Children and re-enactment?

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BedsnHerts
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Children and re-enactment?

Post by BedsnHerts »

I know this has been done before but please read on...

For the past three years I've attended public WW2 events with my daughter in dressy up. She is now 6 and has some very definite ideas on what she wants to do. Last week I asked her if she wanted to come with me again this summer and she said she did, provided she could wear a uniform. Specifically the same uniform as her auntie.

For the record, her great aunt was in the BDM and it's a picture of her in a BDM Anzug that has really caught her eye.

Now apart from the fact that she's too young to be JM or BDM, what is the general opinion on this hobby for youngsters? Do I say "no", insist on her going civilian (crap clothes) and risk her losing interest in history?

Or do I say "OK", dress her in an outfit that is too old for her and risk us both being lambasted for all the usual reasons?

Opinions please...
barryG
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Re: Children and re-enactment?

Post by barryG »

Its the wrong uniform for her age, so a no as you want to be historically correct dont you? Personally I dont have a problem with kids in uniform, providing the parent and child fully grasp what they are doing.

Some folk get very upset seeing a young lad of say 14 in HJ uniform, but Id sooner that than him being in a hoody terrorising the local neighbourhood.
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BedsnHerts
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Re: Children and re-enactment?

Post by BedsnHerts »

barryG wrote:you want to be historically correct dont you?
Yes, that's the biggest issue for me. I might try and edge her towards Kinderschar. At least it's uniform-ish
barryG wrote:I dont have a problem with kids in uniform, providing the parent and child fully grasp what they are doing.
Depends on what you mean by "fully grasp".

As explained, how far do you push authenticity if fully authentic means a young 'un losing their interest?
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stefan
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Re: Children and re-enactment?

Post by stefan »

Why not just go civilian look? even the very German back satchel school children look ? you could always put an appropriate tinny (pin badge for some event like the olympics)to clarify the German war time period and even an old bottle of Fanta if you can get them, plenty of scope still
Jaws
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Re: Children and re-enactment?

Post by Jaws »

BedsnHerts wrote:I know this has been done before but please read on...

For the past three years I've attended public WW2 events with my daughter in dressy up. She is now 6 and has some very definite ideas on what she wants to do. Last week I asked her if she wanted to come with me again this summer and she said she did, provided she could wear a uniform. Specifically the same uniform as her auntie.

For the record, her great aunt was in the BDM and it's a picture of her in a BDM Anzug that has really caught her eye.

Now apart from the fact that she's too young to be JM or BDM, what is the general opinion on this hobby for youngsters? Do I say "no", insist on her going civilian (crap clothes) and risk her losing interest in history?

Or do I say "OK", dress her in an outfit that is too old for her and risk us both being lambasted for all the usual reasons?

Opinions please...
I'm in the same position. I'm working on a JM outfit for my eldest, my youngest now wants to be just like her big sister. :roll:

My personal problem is her wearing the hakenkreuz. I will be happy for her to have it on her JM outfit once she knows what is stands for.

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Gary.
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Society Against Splinter A Bandoliers

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Hoffman Grink

Re: Children and re-enactment?

Post by Hoffman Grink »

Don't forget the comedy tasches for them...... adds that essential parody element. No one can accuse your kids of being Nazis if they are wearing comedy tasches.
BedsnHerts
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Re: Children and re-enactment?

Post by BedsnHerts »

:lol: ..and a John Cleese style walk to make them fully orfentic narzees :lol:
Jaws wrote:My personal problem is her wearing the hakenkreuz. I will be happy for her to have it on her JM outfit once she knows what is stands for.
Quite a few pics show uniform without Hakenkreutz. Either parents couldn't afford to buy the whole lot at once or else those with anti Nazi sentiments chose not to put them on their kid

http://bdmhistory.fotki.com/pictures/uniform-photos/
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Panzer212
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Re: Children and re-enactment?

Post by Panzer212 »

Some folk get very upset seeing a young lad of say 14 in HJ uniform, but Id sooner that than him being in a hoody terrorising the local neighbourhood.
I am only 15 and my grandmother still has not accepted what I am now in. My nephew, however is very interested and may get involved himself.
Gott Mit Uns
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Re: Children and re-enactment?

Post by Gott Mit Uns »

Six is way too young for anyone to grasp the symbology and full reality behind what it is they are dressing up as. I dont think people have a problem with the child, they just look towards the parents and disagree with the morality behind them dressing their kid up as a hoolla-hooping, Jew hating Arian mädel. A family relative of mine was a BDM girl, and much like her friends, finds it hard to come to terms with the way in which they hated Jews/Gypsies etc because they were told to. They were too young and naive themselves to realize the crap they were being fed - and their opinions remained staunch until male family members began to come back from the front lines and tell them of the true reality.

I mean your child would be dressing up as a premiere icon of German National Socialism - the poster girl of the Nazi regime (so to speak). Of course some people are gonna look at you and think "weirdo".
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BedsnHerts
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Re: Children and re-enactment?

Post by BedsnHerts »

Gott Mit Uns wrote:Six is way too young for anyone to grasp the symbology and full reality
as was the case for the kids of the time...
Gott Mit Uns wrote:they just look towards the parents and disagree with the morality
I'm not concerned with other people's judgements on my morality.
Gott Mit Uns wrote:dressing their kid up as a hoolla-hooping, Jew hating Arian mädel
Really?? If I dress her in a hoodie does that also make her a window smashing, juvenile delinquent?
Gott Mit Uns wrote:A family relative of mine was a BDM girl...
So were all my family - and their experiences were totally different to yours. Clearly your relative's BDM Leiterinn was a rabid anti-semite. Is that an indictment on the Leiterinn or on her girls?
Gott Mit Uns wrote:I mean your child would be dressing up as a premiere icon of German National Socialism
I thought that wearing SS runes made you a premiere icon of National Socialism? Or am I wrong on that as well?
Hoffman Grink

Re: Children and re-enactment?

Post by Hoffman Grink »

No the comedy tasche is definitely a premier icon of National Socialism - Laurel and Hitler, Charlie Hitler and Adolf Hitler were all prime examples.

IF your daughter is (as I suspect) an intelligent, well balanced individual with parents who take time with her and answer her questions - Dress her as you want and make sure she has an enjoyable weekend away. She will sort out the whys and wherefores of what she is doing and decide for herself how to go about it.

All this fuss about bringing your kids with you whether it be HJ, Pimpf, DJM, DBM etc. is largely phooey....... They are kids - camping with their parents and not roaming the streets spitting at pensioners or smoking rhubarb roots to get high.
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Cruiser
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Re: Children and re-enactment?

Post by Cruiser »

Thats a new one, rhubarb roots, must look into that, Chees Hoff :wink:
I am the bane of pointy stick forums, thrice banned for honesty, hater of internet re enactors ( you know, the ones that know everything but never do an event).
Gott Mit Uns
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Re: Children and re-enactment?

Post by Gott Mit Uns »

What a bogus argument: Its ok to dress kids up as political fascist Second World War pawns because - hey - at least they arent going round wearing hoodies, assaulting old pensioners...LIKE NORMAL KIDS DO.... :lol:

Pull the other one gents, its got bells on.

On the one hand you want to dress your kid up in what even you consider might not be appropriate attire - yet you wonder why people may take issue with you for doing so? I am sure you arent right-wing, but you cant blame people for taking objection towards you dressing a 6 year old up in a political costume. And you cant argue that the BDM (the League of German Girls) wasn't a sadistically political tool - just like the Hitler Youth. These were the institutions which promoted Nazi idealism to children - who then became adults who thought it was ok to despise people who were different from them.

I think we just get away with justifying portraying German combat soldiers. But honestly - if people start doing this HJ/BDM/SS Helferin lark - where does is it all end? Does that mean it becomes ok to turn up in a RAD or SD uniform? Are we going to start seeing groups of young boys marching behind old men in brown shirts and black shorts with drums and flags at war and peace now?

Kids camping with their parents - not a problem. Kids camping with their parents dressed in political uniforms.....I think normal people would see that as a little disturbed.
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Hoffman Grink

Re: Children and re-enactment?

Post by Hoffman Grink »

Arfter free......
Dee farner hoack........ Dee ry-en fear geshossen......,
Awtogevva nah.......
Ess ah marsh eert...... Mit ruuu ig festen shrit.....
BaggyPants

Re: Children and re-enactment?

Post by BaggyPants »

Ah, that song about trouble with sausages: "The Wurst Hassle" :D
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