chapter 539

10/19/2019

to reenact or not to reenact

that is the question

It was a beautiful fall day for the WW2 Re-enactment down at the Crystal Brook Mountain Brauhaus in the Catskills of Round Top, NY. The lighting and colors were great for some beautiful photo captures so I had to memorialize these. I did a battle video in Chapter 485 two years ago.

The guys really go all out spending a lot of time money and effort for their hobby. It's amazing that they come up with all the realistic equipment. These US troops are just about to depart  for the scheduled battle. They have a script of sorts but adlib also.

They take it seriously. Dan Alberg, the primary cooridinator, shoots flares into the battle. Colleen has been going there for many years and has many friends there. We went to Dan's birthday party in Red Hook a few years ago.

Amidst the fog of war the battle rages on (for maybe a short half hour, not quite like the Battle of the Bulge).

The guy on horseback adds a nice element. He almost got thrown off in my video. I think he said he's from New Jersey? Might be Charlie Hennsler kneeling. We visited his home in Warrensburg for a winter battle a few years back Chapter 419 with Video.

At the beginning and end they have a parade of sorts. Several mini battles during the three day event.

Most of the troops stay overnight in tents, or go home or take up lodging nearby.

Cooking over the open fire is part of the experience.

After a few beers and Jagermister shots one of the spectators on the patio got up the nerve to ask the Panzer  Officer Chris / actor & model for a ride in his sidecar at the end of the day. She is cut off in this photo but it makes it look more like a real war scene. I attempt to shoot and edit to exclude the spectators.

Love sitting out here with the gang drinking some German Oktoberfest. The chicken wings were left over from a German group when they had to go to battle. They were offered to us and we did have a few (delish). Colleen had a long talk with Ann, the lady in white. Believe she was Austrian and was the primary German beer distributor to these two nearby German resorts perhaps 30 years ago. Think she had been a resident of Queens or Brooklyn but moved up to this Round Top area and has lived here ever since. She is a regular and comes to the Brauhaus weekly.

It is such an enjoyable event, love going each year when the weather is conducive. Hate a cold wet cloudy war.

German Reenactment Units in N. America 

there are some who object to this sort of history but this is not one of those radical neo nazi groups 

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