Are there any Romanian WWII reenactment societies?

Concerning the Japanese reenactor there are however some minor inadvertences concerning his uniform. The distinctive colour of the infantry was blue from April 1941 (Cavalry had pink) but collar patches were not carried on M. 1939 other ranks tunics. In summer usually soldiers wore duck tunics and cloth trousers (breeches), so the tunics were of a lighter shade of khaki ( sometimes bleached to white because of sun and successive washings) than the trousers. The waist belt has no plate but only a Japanese buckle, the cartridge pouch is not Romanian, the rifle is a Mauser 98k with bayonet (carried also by the Romanians), etc.

Of course, all above remarks don’t diminish the merits of the Japanese fellow but highlight his efforts to reconstruct a Romanian WW2 infantryman at about 10 thousand kilometers from here. His interest on Romanian military history must be praised.

However, is unexpected the Japanese reenactors efforts to play European or North American types of soldiers: Napoleonic Old Guard Grenadiers, American Civil War, WW1 French Poilus, WW2 US Marines, Waffen SS, etc.) instead of their (or Asian) traditional medieval or modern warriors.

Well, he could reenact a member of the Romanian Tatar minority drafted into the army during the war.

Yes this might be a good idea, as there are Japanese reenactors who play Russian Tartar volunteers of the German army in WW2.

Hi Kepi and Mihnea,

Was the Japanese WWII uniform not generally similar in colour (khaki) and design (i.e. puttees) to the Romanian summer uniform? In order to produce a passable Romanian uniform, all a Japanese re-enactor would have to do is adapt a Japanese uniform and buy a Dutch helmet, of which the Japanese presumably captured a considerable number in Indonesia in 1942.

Cheers,

Sid.

Good morning to all,
I have to say it's a very interesting thread discussion. First about the reproductions: thanks for the welcome and the info Mihnea, now I'm curious who the individual making them is, is he part of the National Museum? I thought your kit really looks great, the only problem is that it's hard to know what you are looking at without reference of any sort.
Apart from the obvious features like pockets and general design which look right, what about the details of the real tunics, does one omit them from the reproduction because no one knows what they are anyway or are they present. I'm kind of a purist when it comes to reenacting and I like to know I'm wearing something that could have been worn 60 years ago (apart from the obvious new materials). For example from some of the original photos it would seem the M39 wool tunic was either unlined or partly lined. It may seem like an unnecessary detail since no one sees it but I think it should be important to the person wearing the tunic.

In the end a reenactor is much like a soldier in that the soldier feels more like a soldier once he wears a real uniform for the first time, and likewise the reenactor feels like he's doing a serious impression and acts like it when he feels he also has a real uniform on. That's my opinion anyway. Of course it's only the first step to making a serious reenactor and a serious reenactor group.

I like what you were saying Kepi, the enthusiasm of the private individual is the key to kindling the fire nationwide so to speak, as well as outside Romania, after all, recognition of the important Romanian military role and sacrifices in WW2 by "Normandy-centrists" is quite overdue. But what about the Museum group, are you a member of the 6th Dorbanti? How can someone get involved? I live in Italy for example but would be honored to support your initiative by coming to Romania as well as present the impression here in Italy sometimes (the reenacting phenomenon is very recent here as well, and initially there were some of the same problems you mention, still there are many). Well, would "foreign" elements be welcomed? I have already bought a helmet!!! (but seriously I still need books and all kinds of help to make it happen, I don't want to put the cart before the horse).

Anyway, there's at least a foreign volunteer, but in any case I saw the Museum's website and it looks like it's very big and well worth traveling just to see it.

Your right the picture doesn’t show too many details, but as soon as I get home I will post more detailed photos (that will be after 6 January) and then you will see how good it is made; it is a copy of an original even the colour of the liner (that was easy, white cotton).

I think if you want to join you just have to ask the right person. He. He.

Well, WWII reenacting is just as big in Japan as in the US and parts of Europe. They mostly do Western Front from some of the sites I have been to and some Eastern Front. Think it would be more approriate for them to do IJA since those of us in the US want to do Pacific Theatre and fighting a non-Asian dressed as a soldier in the Japanese army doesn't look right. There is interest to do Romanian WWII here in the US, just damn hard to get stuff.

The Romanian WWII section is still under construction and I think it will be so for a long time.

A friend of mine knows the people at the company. Will contact them to see what the expected time frame is for WWII Romanian but though it seems a while at least there is the link and site for futured endeavors.

I would like too wish everyone a happy new year and I hope the new year brings everyone the best! I see that the subject of ww2 romanian reenacting has come up again which is always a good subject too talk about! We really need good reproduction uniforms and we could really use them now! I hope this new year brings a source for a good reproduction because the converted west german uniform I am useing might get me through but it is still a convert! I also have read the latest posting on reenacting and speaking just for myself I find myself in agreement with some of the feeling of other when they describe the reason for reenacting.Here are some of my memorys of reenacting!There was the time in winter where my hands were so cold even with gloves that the only way they stayed warm was the 40lb motar tube I carried around retain the heat for a long time.and the time I was a DEAD soldier and the american advancing my way did not jump high enuff there by kicking me hard in the face! or the time I was reenacting romanian and was in a fire fight with two red army soldiers(one was a male and the other was a female) and it was going on for 10 minutes until they came charging down the hill to kill me,I had just ran out of ammo so they time that one good! But the comradship you share with other reenactors is the most important memory of htem all.I have a question fo Rhaught,where are you located?take care

In NYC, getting ready to head to Times Square to welcome 2006!! Best time I had was a Battle of the Bulge reenactment where I was walking a muddy road on right side of column, 2 half-tracks, a 222, 2 kubewagons came by and it was snowing! Felt like I was in the German advance through the Ardennes, and the Eastern Front event I got caught eating lunch in an abandoned house when the Russians hit my squad with a "Hoorrray" charge!

Good morning to everyone and a happy new year! just a couple of question for Rhaught,do you have a romanian uniform put together?If so have you attended any events as a romanian? I am here in stroudsburg,pa so Iam not to far from you! let me know about the romanian impression and what got you interested in romanian? The red army reenactors just love too mass attack the german line with the human wave tactic.The east front event held at whitehall,pa a few years ago the red army was told not to do the human wave tactic and to fight as groups.They were in large numbers at that event for once and in the afternoon they wanted me,as a romanian soldier too come over to their side,which I did not!Here is a question for anyone who may help,was the romanian soldier issue Beer ?I bought a azuga beer bottle from someone,war time dated and I would like too know if I use it at events is it correct?One last questions for the members living in romania, any one collecting ww2 u.s.army items?

Darius1941,

Well have started to put together a Romanian kit a year ago. Have bad repro, puttees, compass, bayonet frog, looking at bayonets and helmets now. Like the pics I have and those seen will need to utilize some of my German items but prefer to have original or very good reproductions. Seems to be able to get from Europe but no idea how. Have never done Whitehall, PA since this is my 4/5th year reenacting. Usually in SS uniform instead but for Living History have been wanting to do Romanian. Why and what got me interested in Romanian reenacting? My wifes grandfather (still alive in Iasi) was a lieutenant in the 7th Rosiori Regiment and wounded at Rostov in December of 42 I think he said. Then the 10th SS vet I know (unit I reenact) said that when Frundsberg was on the eastern front, his unit had 2 Romanian volunteers who worked as translators because they knew Russian and French (they were also with them in France 44). After looking at WWII reenacting noticed that when I have been to the 2-3 eastern front events haven't seen anyone doing Hungarian or Romanian units and this had me thinking that other countries needed to be recognized so that is what got me started gathering items. I have collected about 30 maps of Romania made by the Wehrmacht, a few photo albums by German soldiers so I can get the detailed and historically correct information as well. So if we can have more people interested (already have added WWI to my reenacting hobby) then the most likely someone here would be willing to produce a uniform here in the US (like Lost Battions in Texas or Schipperfabrick in Florida).

Hi Darius1941 and RHaught, could you post some pictures of your Romanian soldier impressions or your kit?

I would also love to see some re-enactment photos of Romanian soldiers fighting side by side with Germans.

go to Frundsberg and click the photo section, here you will see pics with German kit, I'm in there but no one but Florin knows what I look like

This post has been edited by RHaught on January 02, 2006 12:34 pm

Very nice pictures, RHaught, but I was hoping some pictures with your Romanian kit .