World War II reenactment

A reenactment of fighting during the Battle of Berlin

World War II reenactment is the historical reenactment of the various combatants involved in World War II. The types of events include living history, which emphasises the garrison life of the average serviceman or servicewoman, and tactical events, involving simulated combat operations. The hobby has expanded significantly since the 1970s and is now practiced around the world.[1]

Some reenactment includes Waffen-SS units, the paramilitary force of the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. Although banned in Germany and Austria, SS reenacting groups exist elsewhere, including in Europe and North America. By the end of the 1990s there were 20 Waffen-SS reenactment groups in the United States.[2] Historians Charles Sydnor and Rob Citino have been critical of the ethics and historical context of Waffen-SS reenactments.[3]

Within the UK, a number of events only allow the portrayal of Allied service personnel and ban the wearing of any German uniform featuring symbols of the Third Reich. In some cases events permit only Heer, Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe, whilst specifically refusing any SS uniforms.[4][5]

See also

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Flagel 2012, p. 342.
  2. ↑ Smelser & Davies 2008, pp. 226.
  3. ↑ The Atlantic 2010.
  4. ↑ "Nazi uniforms banned at Lancashire Railway WWII event". BBC. 27 May 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  5. ↑ "Nazi uniforms banned from 1940s weekend after visitors came as SS officers". The Telegraph. 13 June 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2014.

Bibliography

  • Flagel, Thomas R. (2012). History Buff’s Guide to World War II: Top Ten Rankings of the Best, Worst, Largest, and Most Lethal People and Events of World War II. Naperville, Illinois: Sourcebooks, Inc.
  • Green, Joshua (2010). "Why Is This GOP House Candidate Dressed as a Nazi?". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 2015-12-21. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  • Smelser, Ronald; Davies, Edward J. (2008). The Myth of the Eastern Front: The Nazi-Soviet War in American Popular Culture. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-83365-3.
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