War can be fun!
May 11, 2007 4:54 AM Subscribe
How American is the phenomenon of historical re-enacting?
For those who don't know about it, in the U.S. there are hundreds of clubs and groups in which people re-create scenes of times past - usually in a military context. In the U.S., they portray military units from wars ranging from French & Indian to World War II, and I understand even the Korean war is attracting re-enactors now. They portray the winners and the losers, the good guys and the bad - yes, there are even groups who portray WWII Germans. Also, I'm aware that ancient groups such as Romans and Greeks are becoming popular, and the SCA people have been doing medieval stuff for a long time.
Typically, they have events such as demonstration encampments, in which they cook, live in tents, and basically pretend as completely as they can to 'be' in the year they depict. Often they stage re-creations of battles, even to the point of using artillery and 'dying' on the field from 'injuries' which may include gunshot, explosive, or bayonet. Men, women, and children participate, but men predominate. They spend a lot of time researching their clothing and equipment to a painstaking level of detail.
I'm wondering if this even exists in other nations, and to what extent. I think I've seen a British WWII group on the 1940s House series, but that's the only other nation where I'm aware of this happening. How widespread is it? Is it something you'd perceive as a particularly American hobby? Is there something in the American collective psyche that gives rise to this phenomenon, or do grown people everywhere have a desire to wear their 'garb' and mimic the hardships of times past for a weekend at a time? If there is re-enacting elsewhere, what times and events to people choose to portray?
Thanks for your anecdotes. I haven't looked around the web much, because I'm less interested in knowing whether a unit exists here or there, and more in how re-enacting might fit into other national cultures and about the public profile they have. Looking for context to help me understand this better.
For those who don't know about it, in the U.S. there are hundreds of clubs and groups in which people re-create scenes of times past - usually in a military context. In the U.S., they portray military units from wars ranging from French & Indian to World War II, and I understand even the Korean war is attracting re-enactors now. They portray the winners and the losers, the good guys and the bad - yes, there are even groups who portray WWII Germans. Also, I'm aware that ancient groups such as Romans and Greeks are becoming popular, and the SCA people have been doing medieval stuff for a long time.
Typically, they have events such as demonstration encampments, in which they cook, live in tents, and basically pretend as completely as they can to 'be' in the year they depict. Often they stage re-creations of battles, even to the point of using artillery and 'dying' on the field from 'injuries' which may include gunshot, explosive, or bayonet. Men, women, and children participate, but men predominate. They spend a lot of time researching their clothing and equipment to a painstaking level of detail.
I'm wondering if this even exists in other nations, and to what extent. I think I've seen a British WWII group on the 1940s House series, but that's the only other nation where I'm aware of this happening. How widespread is it? Is it something you'd perceive as a particularly American hobby? Is there something in the American collective psyche that gives rise to this phenomenon, or do grown people everywhere have a desire to wear their 'garb' and mimic the hardships of times past for a weekend at a time? If there is re-enacting elsewhere, what times and events to people choose to portray?
Thanks for your anecdotes. I haven't looked around the web much, because I'm less interested in knowing whether a unit exists here or there, and more in how re-enacting might fit into other national cultures and about the public profile they have. Looking for context to help me understand this better.
These guys are by far and away the best known in the UK, the biggest in Europe apparently, and were founded in the late sixties. For the Roman stuff in the UK, this group are usually considered to be the most prominent, although there are others.
To add another perspective to your question, whenever I've seen re-enactors in the US, I've always thought to myself "Huh, so it's not just the UK that's into this sort of stuff. Go figure...."
posted by hydatius at 5:06 AM on May 11, 2007
To add another perspective to your question, whenever I've seen re-enactors in the US, I've always thought to myself "Huh, so it's not just the UK that's into this sort of stuff. Go figure...."
posted by hydatius at 5:06 AM on May 11, 2007
Sealed Knot in the UK, and if memory serves there's even a Vietnam re-enactment group somewhere in the South East.
Also, Wiki, which has pictures of chaps in Poland dressing up and re-enacting WWII tank battles.
posted by Happy Dave at 5:08 AM on May 11, 2007
Also, Wiki, which has pictures of chaps in Poland dressing up and re-enacting WWII tank battles.
posted by Happy Dave at 5:08 AM on May 11, 2007
Yeah, check this out - Vietnam re-enactors around the globe.
posted by Happy Dave at 5:10 AM on May 11, 2007
posted by Happy Dave at 5:10 AM on May 11, 2007
The Belgians are apparently obsessed with it.
(Sorry, it looks like the articles been archived as a "NYT Select" one, that you have to pay for, now, but it goes on about how it's become a huge national fad there. I'm sure you could use that idea as a starting point to learn more about what's going on there.)
posted by LairBob at 5:16 AM on May 11, 2007
(Sorry, it looks like the articles been archived as a "NYT Select" one, that you have to pay for, now, but it goes on about how it's become a huge national fad there. I'm sure you could use that idea as a starting point to learn more about what's going on there.)
posted by LairBob at 5:16 AM on May 11, 2007
In China they have a lot of Revolution "reenactments"
I had no idea that the Long March involved so much singing, acrobatics and flag waving.
posted by Pollomacho at 5:25 AM on May 11, 2007
I had no idea that the Long March involved so much singing, acrobatics and flag waving.
posted by Pollomacho at 5:25 AM on May 11, 2007
It's not quite the same thing as war re-enactment, but Germans, inspired by the novels of Karl May, seem to enjoy dressing up as Plains Indians.
posted by teg at 5:37 AM on May 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by teg at 5:37 AM on May 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
The re-enacted battles of Los Moros y Cristianos have been going on in Spain since 1588. I am going to see the re-enactments this summer while in Spain.
posted by JJ86 at 5:39 AM on May 11, 2007
posted by JJ86 at 5:39 AM on May 11, 2007
One UK group, Legio Secunda Augusta, contributed to a recent, rather lurid PBS "Secrets of the Dead" episode on the emperor Caracalla.
posted by brianogilvie at 6:12 AM on May 11, 2007
posted by brianogilvie at 6:12 AM on May 11, 2007
Lairbob, the article can be read here entirely.
However, a day after publication in the NY Times, a Belgian newspaper printed an article about the NY Times article that started with "Did you also change into a medieval knight, a lepar or a marauder this weekend? No? You're an exception then, if we can believe The Boston Globe and The New York Times."
The article then summarizes the NY Times article and states that the information was not invented by the American newspapers themselves, it was the European correspondent of The Herald Tribune who even contacted a Belgian trend watcher, Herman Konings, for more information. It then makes fun of the reasons why re-enactment would be big here in Belgium. It concludes with: "Do you also find this all nonsense? Keep in mind then how accurate articles are about Americans who dress up as cowboy or indian, out of longing for those times."
So yes, there are re-enactment groups in Belgium, but we're certainly not obsessed by it or it isn't the new national hobby. It is, however, more popular then before, according to this article. I personally don't know anyone who knows anyone who re-enacts, and you should take the NY Times article with a grain of salt. The reasons it gives for the so-called huge surge of re-enacting in Belgium are questionable.
posted by lioness at 6:38 AM on May 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
However, a day after publication in the NY Times, a Belgian newspaper printed an article about the NY Times article that started with "Did you also change into a medieval knight, a lepar or a marauder this weekend? No? You're an exception then, if we can believe The Boston Globe and The New York Times."
The article then summarizes the NY Times article and states that the information was not invented by the American newspapers themselves, it was the European correspondent of The Herald Tribune who even contacted a Belgian trend watcher, Herman Konings, for more information. It then makes fun of the reasons why re-enactment would be big here in Belgium. It concludes with: "Do you also find this all nonsense? Keep in mind then how accurate articles are about Americans who dress up as cowboy or indian, out of longing for those times."
So yes, there are re-enactment groups in Belgium, but we're certainly not obsessed by it or it isn't the new national hobby. It is, however, more popular then before, according to this article. I personally don't know anyone who knows anyone who re-enacts, and you should take the NY Times article with a grain of salt. The reasons it gives for the so-called huge surge of re-enacting in Belgium are questionable.
posted by lioness at 6:38 AM on May 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
Point totally well-taken, lioness. I just figured that article seemed relevant, and I'd pass it along.
posted by LairBob at 6:48 AM on May 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by LairBob at 6:48 AM on May 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
So, if Belgium is getting interested in re-enactments, what are my chances of living my dream of going over there in 2015 for the 200th year anniversary of Waterloo and getting to muck about in field kit?
I'll be 37 by then, sure, but I wanna go!
posted by robocop is bleeding at 7:04 AM on May 11, 2007
I'll be 37 by then, sure, but I wanna go!
posted by robocop is bleeding at 7:04 AM on May 11, 2007
I have a friend in New Zealand who spends a lot of time building siege machines. Recently he created a mangonel which he named "Chucky".
He and some friends of his are going to be having a collective fling on May 20, if you're in the Wairarapa area.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 7:05 AM on May 11, 2007
He and some friends of his are going to be having a collective fling on May 20, if you're in the Wairarapa area.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 7:05 AM on May 11, 2007
I just watched a documentary on PBS the other night about travelling through japan (I think by Karin Muller), and it included several scenese of what seemed to be historical re-enactment. Lots and lots of young men in samourai costumes. I don't have any context for you, though, and a lot of this may be more cultural/religious relics than historical re-enactment.
posted by ohio at 8:38 AM on May 11, 2007
posted by ohio at 8:38 AM on May 11, 2007
Passion plays (Last Supper and Crucifixion) have been performed for centuries in Europe.
posted by HotPatatta at 9:17 AM on May 11, 2007
posted by HotPatatta at 9:17 AM on May 11, 2007
Here's one that might boggle your mind: The Second Battle Group is a (British) group of SS reenactors.
They caused a minor controversy in the wargaming hobby recently, when they "performed" at a British wargaming convention. Apparently, dressing as a Nazi is "one step too far" for many wargamers. (And dressing children as the Hitler Youth is a step too far for most of the rest of the wargamers.)
I'd provide a link to SBG's website, but it appears to be unreachable right now. I have no idea if that's connected to the controversy.
posted by faster than a speeding bulette at 9:52 AM on May 11, 2007
They caused a minor controversy in the wargaming hobby recently, when they "performed" at a British wargaming convention. Apparently, dressing as a Nazi is "one step too far" for many wargamers. (And dressing children as the Hitler Youth is a step too far for most of the rest of the wargamers.)
I'd provide a link to SBG's website, but it appears to be unreachable right now. I have no idea if that's connected to the controversy.
posted by faster than a speeding bulette at 9:52 AM on May 11, 2007
While I don't remember how much it addresses international historical re-enacting, the book Confederates in the Attic has some interesting insight on Civil War re-enactors (and is a great book just on its own merits).
posted by suki at 10:40 AM on May 11, 2007
posted by suki at 10:40 AM on May 11, 2007
Robocop is Bleeding! Mefi Meetup in Waterloo! I'll be the one in red!
posted by Megafly at 11:14 AM on May 11, 2007
posted by Megafly at 11:14 AM on May 11, 2007
LairBob, my post wasn't meant as a personal attack or to set you straight, it was merely meant as additional information for the OP. I should have rephrased it. Of course you couldn't have known all this, so my apologies for offending you.
posted by lioness at 12:38 PM on May 11, 2007
posted by lioness at 12:38 PM on May 11, 2007
Oh, no offense taken at all, lioness--I didn't mean to come across as defensive, myself, just matter-of-fact. Have a great weekend.
posted by LairBob at 3:32 PM on May 11, 2007
posted by LairBob at 3:32 PM on May 11, 2007
wow, this Karl May stuff is fascinating. Great find, thanks.
was there ever a front page post for anything Karl May? (@ work - mefi limited)
posted by Lizc at 3:34 PM on May 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
was there ever a front page post for anything Karl May? (@ work - mefi limited)
posted by Lizc at 3:34 PM on May 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
In Den gamle By in Århus, Denmark, the battle of 1864 where Denmark lost to Germany is re-enacted with both Danish and German troopers each year.
posted by KimG at 11:30 PM on May 11, 2007
posted by KimG at 11:30 PM on May 11, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
The SCA is fairly active over here, though mostly with American, Canadian and Australian ex-pats. British re-enactors tend to view SCA combat, in which metal blades are not used, as rather odd.
posted by Nick Jordan at 5:03 AM on May 11, 2007