How to deal with the ignorant public.

[soldat44]

I suppose so,just thought it was a bit sad that they are like that,but ho hum.Just gutted i didn't get up to Lewisham as the V1 display looked good.Will drive up next year for look about.

[Stigroadie]

You have to think about context to a degree?
What would a combat uniformed German soldier be doing in the north of England in 1943?
That is the setting for the Pickering part of the event.
You also have to ask what would you be doing wearing a smock on leave?

[Gilhusen]

You have to think about context to a degree?
What would a combat uniformed German soldier be doing in the north of England in 1943?
That is the setting for the Pickering part of the event.
You also have to ask what would you be doing wearing a smock on leave?

Chilling

[soldat44]

You have to think about context to a degree?
What would a combat uniformed German soldier be doing in the north of England in 1943?
That is the setting for the Pickering part of the event.
You also have to ask what would you be doing wearing a smock on leave?

Point taken,could have said i got lost and ended up in north england hence the smock and location.Will take smock off next time and sneak aboard,try and pass myself off as a polish soldier or other allie.

[Gliderinf]

They can make whatever rules they like - but they shouldnt be calling people the N-Word.

[Sheikh Al Stranghi]

They would have had to return the smock to unit stocks when on leave.

If we travel in german uniform in public, we only wear trousers, shirt and perhaps wool sweater, no jacket or hat, we look civilian that way.

Cheers

[rolfwaldmann]

The worst I've had is someone saying at Fortress Wales that our display was pretty controversial, so I said to the couple that we're just ordinary guys depicting a period in history and that we don't bring politics into it. I further said that when people see our uniforms it actually works in a sort of 'shock treatment' fashion, in essence it gives them a prod, makes them think about the war and therefore about our veterans that won it, so in a way our hobby is actually helping to promote remembrance rather than indulging in glorification. But that couple were pretty intelligent, I've yet to deal with the kind of grunts mentioned previously on this thread, though I guess that's coming at some point in the future. One of our bunch encountered some of those white supremacists at Fortress Wales, he said 'Nah mate we don't do all that, you've got it wrong' and walked away. Fortunately, or hopefully, there's not too many of those types walking around.

[valkyrie895]

I of course have been ambushed by the "less than educated" members of the public. How do you think they got that way? Nobody educated them! If you want to be a hermit and ignore all the public who come out to an event to learn about any aspect of the war, then I feel you are sadly mislead. This hobby is all about educating the public. When somebody asks me if I'm a Nazi, I do my best to explain the differing political views between party leaders and conscripted servicemen who served because they were drafted. If all they are interested in is the "guns", then I'll do my best to teach them a couple things about German Rifle doctrine or machine-gun based field tactics, or even just what it's called, how it's loaded, and what bullet it fires. If they walk by around meal time, and some mislead youngster asks if it's real food, I say "I certainly hope so, but I'm afraid to ask!". Then they feel like they are interacting and gaining something more than just a few spent blanks from after the battle. I have been asked on numerous occasions if my uniform is real wool. It's not a very smart question to ask, but I feel it is my duty to answer it either way. At least then they are a little more educated for the next guy who has to listen to them. Tacticals are fun, going out into the woods and playing cowboys and indians in world war two uniforms, but I really don't see how that benefits the very purpose of this hobby.
Just a little food for thought.

-Karl

[Gusbucket13]

I have only had this happen twice, I have a stock standard reply that takes the ground out from beneath them namely.

"I also re-enact Russian, Italian and American civil War so you better call me a Communist Facist Republican too while youre at it!"

I can vouch that it works....

[pepperpot]

but being rude to them also doesnt help, valkyrie895 has the right idea, it certainly works with both the units i belong to and helps the public to understand an un biased opinion of the werhmacht.
pepperpot
and yes i do ecws as well on the cromwellian side.

[superjay]

I have to deal with the general pubic (and yes i did spell that right) everyday, being a publican and reenactor, sometimes i am in german uniform behind the bar, getting back from the mil fair at chatham docks or a show etc, i have had loads of comments, mostly good but on occasion dumb and stupid, without doubt the best way to deal with these mind numbing wastes of space is to eat them!!!!

[Brigardefuhrer]

I have to deal with the general pubic (and yes i did spell that right) everyday, being a publican and reenactor, sometimes i am in german uniform behind the bar, getting back from the mil fair at chatham docks or a show etc, i have had loads of comments, mostly good but on occasion dumb and stupid, without doubt the best way to deal with these mind numbing wastes of space is to eat them!!!!

Now we know your meat source for the burgers at your Bar-b-Q

[johankreig]

I have had greif from both family and public, My aunt no longer talks to me as she says I am a Nazi and a traitor, collegues at work openly call me a nazu despite me telling them what we all know, and then the public, at waddington this last weekend we had one of teh feldengarme chaps with his bike and side car letting people sit on it and have there pics taken in some kit, adults and kids, with parenst standing there, we then had some chap come up to andy and have a aryment with him on how dare we dress people in nazi uniform esspecialy kids and how dare we even be here at an airshow, at which point andy calmly pointed to the parents with the kids and explained how the raf invite us here, he wasnt convinced and left muttering something about nazis.

[dagda]

Some people can never be convinced. But it is reenacting like acting, and if people think its real well truly they are fucked in the head.