Are there any Romanian WWII reenactment societies?

The truck used looks like an original Phanomen Granit. And ofcourse the star in white dot should be Khaky color (not red).

Well, maybe I should get into reenactment as well. I allready have some pieces of kit that will suit a repro of a romanian uniform:

Bread bag- post war for now, but it would do until I can get my hand on a real ww2 one.
Mess kit- same as bread bag.
Ammo pouches- original ww2, unfortunately one of them is very damaged. (stitching gone undone, etc) I should get myself new ones.
Bayonet-I have a number of K98s in varying states of preservation, unfortunately none of them has a frog. Luckly, I think I might be able to make myself a repro at a leather shop.
Gas mask-I have an extra german canister, and I think I might be able to get a romanian military M35 from a friend (either buy it or lease it).
Canteen-As with the bayonets, I have a number of german canteens, so this should not pose a problem.

Still missing:

Uniform-(cap, shirt, trousers, putees) Fortunately, I might be able to purchase a good quality repro from MMN.
Helmet-I think I saw some at MMN, if not, I'll go scouring the "Antique Shops" on Covaci. Anyway, I've seen much more pictures of romanian soldiers fighting with caps instead of helmets, so it's not imperative that I get one.
Y straps-Now we hit a snag- I've never seen original Y straps for sale anywhere in Romania. Mihnea, where did you get yours from?
Boots-Same as with Y straps
Entrenching tool-I saw some on Covaci or in other various "Antique Shops" so it shouldn't be too hard to get a hold on. For the carrying leather, I can always make myself a replica at a leather shop, or get a repro off the net.
Belt-I belive post war one would do nicely, and WW2 era belt buckes are easy to find.
Grenades-I found some replicas on the net, including here, but since my father has a small modelling lathe, I wonder If I can't build my own out of wood. (and also Rg34 and RG4 Czech grenades and Russian RD33's, not only German M24-39s)
Rifle-Well, there's this guy... An exact replica of the Mauser K98, in 6mm airsoft. And only 399 euros, too . Well, it is as close to the real thing as you can get without getting an actual one, so it's worth it. Also, I belive there are no special laws regulating the possesion of airsoft rifles, (else you wouldn't see people selling cheap chinese airsoft guns at Obor) although I should get myself a "cetificat de detinator" to cover it just in case, since this replica is made in metal and wood, just like the real thing, and even has mock cardrige cases to eject every time you pull the bolt. (see some more information on this gun here)

This post has been edited by Wings_of_wrath on February 12, 2006 04:21 pm

First can you post pictures of what equipment you have?

Y-straps: from the MMN shop you can get everything (my is from there)
Entrenching tool you can use the Austrian WWI you already have and get a repro holder from the MMN shop he can also make you a bayo frog and repair the ammo pouche.
Belt: use a communist era one, you don't need a different buckle most of the WWII ones were without the crown and painted black.
Grenades: I can give you the measurements from my German one also made of wood (see the picture)
Rifle: the airsoft replicas are good to show off but it lacks the loud bang of the real thing.

Boots: good ones are hard to find; the ones produced nowadays don't resemble the ones from WWII.

The Czech RG34 and MAN one are original WWII and very hard to find in Romania.


This post has been edited by mihnea on June 26, 2006 07:24 am

Think I am going to go with Dragos at the NMM. Going to go there the 2nd day upon arrival and get the things I need for basic kit then go hunting through the shops. Anyone know of good sources in Iasi?

Here's an update on the equimpment I have sofar for my reenactment uniform:

Bread bag - I think it's postwar, but I'm not sure. Some of the details are unlike any of the other bread bags I've seen, so I'll let you guys be the judges of that.




Marking on the inside of the flap, on the lower mess tin strap fitting. The stamp on the upper fitting is unreadable.

Mess kit + Canteen - The mess kit is probably from the '60s. No markings of any kind, and the paintjob is rough and sloppy.
The canteen is the german SMM41 I've mentioned earlier on this forum, and it lacks the cup.



Ammo pouches - Unfortunately, not only are the ammo pouches damaged, but they're not even army issue. Their black coloration suggest their use in either the navy or airforce.

The first one is more or less intact, despite being severely bent out of shape.


Here you can see the type of damage present on the second one.

Bayonet + Entrenching tool - The bayonet is a K98 without frog (probably I'll use the one in the middle of this photograph), and the entrenching tool a WW1 era Austro-Hungarian one that lacks a carrying leather. I'll try to get repros made at the MMN shop.





Gas mask - As I learned from Mr Serbanescu during my visit at MMN today, although the military M35/39 gasmasks were carried in a canvas pouch and had a tube between the mask itself and the filter, the use of civilian M35s was not at all uncommon, because of a shortage of equipment, so I think I'll use the romanian gasmask cylinder I allready have.
In the pictures below, the one on the left is my FMP cylinder, and on the right is a lease from a friend, an AGV that used to belong to ARR pilot Ilie Braga.
Also, please note the artisanal nature of the sling on my cylinder, made from a piece of green painted burlap and roughly sewn. I can't be sure this intervention was WW2, but it certainly looks old enough, and adds to the overall charm of the piece.





Belt - I have aquired a communist era belt, and I intend to replace the buckle with a WW2 one, as soon as I can get my hands on a satisfactory one. The belt is marked "6 Apr 1971", and except for a few corrosion spots on the edge of buckle, is in an overall good shape. The only thing that worries me is the colour. It's brownish-red, and I'm not sure the WW2 era belts would have had this colouration. What do you think?

Uniform - I went to MMN today, around noon, to see about procuring an uniform as well as the leather parts, but strangely, there was nobody at the militaria shop. I will try again next week, when I come back from Constanta, and hopefully, by the time, the uniform Division of the Museum would have also re-opened for business.

Y straps - same as uniform.

Helmet - I do not have any desire to aquire one at this time. Most of the helmets I've seen lately around Covaci were rather crappy, either empty shells, or badly refitted in the communist era, and all of them, without exception, were heavily weathered.

Boots - That, as always, is a spiky subject. I don't know where to get any boots, but I've been thinking - wouldn't a small leatherworking shop, the type you can still find on Grivitei Street, be able to manufacture me a pair if I provide them with plans?

Grenades- It's decided- I will manufacture them out of wood. Probably I will go for some russian RD33s first, since they have an easier shape and have no visible markings, but I would like to make myself some Rg34s and at least one M24 "Potato Masher"

Rifle - I ran into an american site recently (sorry, can't remember the link right now) that sells used M48 Yugoslavian rifles (postwar bolt action based roughly on the Mauser K98) for as low as $50 . The lowest quality rifles are in dire need of cleaning, and not at all safe to fire, but thay haven't been neutralised, so I guess it would be quite hard for me to get one in Romania. If I can buy myself one, it would be quite a bargain, and able to fire blanks in reenactments, as well.
Another solution would be to get a neutralised one or even a broken airsoft replica, and come up with an electronic way of generating the sound and smoke- for example, the memory stick and mainboard from a cheap digital MP3 player, with the gunshot sound recordeed on it, and activated by pressing the trigger. I think I might be able to hide such a contraption in the butt of the rifle, and only have wires going to the trigger and a speaker mounted in the breech.
Another, simpler way, would be to modify a neutralised rifle to fire caps from commercial toy cap pistols. That takes care of the smoke, but the sound wouldn't be right though.
Also, I have a question for Cristian, and all of you gun collectors out there- can you bring a neutralised gun into the country from outside Romania? What kind of paperwork (if any) do you need? What about an Airsoft replica?

Backpack - Finally, I have one more question: I have this backpack, that used to belong to my late grandfather. He purchased it in the late '40s, and sofar I have been unable to determine if this was a civillian or military issued piece of kit, as well as the date of manufacture.
What do you think, can I use this with my reenactment uniform?

Can anyone tell me about what sort of sizeing that the shop in the museum use for the uniforms?
Would I be able too give him a standard jacket and trouser size which would fit me or dose he need alot more size to make the uniform?

I enjoyed looking at your equipment,wings of wrath!
I wish I could help you with the rifle for reenacting as we have way to many vz-24 for sale here,but no uniforms or proper equipment too reenact ww2 romanian!
That would had made a good trade right there.

What kind of boots are you looking for?
Jackboots or ankleboots? what size do you take??

Darius 1941, as you can see, the military old rifles for reenacting are quite a problem here in Romania, because is no market for such items. Can you ask a gun dealer there wich are the detailed legal procedures and estimate costs(including transportation and taxes) to send such a gun to Romania,if we order and pay in advance?

Wings_of_wrath

Congratulation for your items of equipment. This could be a good start to reenact a credible WW2 romanian soldier.

I think the bread bag was made in the 1970s as it has stamped the initials M.Ap.N. It looks a little too greenish to me, but it could be a photographic error.
Don’t worry about the colour of the cartridge pouches. Especially during the last years of the war Romanian infantrymen carried everything was available. You only have to repair the undone pouch (it’s easy) and restore their original rectangular shape.

The web strap of the gas mask canister is original and is similar to the strap attached to the bag of the M.35 gas mask.
The knapsack is a civilian model. The WW2 model had a bigger flap, that allowed to attach the helmet. The 1960s army knapsack was similar to the WW2 model, except the helmet attaching straps and the front metallic hooks.

Concerning the MMN shop, unfortunately it is not always open. It’s owner is Dragos Diaconu and I suggest to call him before you come at these numbers: 021 255 53 43, or, better, 0723 02 77 04. He could help you with the uniform, yoke-straps, puttees, etc. He is a nice and serious person and I’m sure that he will help any person interested in reenacting (as he and his brother are among the founders of the 6th Dorobanti Reenacting Group).

If you gather a WW2 soldier attire, you could join that group. They have uniforms for the three major campaigns of the Romanian army. You could ask Prof. Serbanescu of the Military Museum about this. For this year there is nothing planned for WW2 reenactment. In May 2006, during the Museum open gates the theme will be “King Carol I and the Romanian Army” ( the group will wear 1877-78 uniforms) and in September 2006, the reconstruction of the Battle of Arges River (WW1 uniforms).

I have started my search on gathering information about shipping old military rifles to romania.
The gun shop which I have contacted so far provided no information at all that was helpful.
But I feel this was only because I was not buying a rifle from his shop so he was not going to be helpful too me.
I will still search and post information as I get it.

I have too ask a couple of question about the laws in romania about ownership of rifles.
So far I have read that a permit is needed to own a rifle is that all there is to it or do you need other pappers?
Is it legal too assemble a rifle from"parts"?
Can you find any parts over in romania?
Is it legal for the shipping of parts into romania?
Any information would help me here.

I would like too ask a few question on reenacting over in romania.
1)Has anyone thought about starting a"Event"for the ww2 reenactors to gather and do a little reenacting?
2)Do you need permits for such a event?
3)Can you find anyone too reenact red army soldiers?
4)Is there private property where such a event can be held without anyone thinking
it is a "para military" get together?
5) would you guys like too spend the weekend there,with the tents ect?
Let me know your feeling on the subject.

Hello everyone,
I was hoping my next post I would have good news for us reenactors on this board, unfortunately last week I received Drogos Diaconu's kit he had on auction on eBay and I have to say I'm quite surprised because he comes highly recommended by a prominent person at the Museum in Bucharest. I thought that since a few of you were thinking of buying too that my review would be important to you, so as not to make the same mistake:

The kit cost 350 dollars + 70 or so to ship, but I think after you see the pics those of you who live in the States will be reminded of that old saying "you get what you pay for" (in this case it's even worse) and so I'm more disappointed that I let myself get carried away by my enthusiasm (asked to join Horia's Group in Bucharest) and the thought of what seemed a real good deal than I'm surprised by what I got. If it seems too good to be true it probably is.

1) the gas mask bag : synthetic modern olive drab fabric with a, unbelievable, look for yourself, green nylon strap. The leather roundel as you can see is badly sewn on and with lots of skipped stitches which is the trademark of the whole kit.



2) The bread bag like the one shown above, at least it looks like cotton.

3) leather equipment: very thin leather/thread that will rip with use (if you are an active reenactor), the frog was already so badly sewn that as you can see the stitches are coming apart (no stop sticth on one side). The ammo pouches were the worst rvelation of all maybe, thin leather lined with thick CARDBOARD. I'll let you guess what happens when you reenact in this gear, lifespan of a fruitfly.



4) The uniform: wool quality un-impressive, lots of skipped stitches everywhere, bad sewing and bunching up of fabric as you can see by the pics. I'm posting a pic of the field hat liner where in two places the sewing machine couldn't make it thru the fabric apparently, it's currently unworn and unstitched as received. Same you can see on the inside of the tunic cuffs, etc. The size was wrong too, the hat was supposed to be a 58 and I think I got 60-61. The shoulders on the tunic don't allow for any movement as it pulls (it's fine if I stand with my arms down). Breast pockets stitching are loose. Even the puttees same thin modern coat looking wool cut badly with jagged edges.



This post has been edited by calarasi on February 19, 2006 05:52 pm

The wool also has a strong chemical small to it, fills the room, moth balls maybe. I will try to end on a positive note, it was produced and shipped fast, thanks Dragos!!

What I want to know is how could this happen with important people highly recommending him. If I had paid a local woman to make it off some pictures I would have spent the same or less and gotten something that would not break up in different places with use. It wouldn't have been authentic but I could wear it. But I trusted some folks and wanted to have it authentic and save a couple of bucks. Ok lesson learned. I hope this helps some of you.

I'm sorry to hear your complains and I apologize that I recommended him. But I don't know what happened.

Everybody that has seen the mannequin at the shop can say that things looked different there.

I just read the posting about the uniform and I am sorry too hear about quality of the kit!
Anyone have any suggestion for us guys in the states?
RHaught was planning on getting the entire kit when he visit romania this summer and I was planning on getting half the items to up-grade my impression.

I have worked with wool on my sewing machine and it is a nice fabric too work with!
If you have to sew in lining then you would find a lining which is more compatible and try too prevent the skip stiches.
Of course there is setting on the machine to adjust pressure so the thread is straighten out as the fabric gose through the foot.

What about the belt/buckle and the helmet?
Is the belt leather as bad as the ammo pouch?
Did you have a size choice on the helmet?

Any chance of buying the fabic by the yard?

The life span of such of a uniform would be indeed short as tactical reenacting is hard on the fabric and equipment.
Plus you are sleeping in the uniform for a couple of days with sweat,mud,and camp fire smoke getting into the material as well.

If you do have local ladies who are good at sewing and can offer these uniforms at a lower cost then let me know please.

Calarasi,

I’m sorry to hear that you are disappointed by the quality of the kit. What are you saying and showed on the Forum is most eloquent. It’s nothing else to say except that I’m in a very embarrassing position. I recommended Dragos Diaconu as a correct person because he was very fair and helpful in equipping the 6th Dorobanti reenactment group. The uniforms he produced were comfortable and suitable for the group activities and the price was reasonable for the Romanian standards. There were no complains. The replica uniform he displayed on the Museum shop looks OK (but I don’t know the price).

I have no idea about the trade he was doing abroad, nor the quality of the kit he offered. As I said before, your dissatisfaction is perfectly justified. I think that Dragos should return your payment as you are not satisfied by the goods he sold you. But I’m not his defender and I only hope that he will act as an honourably person.

I only want to note that all my assertions on this Forum had in view to encourage the reenactment movement in Romania and the collecting and saving of old militaria items. Several times I posted detailed drawings of the Romanian uniforms and equipment carried on WW2, in order that any interested person could make his own uniform. I always highly recommended to use real (WW2 or post war) items of equipment (cartridge pouches, waist belts, bread bags, mess kits, helmets), as they still could be easily found in the antique shops for reasonable prices. Even for the gas masks I recommended the Romanian M39 model or the german one, as the original M.35 is almost impossible to find. Unfortunately the cloth parts of the uniforms have to be reconstructed and this is the weak part of the problem.

that is correct, ticket in hand as I type, just need to apply for new passport since mine runs out at the end of this month

going in person to see what I pay for so I know what I get, learned this the last time in romania when I didn't listen to my wife or in-laws

Kepi, can you email me those plans for uniform, etc.? my wife's grandfather knows a person who is a tailor but will need to get the wool material from somewhere so any suggestions would be great, in bucharest or Iasi for material.