Soldbuch Deep Dive - Ep.154

Despite being a mainly conscripted force the British Army of WW2 drew on many hundreds of years of history and tradition. Dylan from the UK has previously reenacted both medieval periods and WW2 German but is now focusing on his own native military with The Platoon Living History Group. In this episode he talks to Chris about the challenges and benefits of reenacting WW2 forces from your own home nation and describes a recent trip to France that really brought home something of the reality of war.  For more information on The Platoon Living History Group follow the link below... https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Platoon-Living-History-Group/61589367000279/ As ever, a very big thank you to everyone that supports the Podcast via  Patreon - we really couldn't do this without you ! Why not sign up and become one of our growing band of supporters with access to all of our Patreon exclusive content and more for as little as $5 a month.  www.patreon.com/reenactorpodcast

The introduction of additional  tariffs on imported goods last year hit many reenactors across the United States hard in the wallet . Sourcing items from overseas has always been important to many in the hobby but the additional charges proved problematic and also caused many vendors and suppliers to stop shipping to the USA for a period. In this epsiode Chris talks to Hunter who reenacts with the Royal Hungarian Army 9th Light Division - a niche Axis impression . For him being able to source items from Central Europe is vital so he and his group have devised workarounds that maybe useful for others.... For more information on Hunter's group please use the link below  https://www.facebook.com/share/1Ev2zg3vaS/ As ever, a very big thank you to everyone that supports the Podcast via  Patreon - we really couldn't do this without you ! Why not sign up and become one of our growing band of supporters with access to all of our Patreon exclusive content and more for as little as $5 a month.     

As ever, a very big thank you to everyone that supports the Podcast via  Patreon - we really couldn't do this without you ! Why not sign up and become one of our growing band of supporters with access to all of our Patreon exclusive content and more for as little as $5 a month.  www.patreon.com/reenactorpodcast FFI (French Resistance ) reenacting is sometimes viewed as the poor relation within the hobby - an entry point for those kitted out in thrift shop clothes with a random assortment of weapons and scant knowledge of the partisan units they were portraying. In this episode Chris talks to David from Liberation Sud, a dedicated group of FFI reenactors in the USA who want to change perceptions of French Resistance reenacting.  By sourcing period items from France, carrying out extensive research into material culture and portraying the sometimes fractured relationships between  certain sections of the Maquis the group strives for authenticty and adds another, often untold,  dimension to both public and private reenacting events.  For more information on Liberation Sud check out the link below..... https://www.facebook.com/groups/1561672181852581/about

As ever, a very big thank you to everyone that supports the Podcast via  Patreon - we really couldn't do this without you ! Why not sign up and become one of our growing band of supporters with access to all of our Patreon exclusive content and more for as little as $5 a month.  www.patreon.com/reenactorpodcast In this episode Chris talks to Bartholomaus Weis from South Australia about WW2 reenacting Down Under, where the relatively low take up of the hobby leads to some compromises having to be made at events. Plus there is discussion about reenacting WW2 Australian forces and Medieval Living History. For more information about WW2 reenacting units in South Australia please take a look at the link below... https://reenactsouthaustra.wixsite.com/reenactsa  

For some reenactors public events have long lost their appeal - with the same mock "battles" being played out against the same inappropriate backdrops year after year. However could a change of approach maybe help to revitalise these type of events ? In this epsiode Chris is joined by Peter Scholey of 4th Kompanie GD in the UK to discuss how to build rapport with the organisers of public events in order to refresh and  improve outcomes for both reenactors and members of the public..... For more information on 4th Kompanie GD click the link below..... https://www.facebook.com/4thKompanieGD As ever, a very big thank you to everyone that supports the Podcast via  Patreon - we really couldn't do this without you ! Why not sign up and become one of our growing band of supporters with access to all of our Patreon exclusive content and more for as little as $5 a month.  www.patreon.com/reenactorpodcast    

In this episode long time contributor and friend of the podcast Ludwig Topf catches up with Chris to discuss the perils and possibilities associated with creating a new reenactment unit.  

It is estimated that over 17 million Soldbuch identity documents were issued during World War Two and surviving examples often provide valuable insight into the everyday lives of those who served within the German military, including what uniforms and equipment they were issued. In this episode  Chris goes on a deep dive into the world of these documents and explains how information gleaned from originals can be extraordinarily helpful when putting together a reenactment impression. As ever, a very big thank you to everyone that supports the Podcast via  Patreon - we really couldn't do this without you ! Why not sign up and become one of our growing band of supporters with access to all of our Patreon exclusive content and more for as little as $5 a month.  www.patreon.com/reenactorpodcast

Although the majority of WW2 reenactors are based in North America and Europe the hobby has members all over the world. In this epsiode Chris talks to James Fortner, who is originally from the United States but now lives in Japan - where he is a member of several reenacting groups that portray both Allied and Axis powers during World War Two. Given Japan's sometimes complex relationship with recollections of the conflict James shares his own unique perspective with Chris . To find out more about reenacting in Japan you can follow James on X (Twitter) @rat_master792 or contact him via Facebook  As ever, a very big thank you to everyone that supports the Podcast via  Patreon - we really couldn't do this without you ! Why not sign up and become one of our growing band of supporters with access to all of our Patreon exclusive content and more for as little as $5 a month.  www.patreon.com/reenactorpodcast  

In this episode Chris talks to Bruno, the founder of Project Edelweiss - a truly unique reenactment event that recreates the life of WW2 German Gebirgsjager Mountain Infantry high in the European Alps.  For more information on Project Edelweiss please check the group out on Facebook - you will find plenty of information there plus some truly amazing photos of past events. https://m.facebook.com/projectedelweissofficial/ As ever, a very big thank you to all our Patrons for their support - we really couldn't do this without you ! Why not sign up and become one of our growing band of supporters. www.patreon.com/reenactorpodcast Thanks to Mike (Rhett Roman) for editing this podcast. www.soldatenforum.com      

Two years since he first appeared on the podcast Bruno from Project Edelweiss is back to talk to Chris about their next expeditions high in the Swiss Alps, recreating the life of WW2 German Gebirgsjager. The climbs are due to take place in 2024 and 2025 and if you are interested in maybe signing up then please use the link below to contact Bruno. https://www.facebook.com/projectedelweissofficial Also thanks to everyone who supports the podcast via Patreon - we appreciate every donation, no matter how big or small, and your regular contributions really do keep the show on the air. You can sign up for as little as $5 a month to unlock regular exclusive content! Thank you. https://patreon.com/reenactorpodcast