World War II reenactment

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.{{snf|Flagel|2012|p=342}}

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.{{sfn|Smelser|Davies|2008|pp=226}} 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.{{cite web|title=Nazi uniforms banned at Lancashire Railway WWII event|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-13572992|publisher=BBC|access-date=21 December 2014|date=27 May 2011}}{{cite web|title=Nazi uniforms banned from 1940s weekend after visitors came as SS officers|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/9329730/Nazi-uniforms-banned-from-1940s-weekend-after-visitors-came-as-SS-officers.html|publisher=The Telegraph|access-date=21 December 2014|date=13 June 2012}}

In 2007, BBC investigative reporter John Sweeney produced a documentary entitled Weekend Nazis that delved into the reenactment scene in the UK. Members of German units, especially the Second Battle Group (SBG), were interviewed and investigated about their hobby. Two SBG members were covertly filmed expressing racist views. The documentary was broadcast on 27 August 2007; in the ensuing controversy, the SBG issued a statement through their lawyers: "The views alleged to have been made by members of the SBG are, in the opinion of the SBG, fascist, racist and utterly reprehensible and as such are views we strongly oppose."{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1561261/Neo-Nazis-infiltrate-WWII-re-enactment-group.html| work=Daily Telegraph| date=2007-08-27| title=Neo-Nazis infiltrate WWII re-enactment group| access-date=2007-09-05 | location=London | first=Graham | last=Tibbetts}}

In 2010, Rich Iott, a Republican candidate for US Congress, came under intense scrutiny after images were released showing him wearing an SS uniform.{{sfn|The Atlantic|2010}} Iott defended his interest in historical reenactment.{{cite web|title=House Candidate Rich Iott Defends Nazi Uniform Photos|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/tea-party-nazi-reenactor-rick-iott-defends/story?id=11845422/64319/|publisher=ABC News|access-date=22 December 2014|date=8 October 2010}}

Polish groups reenact light cavalry (uhlan).{{cite web|url=http://podlasie24.pl//bielsk-podl./region/rekonstruktorzy-przygotowuja-sie-do-nocnej-inscenizacji-bitwy-pod-olszewem-1ddac.html|title=Rekonstruktorzy przygotowują się do nocnej inscenizacji bitwy pod Olszewem|website=Regionalny Portal Informacyjny PODLASIE24.PL|access-date=24 June 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.outono.net/elentir/2017/11/04/battle-of-lomianki-1939-awesome-historical-reenactment-of-the-german-invasion-of-poland/|title=Battle of Łomianki 1939: Awesome Historical Reenactment of the German Invasion of Poland|website=Outono.net|access-date=24 June 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://bialystok.naszemiasto.pl/artykul/festyn-kawaleryjski-w-bialymstoku-piekne-amazonki-i-dzielni,4803945,artgal,t,id,tm.html|title=Festyn kawaleryjski w Białymstoku. Piękne amazonki i dzielni ułani z 10 Pułku Ułanów Litewskich pokazali co potrafią [ZDJĘCIA]|first=Olga|last=Goździewska|date=17 September 2018|website=Bialystok.naszemiasto.pl|access-date=24 June 2019}}

Polish groups reenact German crimes, eg. death march of Stutthof concentration camp prisoners and execution of 22 Polish workers in Słupsk.{{cite web|url=https://gp24.pl/rekonstrukcja-egzekucji-polakow-w-lasku-poludniowym/ar/4849901|title=Rekonstrukcja egzekucji Polaków w Lasku Południowym|first=Jarosław|last=Stencel|date=6 March 2015|website=Głos Pomorza|access-date=24 June 2019}}

In September 2010 Będzin Ghetto deportation of 1942 was reenacted.{{cite web|url=http://sosnowiec.wyborcza.pl/sosnowiec/1,93867,8369073,Rekonstrukcja_likwidacji_getta_w_Bedzinie__ZDJECIA_.html?disableRedirects=true|title=Wyborcza.pl|website=Sosnowiec.wyborcza.pl|access-date=24 June 2019}}

Also crimes committed by Ukrainian nationalists were reenacted, including the burning of a reconstructed village.{{cite web|url=https://www.wprost.pl/kraj/409477/rekonstrukcja-rzezi-wolynskiej-posel-solidarnej-polski-sukces.html|title=Rekonstrukcja rzezi wołyńskiej. Poseł Solidarnej Polski: sukces!|date=22 July 2013|website=Wprost.pl|access-date=24 June 2019}}

• List of historical reenactment groups
• Waffen-SS in popular culture

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book | last = Flagel | first = Thomas R. | title = 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 | publisher = Sourcebooks, Inc. | location = Naperville, Illinois | year = 2012 }}
• {{cite web

| website=The Atlantic

| last = Green

| first = Joshua

| url = https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/10/why-is-this-gop-house-candidate-dressed-as-a-nazi/64319/

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151221224316/http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/10/why-is-this-gop-house-candidate-dressed-as-a-nazi/64319/

| archive-date = 2015-12-21

| title = Why Is This GOP House Candidate Dressed as a Nazi?

| date = 2010

| access-date = 20 December 2015

| ref = {{harvid|The Atlantic|2010}}

}}

• {{Cite book

|last1=Smelser

|first1=Ronald

|author-link1=Ronald Smelser

|last2=Davies

|first2=Edward J.

|author-link2=Edward J. Davies

|year=2008

|title=The Myth of the Eastern Front: The Nazi-Soviet War in American Popular Culture

|location= New York

|publisher=Cambridge University Press

|isbn=978-0-521-83365-3

}}

{{commons category|World War II reenactments}}

{{Reenactment}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:World War II Reenactment}}

Category:Reenactment of the late modern period