I hope reenactment is a trial to understand history more than only reading dry words in thick books. I hope reenacting is not a method to glorify and to belittle the war. I hope the actors feel deeply the horror, the madness, the absurd brutality. I hope they do not wallow in the pleasure of trivializing camaraderie.
1- title=”Battle of Cedar Creek reenactment 10/21/12″ – photo by Alan.Slimak, kindly sent to my group BLOG IT!, click on the picture to enter his galleries on Flickr.com
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2 – title=”TROY / Machiavelli” – Greek helmet by Frizztext
related:
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2013/06/reenacting-the-past/100535
Flickr Comments 
I love to see these guys role playing!
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These can be very interesting events! We went to one recently in Padova…
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Interesting comments/hopes FT. Never thought of it that way. In fact I think tee actors do these for the “fun” of it and that’s kind of sad but hopefully people learn a bit from it.
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I haven’t been to one, but I know a guy who does it. And he loves history and is quite committed to what actually happened. Not sure how I feel about it.
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I don’t think so, Frizz, but I don’t have much direct experience. I have enjoyed the kind of event where costumed Roman soldiers tell tales of their life on Hadrian’s wall, or a medieval fair set in the grounds of a priory. These are pretty true to and respectful of history. Battles- I don’t know about.
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Hope this makes you feel better but not all reenactments have to do with battles. I used to go to “rendezvous” reenactments where you learn and experience life in the old west during the yearly rendezvous of the early 1800s. This was a time of trade and letting loose and enjoying each other’s company. I do share your concern though, I know people who go to Civil War reenactments and they do seem to be about the glory of the battle…I see no glory in that. It makes me wonder if they even remember what the fight was about in the first place. Thanks for bringing up this issue.
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Isn’t that Greek helmet amazing….the symbolism and the sights it must have witnessed…
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I agree. It’s serious business, not to be trivialized.
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I’m Alan, the author of the “Battle of Cedar Creek” image posted above. After reading the comments posted here I wanted to add some insight about battle reenactments, specifically “American Civil War Reenactments.”
Battle reenactments and especially “American Civil War reenactments” are done to honor the sacrifice and memory of those who took part in the original battles/events. They are organized and put on to showcase and demonstrate culture and a way of life from the past that has disappeared from society. The people who organize and participate in these events are not paid to do so. Their participation comes at great personal and financial sacrifices which are gladly donated by the individual. It’s a labor of honor and love to those who participate and organize these events.
Above all, these events are a tribute to the lives sacrificed of the individuals who served and fought and these battles are presented as a “living history” of events that occurred in the past so that we of today may learn from the past in the hopes that we do not forget the past. What a wonderful world It would be if the only battles being fought were reenactments.
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Thank you, Alan, for your comment and for the permission to publish your photo!
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I briefly re-enacted (Civil War) and found the men and women who participated to be more knowledgeable and respectful of the men who fought than “regular” Americans who I don’t feel give much thought to the men who died (or spent the rest of their lives maimed). I never came across any re-enactors who had a weird blood lust for battle. It actually takes a lot of money and effort to get to the events, a lot of research and a decent amount of commitment to wear wool on sultry days carrying guns that are really heavy. I also think that the last few generations of school children have been taught such a watered down and morally neutral version of history that they can’t be blamed for not really caring. Just saying war is bad and trivializing those people who passionately care about why men are forced to battle (Lincoln instituted the draft) doesn’t do anything but keep the average person powerless to change things and unable to recognize history repeating itself. Okay Sunday rant over 🙂
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I hope, it makes wise to put the focus on history …
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