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| Nazi Reenactors on the Western Maryland Scenic https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30408 |
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| Author: | Chris Webster [ Sat Nov 13, 2010 12:40 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Nazi Reenactors on the Western Maryland Scenic |
The Washington Post and Baltimore Sun have posted articles about complaints from a passenger who rode the West Maryland Scenic Railway during "Cumberland Goes to War," an annual commemoration of World War II. The passenger rode expecting to see impersonators playing the Andrews Sisters but instead saw a "group of men dressed in Nazi uniforms, including the black-shirted SS, the elite unit founded by Adolf Hitler." Here are the articles: Washington Post: Maryland woman shocked by SS appearance in World War II train ride Baltimore Sun: German soldiers on Maryland train spark historical debate I think this line in the Sun article says it best:"[The passenger's] response and similar controversies surrounding war re-enactments elsewhere in the country illustrate the fine line between conveying historical events and glorifying a dismal past, or even reopening wounds." |
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| Author: | Dave [ Sat Nov 13, 2010 4:00 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Nazi Reenactors on the Western Maryland Scenic |
IF you tell people what they are going to see, and when they see it they don't like it, it is their fault for signing up for something they should have avoided given fair warning. If you don't honestly advise potential customers about potentially contraversial programming, you are accountable for "misleading" them. I'm firmly in the camp of tellling it like it was so we all viscerally understand why some things ought never be forgotten or repeated, but not everybody likes reality and prefer Bowdlerizations or incomplete perceptions instead, and they tend to garner media attention when confronted with things that cause them discomfort. So, Colonial Williamsburg doesn't smell like it really did, the Golden Spike was driven in proximity to an air conditioned visitors center, and Disney World contains men with no facial hair and where any trash magically disappears without effort. Just be honest and careful, people..... dave |
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| Author: | Jim Herron [ Sun Nov 14, 2010 12:51 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Nazi Reenactors on the Western Maryland Scenic |
I agree that it depends on how the event is advertised. As I see it, there are two ways to present a WWII theme. One would be to represent an American troop train with soldiers going off to war or perhaps arriving at a training camp. These would involve U S troops and equipment plus perhaps a USO show. Generally, it would offer a "stateside: experience. The other way would be to present an event taking place in the theatre of war or in Europe if the enemy is Germany or Italian or on a Pacific island if the enemy is Japan. One such event that is very popular is "Von Kessinger's Express", a theme developed by re-enactors and the Florida RR Museum. The setting is the Normandy area of France just after the Allied invasion. German troops are feeling the assault from the Allies but they still have command of their territory. The scenario is that the fictional General Von Kessinger has been ordered to take a train which is carrying French citizens and make a run for Paris. You can see clips of it on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKwQVNVYxeI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWgGrvrRGDw This involves re-enactors of American, English and German troops plus French Resistance members. The museum visitors for the day are the French civilians and they are encouraged to wear appropriate clothing for their visit. As the visitors arrive at the museum site, they must pass by a German guard post and there is a large German camp just beyond which has a swastika flag flying. These troops and their equipment are very authentic. The troops include regular German army personnel (wehrmacht) plus police, SS and Gestapo agents. Also on the property is the Allied camp with U S Army Rangers, British troops and other allied troops. Again, all the uniforms and equipment are authentic. Both camps are open for public visits. When the visitors arrive, they are channeled through a German boarding area where they are issued their "papers" as French workers. Then, they are moved to the waiting area by the train which has been decorated as a French train for the event. Shortly before departure, General Von Kessinger arrives in a motorcade with his wife and children. As they exit their vehicles (with appropriate guard personnel watching for their safety), a French underground member attempts to assassinate the General. When he misses, he is shot down by German guards. The General then orders his troops to board the French and themselves and get the train moving. As the train moves along the line, several attacks are made at the train while aboard the train, skits are performed in each car involving French Resistance members, German troops ask passengers to show their "papers", etc. A group of French Resistance (re-enactors) are found to have contraband and are arrested. They are ordered to be shot in a firing squad which will take place in a field at the end of the museum's line. When the train reaches the end of the line, the French Resistance members are taken off of the train and lined up with the Germans ready to shoot them. (The train has been positioned so that all the passengers can view the action but they stay aboard the train.) Suddenly, the Allies attack and a fierce battle ensues. Of course, the Allies are victorious and the train, including General Von Kessinger and all of his troops are captured. The Resistance members are saved. Now under Allied control, the train is ordered to return to it's departure point and makes it's run back. More skits are enacted aboard the train involving Allied troops interrogating the Germans who are quite belligerent. En-route, a German attack on the train is thwarted. Back at the originating location, Germans again attack the Allies but are beaten and the captured General is taken away by the Allies. As you can probably imagine, there is a lot of shooting during the event and some major equipment has been used including a bazooka, machine guns, tanks and cannons. What has been the public reaction? Mostly, a lot of praise. Some WWII veterans have become emotional. Some have talked about their war experiences for the first time. One Jewish family attended wearing yellow stars of David sewn on their clothing. While this event is aimed at conditions in France in the summer of 1944 and not directed toward the Holocaust, this family wanted their children to get an idea of how the Germans acted. They liked the event. These events have been presented for several years, always around the Veterans Day weekend and have been well received by those who attended. Is this something that can be done successfully anywhere? Probably not but it has been done without problems at the Florida RR Museum. It typically draws around 900 passengers for the three departures (two on Saturday and one on Sunday). |
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| Author: | p51 [ Sun Nov 14, 2010 12:58 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Nazi Reenactors on the Western Maryland Scenic |
There’s also a fine line between public perception and any actual reality. The bottom line is NOBODY portrays the “black shirts” of Nazi Germany. I’ve been a WW2 re-enactor (only US stuff, I’ve never owned nor wore a German uniform) since the late 80s and I know for a fact it isn’t done. What is done, however, is the Waffen SS, a military arm that was for the most part used as all the other arms of the Germany military. That’s not to say they didn’t do horrible things, they sure did. All of the German military committed terrible acts at one time or another. The SS gets singled out because part of that branch carried out the “final solution” against Jews, gypsies and plenty of other groups that Hitler didn’t like. But yes, there’s a public perception today that this equals pure evil. Now if that’s deserved to a man or not, well, that will be argued for many more generations. But I must remind everyone that if you’re going to have an event that shows the war and you want a “battle” or to portray more than just one side, someone’s simply got to be the guys in the other uniforms. My group years ago was asked to put on a spectator battle event, but they didn’t want any controversy and didn’t want people dressed as Germans. We just stood there with a baffled look until I finally said, “Okay, so who do we battle with, each other?” The event people were speechless, and they said that had never occurred to them. I find it odd that the article mentioned the VETERANS had no problem with it. The people who complain about stuff like this usually are the people who weren’t there and had no direct impact on their lives for it. I’ve seen plenty of US WW2 vets and even some holocaust survivors laughing and joking with German re-enactors at events, because they know if you’re going to try to show field conditions in WW2 it’s insane to think you can do that by showing only one side of the battle. |
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| Author: | nathansixchime [ Sun Nov 14, 2010 2:26 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Nazi Reenactors on the Western Maryland Scenic |
The most accurate way to portray Germans on the homefront is on a POW train. KL |
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