Irving may the right to write his holocaust denial books in England and most definitely in the US, however that does not mean that an event sponsor has any obligation to invite him. By inviting him, there is a tacit or implied accpetance of his views. I seriously doubt that David Irving would be invited to any events in US, he is a political hot potato.

It is not relevent what the ratio of troops were in the Iraq war, as we are not reenacting that war. It is relevent what the ratio of Heer/SS troops existed in WWII. Obviously the Waffen SS was a fraction of the Heer. The proportion at any event should reflect approximately the correct proportion. Simply control the number of units you invite. The allies should outnumber the Germans at any post D-day reenactment, otherwise you are rewriting history. That is not the purpose of reeenacting.

Bruce

[Black_Legion]

Well you know what they say-The forbbiden is the sweetest.

Here in Croatia we also have more German than Allied, but the reason is not political but economical(we have 10 re-enectors in the country),they cannot efford US gear so the but China made stuff.

[Abzeichen]

Well you know what they say-The forbbiden is the sweetest.

Here in Croatia we also have more German than Allied, but the reason is not political but economical(we have 10 re-enectors in the country),they cannot efford US gear so the but China made stuff.

I thought the Chinese make American uniforms as well. I know someone who has a HHK American uniform.

[Black_Legion]

They do, but we had a Homeland war in begging of the 90'(1990'-1995') and you can find bigger amount of Axis eqiut. then the US and UK one.
We do have a wills jeep, truck(TAM but converted to look like Blitz) and if we rent a BMW R75(but it is Olypia that looks like BMW).
It is preety poor if you look that we had one of the biggest battlefields and 2 wars in 60 years.
So many things were destyed or converted by the communists so we lost a big portion of history.
We do have many Sherman rotten in the fields but the govermant don't allow us or anybody to buy it and restor it.
Pretty strict laws.
Lets get back to the subject, this what you can see on the dock is preety normal, I am a modelar and the jurnalist that came to our Modelar's show in Zagreb accused my friend because he put a svastika on the tale wing of the messerschmit Bf-109 that surved in Croatian Flight legion on Eastern front.
Aldo I do only tanks so i don't have that problem,but my friend build the Hasegawas Hitlermobile and he put a 12 svastikas on the diorama had no problems at all.
Pretty crazy if you ask me

[oli4vercammen]

You can control the number and types of units in your reenactment society. In the HRS they had a moritorium on "elite units" years ago. This is to prevent two problems, (1) an excessive amount of SS/FJ units and an excessive number of 3-4 man units. 15 years ago the HRS had become a collection of 30+ SS units of which 30 were made up of less than 5 members. The HRS forced the mini units to join the larger units. Also a lot of the small units were farbs who wanted to "do their own thing" and this problem was eliminated as well.

Bruce

what is the HRS? Heer reenacting society, a quick guess?

I like to see many different rare units, rather then see another Großdeutschland group (which is done in almost every country)

[Abzeichen]

keep it simple

what is the HRS? Heer reenacting society, a quick guess?

I like to see many different rare units, rather then see another Großdeutschland group (which is done in almost every country)

(WWII) Historical Reenactment Society, it is the oldest WWII reenactment society in the world. I agree too many people do GD. I think people should stick with the simple units like 352te ID, 71te Luftlande Div, 18te Feld Division. You don't need a cuff title to be strack. You just need to have your impression wired tight.

The best impression you can have is feldgrau uniform, a feldgrau Stahlhelm, a '31 Zeltbahn, and a K98. Keep the impression simple and keep it correct.

Bruce


trench.jpg

[Craigob]

too many GD ?. LOL,.. never..

[Abzeichen]

Gd

too many GD ?. LOL,.. never..

I presume you are in 7th company. They are a good group of guys. I was impressed when I saw them at FIG four years ago. I wish all units were that serious.

Bruce

[Craigob]

hey Bruce,
yep thats me.. thanks for the compliment, you know, last year was our 30th year and there is a lot more units now getting the act together, the Geirbergs are one such group.. great impressions.

[Abzeichen]

Craig,

That is the great thing about authenticity, the more it spreads the better it is for all.

Bruce