World War II reenactment
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World War II reenacting is a hobby that is believed to have begun in the United States in 1975, and is a type of historical reenactment.
[edit] History
While some dramatic recreations of wartime events had been staged for theatrical purposes (the movie Theirs is the Glory, for example, was filmed on location in Arnhem using veterans of the battle) and for military purposes (the last days in Hitler's bunker were recreated by the actual participants at the insistence of their Soviet captors), the reenactment of World War II as a hobby traces its roots back to the Historical Reenactment Society (HRS)[citation needed].
Not long after the first HRS event in 1975 — an offshoot of American Civil War reenactment — WWII reenactors had begun to form permanent groups, each of which adopted the designation of a specific military unit that had served during the war. One of the first of these organizations was a 1st SS Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler reenactment group in Missouri. Since that time hundreds of units have formed worldwide, representing nearly every nationality involved in the conflict.[1] Second World War reenactments also begun in Canada around the same time, however, they evolved independently of their American counterparts.
Centered on specific types of historical interpretation, participation within the hobby has usually focused on one of two different aspects of the lives and appearances of the soldiers, sailors and airmen that were involved in that conflict.
The first, known as Living History, or sometimes as a "barracks impression", emphasises the garrison life of the average serviceman. Within this impression various types of gear are displayed in a static manner in a 1940s or war period setting. These impressions are mainly used for educational purposes.
The other form of reenactment known as tactical events, involve simulated combat operations within predesignated urban or rural areas. These tactical events are usually held on large tracts of private land, although quite often events are held on military bases. Participating units often bring WWII era vehicles and heavy weapons to these events that their organizations have either restored or acquired as reproductions. These vehicles and weapons include German manufactured Hetzer self-propelled assault gun, Sdkfz 251 armoured personal carrier, PaK 40 anti-tank guns, as well as many others from various countries. Costly to operate and maintain these vehicles and equipment represent a significant investment for the organizations that use them. Involvement in the hobby is relatively expensive, with initial costs as of 2007 for uniforms and personal gear approaching USD 1000 per person. However these costs can be considerably higher, depending on the nationality that is being portrayed.
