I know there has been controversy about the growth of German uniforms visible at 1940s events ,some events have banned the presence of “German” re enactors while others limit the re enactors movements.
I can personally see that it is essential for some re enactments to have German soldiers as it’s quite hard to have a wartime battle that doesn’t have any of the actual enemy troops and I know that contrary to general opinion most “Germans ” are not neo Nazis ,many re enactors have a number of uniforms which they pick and choose from depending on the event .It’s very likely that the average officer or foot soldier in German uniform has merely picked it out for the day and hangs it up at the end of the day next to his GI or RAF uniforms.
I also would like to add in response to a comment below ,that the points in my post clearly exclude those re enactors who are part of groups and therefore wear replica uniforms for the specific purposes of authentic re enactment of historical events ,as I do say above its essential to have enemy troops if a battle is going to be re enacted .Though I still feel the use of SS etc uniforms is problematic .
I think perhaps casual “German” soldiers might think twice about wearing their uniforms if they knew the hidden cost of its production.
The German uniforms are without doubt some of the smartest available on the re-enactment scene well cut and elegant ,this is because they were for the most part designed by Hugo Boss (I realise this has been queried but still feel it to be the case that tailoring input was essential and the style in many ways reflects Boss ) and because unlike the allies Germany had more resources available.
Primarily they had no labour problems and very low costs ,they had slave labour from the concentration camps ,they had the resources of their “subject” countries and their victims.Re enactors buying German uniforms should be aware they were made with slave labour and the products of the nazis oppression and exploitation of its conquered states and may in some cases be made with human hair from concentration camp victims.
The first claim with regard to “slave labour” is acknowledged by Hugo boss itself
Hugo Boss has recently officially apologised for its use of slave labour,(I use the BBC report for its clarity )
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15008682
While sources have claimed Hugo Boss had a much fuller involvement with the Reich and treated its workers badly ,I have prefered to use only the company’s report as this provides the very best view of their conduct .
The company’s own report states clearly that it was closely involved and aided by the Gestapo in providing workers to make its german uniforms,it also admits to using paid but forced labour
The first forced laborers started work at the company in April 1940. At that point several
textile companies from southwestern Germany joined forces to recruit staff from Bielsko in
Poland, a major hub in the Polish textile industry. Even at this early stage, the workers were
not recruited voluntarily, but rather with the active support of the Gestapo.
After detailing the living conditions ,which were much better than in the concentration camps and stating workers were paid it also admits ,,
they had no choices as to the duties they
performed and, from 1943 onwards, were forced to live in the special camp set up for eastern
Europeans, which frequently involved considerable hardship
There are conflicting reports as to how management treated the laborers. While several
witnesses, including one former forced laborer, expressed relatively positive views of Hugo F.
Boss as an individual, there were some committed National Socialists in the company who
treated the women extremely harshly and threatened them with concentration camps etc.
Hugo F. Boss was likely not personally involved in these incidents. However, he took no
action to stop them either.
the company preferred not
to house its female laborers in the eastern European camp, partly because the poor living
conditions there affected their performance at work. This in no sense implies that the forced
laborers at Hugo Boss enjoyed good lifestyles – the existing sources show that this was not
the case.
Thus any re enactor buying and wearing his or her uniform should be aware that the people making it were almost certainly suffering from hardship and oppression .While this clearly doesnt apply to reproductions ,these are often produced in China which has its own labour rights issues and the uniform itself still represents the system in which it was originally created.
With regard to what may seem the sensational statement on the use of concentration camp victims hair in uniforms ,the sources are primary source documents and records taken from the archives ,one directive is reproduced below in full including dates and names ,So the doubtful can cross check .
SS-Wirtschaftsverwaltungshauptamt
Oranienburg,
August 6. 1942
Amtsgruppe D – Concentration Camps
D II 288 Ma./Ha. Tgb. 112 geh.
SECRET
Copy 13
Re: Use of hair cuttings
To the Commandants of the Concentration Camps Arb., Au., Bu., Da., Flo., Gr.Ro., Lu., Maut/Gu., Na., Nie., Neu., Rav., Sahs., Stutth., Mor., SS SL Hinzert.
SS Obergruppenfuehrer Pohl, Chief of the SS Wirtschafts-Verwaltungshauptamt has ordered that the hair of concentration camp prisoners is to be put to use. Hair is to be made into industrial felt or spun into yarn. Woman’s hair is to be used in the manufacture of hair-yarn socks for ‘U’-boat crews and hair-felt foot-wear for the Reichs-railway.
It is therefore ordered that the hair of female prisoners be disinfected and stored. Men’s hair can only be put to use if it is longer than 20 mm. SS Obergruppenfuehrer Pohl therefore agrees for an initial trial period to the growing of the prisoners hair to a length of 20 mm before it is cut.
and
Directive to commandants of concentration camps dated January 1, 1943:
“The prisoner’s hair is to be sent to Alex Zink, Fur Manufactures, Ltd., Nuremberg. The company will pay 0.50 marks for every kilogram of hair.”
for one reference chekcHarvards Nuremberg transcripts here
http://nuremberg.law.harvard.edu/php/search.php?DI=1&FieldFlag=11&NMTID=2&MTNo=3680&MTNoSuff=
Likewise there exist invoices from the Bremen wool carding company which can be sourced .
There are several known extant examples of “fabric” made with human hair from the camps
It’s also probable that leather from victims shoes and other items of clothing were reused often in workshops or business staffed by concentration inmates.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/Ravensbruck.html
The possible uses rumoured were ,shoe linings ,socks ,jacket interlining and as industrial felting.Its unlikely that human hair was practical to use commercially for socks but without doubt hair was sold to companies and hair was used to make fabric so the individual re enactor must decided how far they feel confident that their uniforms do not contain human hair fabrics.
While many German soldiers and officers were merely defending their country and were conscripts .The SS were entirely different ,committed to Nazi ideology and responsible for many of its darkest deeds.Its perhaps not widely known that not all or even most SS uniforms were black ,many SS uniforms were other colours and its possible the re enactors smart-looking outfit was once worn by a concentration camp guard or by soldiers responsible for massacres.If you are planning on buying a German uniform consider its possible history and its original context.
I feel personally that if some one is wearing a genuine black SS uniform they are probably committed neo nazis as the cost of such items is extremely high and I doubt most re enactors would be willing to pay hundreds or even thousands of pounds for items they will hardly ever wear .Likewise I also feel it likely if an SS uniform is in very good condition the possibility is strong that it will be from a camp as many SS officers on active duty at the front had extremely hard times .
For those who still feel the attraction of the smart black SS uniforms perhaps placing them in context would remove some of their allure.Discretion is advised past this point in the post
(This very famous image is often shown in its current form ,yet the unedited version shows a further murder victim ,a woman fallen at the feet of another soldier and the shadows of several rifles and a group of people crouched ,the presence of spades near them suggests they have been digging possibly a grave,while the soldiers are probably not SS the SS committed the same atrocities and worse ,but I wanted to limit the disturbing visual content of these posts )
Independent of the cloth and leather used for uniforms the sale of the uniform or other related items such as deaths head rings can be directly used to support those involved in past atrocities.There is a posting on this site for instance offering a camp ring (ie one issued to concentration camp ss personal)
http://www.stormfront.org/forum/t
Items offered for sale on this site show that its accepted Dachau was used to make SS insignia(,the items are not offered for sale by a Nazi veteran however but a member of the allied forces who was involved in the liberation of the camp)
http://www.collectorsmilitaria.com/uniformsandcloth.html
another site however offers a dagger which is ,,,
The grip show the usual bumps and nicks of a dagger that was worn, but not abused. This is a textbook example according to Thomas Wittman and he has observed that these daggers were presented for, among other things, appreciation for the recipient’s participation in the action of the night of the long knives. The putting down of the Ernst Röhm insurrection. This appears to be true since this dagger came to us through a family whose relatives included a man who took part in this scenario. We had his 
photo collection and this documented the purge against Röhm and his associates. This is practically the ultimate in an dagger and very sought after. Condition of the blade is near perfect. Overall condition extra fine.
And an SS ring marketed using photos of the killing squads of the SS shooting “partisans” one photo showing what is clearly an elderly priest and several old men who hardly look like seasoned commando partisans,the photo inscription is from the site itself
and this listing also tip toes around the chasm of Holocaust denial by claiming the Einsatzgruppen were merely working in self defence against partisans,it claims,,
“For many years after the war we have heard about the horrors inflicted by these Einsatzgruppen against the Jews and other eastern peoples, and no doubt about it, this war in the east was hell personified and atrocities were, in fact, committed by these SS commandos and their ethnic anticommunist allies especially among the Croatians and Ukrainians. Yes, we have heard these stories, and they were often true, but there were the usual exaggerations that seem to be the privilege of the victors in any war’s end. But on the other side—and shouldn’t we always consider the other side? Some of the most beastly atrocities imaginable or (unimaginable) were being committed against the Germans by partisans of Tito’s forces and Russian red bandits all over …..
Into this terrible fiery conflagration enters SS-Sturmbannführer Kuno Callsen. We do not know enough at this point about his actual activities, but there is sufficient documentation to assume that he was indeed a Sonderkommando of the Einsatzgruppen. It fell to him to undertake these thankless tasks and to later be persecuted and prosecuted for doing his duty for the fatherland. We may find out more about this SS officer and we have many requests out there to various archival sources, but, so far, we know only the above”
http://www.germaniainternational.com/ss22.html
This and similare items sell for substantial amounts
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17381587
Images taken from the site below
Foot note
Hugo Boss company’s official statement can be found on their website here,there is a further link to a pdf file from which I have extracted the quotes used in this blog post.
http://group.hugoboss.com/en/history_study.htm
Transcripts from the Nuremberg trials containing the documentation on victims and the camps can be found online here
http://nuremberg.law.harvard.edu/php/docs_swi.php?DI=1&text=overview
List of camps and ghettos and their use of forced or slave labour in all industries can be found below
Invoices for hair available to view here
Hathaways of Haworth 
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Why do you believe that re-enactors would use real uniforms. Also by 1935 the black SS uniform became impractical for daily wear in concentration camps and was phased out, and once the war started it was only used by Allgemeine-SS reservists. By 1942 Himmler ordered most all of the black uniforms recalled and stripped of insignia.
Most re enactors I met or know personally would aim to have genuine uniforms ,dedicated re enactors would further aim to have something unusual and hard to find or a uniform in as close to pristine condition as possible.Its also the aim to have an entire uniform or outfit down to the socks and shoes when possible,though for most people today vintage shoes are too small.Where uniforms lack insignia or buttons etc its possible to buy replicas,but its also not overly hard to buy loose buttons or insignia.
The SS and other German uniforms are available on the web on certain sites with a provenance provided that traces back to the camps either by photos and paperwork or by receipts,passes etc.Dress uniforms from all ranks and services are much more likely to survive in a wearable condition.
Original German uniforms are waaaay too valuable for any reenactor in their right mind to wear in the field. I can guarantee you that the vast majority of uniforms worn by German reenactors are reproductions. Field gear is somewhat more likely to be original, but still mostly repro. Hell, original GI stuff is way easier and more affordable to find and repros are still more common for a ton of stuff. And “pristine condition”? There’s a reason the term “reenactor grade” exists when it comes to vintage militaria condition. Pristine stuff ends up in someone’s collection on a manikin, not getting beat up and dirty in the field.
So far as black SS uniforms are concerned, I’ve yet to see them worn at a reenactment (excepting Panzer uniforms which is another thing altogether) as they were never worn in the field and, as such, are indicative not of a German soldier but of a card carrying Nazi. Many events will only allow Waffen SS (the fighting branch of the SS) uniforms anyway. It’s generally bad taste to show up in any uniform more representative of the NSDAP than the German military.
I understand your point about vintage items and wear and tear and I the value of the uniforms as I used to work in 1940s costume at one point and the damage done to shoes by cobbles or hats in the rain was horrendous but many of those who wear the SS uniforms are not actually reenactors they dont have the same mindset and wont be doing anything to get their uniforms dirty or torn.As you rightly say ,pristine stuff ends up in collections but these Neo Nazi collectors merely use the 1940s weekends as a chance to wear their collection and dress as their heroes ,many SS dressed people hang out together at events,one 40s weekend a pub was full of ss officers a gestapo officer,Himler and some ss women guards.I do appreciate several events banned German uniforms en mass ,,though that often did not stop ss dressed “re enactors” turning up.Haworth clearly requested that re enactors didnt wear German uniforms one year as we were hosting the Anne Frank Exhibition ,yet we had German officers turn up not just at the event but also to the Exhibition.I am suprised you have never seen a black SS uniform at events as they are a common sight at events in the North I have frequently seen people in Black SS uniforms and “gestapo ” uniforms.I cant do copy and paste unfortuantly on my current laptop but if you do a google image search for ss uniforms Haworth 1940s weekend ,or gestapo uniforms 1940s weekends plenty come up.I was also present in a shop when a couple in ordinary clothing were speaking to another person about the 1940s weekend and they lifted up their lapel to show a swastika badge while saying” we will be there ,are you going ?” I imagine the other person was part of whatever group they belonged to .
First of all, I think this was a good article. However, as a reenactor, few to none of my fellow reenactors (at least the ones that I know) use either original gear or uniforms. This is because of the extreme cost of said original items, and the fragility of some 70+ year old cloths and fabrics. Most commonly you’ll see original weapons, helmets, knives, and vehicles (long-lasting sort of stuff), but rarely do you see original clothing. I reenact both German and American soldiers, and not a single bit of my clothing or field equipment is original. I have some original gear, but I would never dream of taking it to the field. That’s my two cents.
Hi thanks for your comment ,I am sorry its taken so long to add to the blog but I had to take some time off from keyboard use ,I agree about the cost and I do understand why the post probably upset a few re enactors ,but we had a lot of issues over German uniforms and “Germans” at re enactments ,The post was trying to explain why seeing the uniforms even if they are replicas is offensive to many and to discourage buying original items, but I hope it also made clear that most people in German uniforms are not neo nazis which tends to be the assumption when theres talk of banning German uniforms at re enactments.
At the same time I do know there is a small darker faction of true neo nazis ,,usually in SS etc uniforms who use re enactments as an opportunity to wear their collections and meet under seemingly innocent circumstances and these people are always after originals.
Unlike the allies, The Germans had more resources availble? With this sentence alone, you’ve managed to neutralize the objective and serious you were going for, amd turned it into a risible and distorted diatribe of drivel. Plus, you’ve gone a step beyond by including images that have long been discredited for the context in which you’ve chosen to employ them with. I can confidently state, that given the skewed hyperbole found in this article, I have never been prouder to have modeled for the House of Hugo Boss in the ’80’s.
I stand by the comments and research,I have taken university courses on the Holocaust and had access to a wide range of sources ,I have infact left out some details which while almost certaintly true lack photographic or online archival evidence I f you would name specific images I can add further details but the images are all from reputable sources(though some are edited down to remove the more disturbing elements and I have only used archives or other primary sources for quotes or references ,the online site links were all current at the time of posting . Hugo Boss has acknowledged that it used camp labour in its own statement on its own company site and offical comments by company spokesmen about the subject are availble widely online eg to the BBC(Hugo Boss)”express its profound regret to those who suffered harm or hardship at the factory run by Hugo Ferdinand Boss under National Socialist rule”. while Hugo Boss was himself tried and fined for his invovlement with the Nazis after the war ,despite claiming he joined the party only to protect his interests unlike many who were effectivily forced to join the party or Hitler youth Boss joined in the early 1930s long before it was required.Recently siwss bank accounts in Bosses name surfaced from that time.
Re German resources ,during the early years of the war they had access to many more resouces than Britain which as an Island was subecjt to Uboat blockades,we also lost much of our military equipment during the Dunkirk evacuatuions,likewsie we unlike the Germans didnt have access to looted money ,property,art and land which the Nazis had .A significant reason for Germanys defeat was Hitlers obssesion with eradicting the Jewish peoplewhich used up resources and manpower while also loosing him key intellectuals and scientists.
you sound Like yet another one of those “MUH holohoax” lunatics….1st off did you know the jews were well fed for their work…I bet not
HIMMLER SENT OUT A REFERENDUM TO ALL LABOR CAMPS ORDERING INCREASED RATIONING FOR THE WORKERS AND EASIER AND SAFER WORK CONDITIONS…HE EVEN SENT IN THE SS TO ARREST AND HANG 2 COMMANDANTS FOR MISTREATING LABORERS LOOK IT UP IT IS 100% FACT.
2ND. THE CAMPS WERE OCCUPIED FROM 42 TO EARLY 43 (IMPOSSIBLE BY MATH, SCIENCE AND ND HYSICS TO KILL ANYWHERE NEAR .5 MILLION LET ALONE 6 MILLION IN THAT TIME PERIOD…AND EVIDENCE OR LACK OF IT PROVES SO…BUT THE CAMPS WERE USED AFTER BRITAIN INTERFERED WITH THE HAVAARA TRANSFER AGREEMENT WHICH WAS AN AGREEMENT FROM HITLER AND ZIONISTS TO RELOCATE JEWS TO PALESTINE.
3RD JEWS CREATED ALL OF GERMANYS WAR MATERIAL AND AS A RESULT WERE VICTIM TO THE BOMBINGS OF THE ALL-LIES..(OVER 2/3 OF THE 271,803 TOTAL DEATHS IN ALL CAMPS ARE ATTRIBUTED TO THE AMERICAN AND BRITISH BOMBING CAMPAIGN WHICH ALSO KILLED 2.5 MILLION GERMAN WOMEN, CHILDREN AND ELDERLY)
4TH THE JEWS HAD QUITE A FEW LUXURIES.(SWIMMING POOLS, HOSPITALS, INFIRMARIT’S, BROTHELS, THEATRES, CANTEENAS, SCHOOLS…ETC)
5TH THE JEWS AND ALL OTHER LABORERS WERE COMPENSATED FOR THEIR LABOR IN SHELTER, FOOD AND PAY (LOOK UP CONCENTRATION CAMP CURRENCY)
6TH THE SS ACTUALLY HAD QUITE POSITIVE INTERACTION WITH THE INMATES THEY PLAYED FUTBOL GAMES, TENNIS…ETC WITH THE INMATES.
THE JEWS WERE ALLOWED TO HAVE BETARS THROUGHOUT THE THIRD REICHS EXTENT (THINK OF THE JEWISH HJ THAT WAS WHAT BETARS WERE) WHO WERE ALLOWED TO ACT FREELY, CAMP, ENJOY THEMSELVES AND HANDOUT PAMPHLETS ON ZIONISM THROUGHOUT THE REICH.
(ONE BETAR GROUP WAS ATTACKED BY A GROUP OF NEW SS GRADUATES AND THE BETAR WENT TO THE GESTAPO WHO PENALISED THE SS ARRESTED THE MEN WHO ASSAULTED THE BETAR KICKED THEM OUT OF THE SS AND PAID DAMAGES TO THE BETAR)
5TH THERE WAS NO FEWER THAN 150,000 JEWS IN THE “ANTI JEWISH SS” IN FACT IT’S 2 FOUNDERS WERE BOTH JEWISH.
AS WAS HITLERS BEST FRIEND AND HIS CHAUFFEUR
THERE WERE 300,000 JEWS I THE WEHRMACHT..AT LEAST 6 OF THEM BEING FIELD MARSHALS..
GO GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT BEFORE YOU LOOK LIKE A MORON SPEWING LIES
I have approved this as I think its only fair to show opposing views but aside from the personal criticisms which I can address from my own personal experience or areas of resreach for which I have primary source evidence ,I will leave others to address the assortment of mistakes and lies.
The easiest is the SS claim as its rules where not just specific to Jews so theres no reason to claim any “Jewish bias ” to be in the SS you had to be able to prove Arayan descent back several generations and to marry you had to be able to prove the same for your prospective spouse .Thats a matter of documented Nazi records .You dont need to take my word for it ,just look up a selection of SS officers and check German archives from that era.
With regard to my research ,I have used a lot of primary sources ,I included many and they where primiarily from either contempory reports or the Nazis own paperwork ,they were prolific record keepers and most efficient .The people who found thecamps where equally keen to document them as they seemed utterly unbelievable ,they wanted a record for history .The Nuremberg transcripts showed many of the higher ranking nazis made no attempt to claim the camps were different to what the records by allies at the trails showed,they only made attempts to distance themselves from the “final solution ” and the camps.Likewise no com-nay pursued for damages from camp suvivors has denied their existence they based their defences on legal issues .I ma used to doing effective and through resreach relying essentialy only on Primary sources ,I have extensive research experience, a Hons degree and I began a masters which I had to stop because of personal not scholastic reasons having completed two succseful min thesis . ,I have experience via a friend of a camp survivors personal experiences,NOT A JEW as your biased against Jews and frAankly theres plenty of footage from diverse ,countries and regions with varied ethentic or religouse backgrounds.
How do you explain the mountains of shoes and other personal belongings at Auschwitz,,many of the events relayed are backed up by the Nazis own extensive documentation
The general premise of this article is riduclace. Namely that German ‘re enactors are running around using original uniforms made by slave labor, etc.
Virtually everything used by ‘re enactors Germans especially, is reproduction. Also the article is nothing more thgan bad propaganda.
As for wearing clothing made by slave labor in a sweat shop: we should concern our selves more with all the shoes, clothing etc., we are addicted to that are made in sweat shops in places like China.
I agree about modern slave labour and that has been covered else where in the blog wirh regard to modern clothes.I also fully agree that most re enactors buy reproduction items.however there is a market for original items .For all re enactors having originals is the thing to aim for,or at least for ladies and the few men I have talked to. I fully accept that all the shops and most sellers are not in any way supportive of Nazi ideals.However there is a trade in Nazi memrobila and much of it funds neo Nazi groups or indirectly money goes to either the orginal person(increasingly unlikely as time passes,or more likely their family.Who but a member or family member of a camp guard or one of the Enzugrappen would be
Ikely to have original items.Why would they have kept them and in what moral circle is it acceptable to benefit financially from such a shameful history ,if they could have been found after the war they would have been tried as war criminals or for crimes against humanity. The money from these and indeed from some replica items bought from some sellers online funds neo nazi groups or sympathizers. Its a proven fact ,bot speculation as the links show and they were not isolated cases.lastly in England at least theres been increasing concern about Neo Nazis using re enactment events to wear their uniforms and met up.This is also a proven fact,its one reason many events have begun to ban German uniforms.I have seen SS all in the same pub which might be renactors but ,I have also seen some one dressed as Herman Goring.This is clearly unacceptable as for mainland Britain re enactments theres no valid historical reason for SS officers ,Goring eyc to be wandering around. Furthermore these people have ignored polite requests not to turn up at events in their uniforms,its a deliberate flouting of their host towns wishes.Its untterly in appropriate for people either neo Nazis or innocent re enactors to dress up in SS uniforms just for fun.Its says bad things to the next generation. German foot soliders and jusy about fine,but the theorectically innocent members of the German Airforce still bombed cities and caused thousands of casualities and untold damage,how do those older folks who lost homes ,family or friends in bombing raids feel about people thinking its fun to dress in the airforce uniforms( have talked to several people affected by bombing raides).Yes its time to forgive those who were just fighting for their country and many have, but dressing up for fun in those outfits is quite another issues.I doubt any English person with any sensitivity would dress in fancy dress as an English airman for an event in Germany.
Re enactments are about accuracy and recreating the home front ,therefore people wearing a a German uniform have already missed the point,also aside from the visual apppeal of the uniforms, why wear them?
Do you have any sources for that “human hair used in uniforms” statement? To me, it sounds like another of those myths like the “Nazis made soap of Jews’ fat” and such, which turned out to be false.
And as other commentators stated; reenactors do not wear original uniforms. I have been to hundreds of re-enactment events and I have personally witnessed or taken part of trades/sales of re-enactment equipment, and never ever are original uniforms used. Original helmets, deactivated guns, mess kits, field bottles and such are used, but not uniforms. So to claim that reenactors might be having “human hair” in their outfit is ridiculous.
And you stated that you have several sources and a background from university Holocaust courses. I would not call those good sources, as they often are biased about such statements. From what I’ve seen, those researchers are not looking into if Germans did this or did that, they are looking for and trying to prove that Germans did “bad” things. When you have a hypothesis and your only goal is to prove yourself right, then that is pseudo-science.
I saw a documentary about a former SS-soldier, and it was made by a local Holocaust Research Centre. The soldier was happy about telling about his experiences and his regrets, and that the interview was fairly good. But then the documentary was released, and he said it angered him how much they had twisted his words into implying that the SS was solely bad and everything good he said was deliberately removed. Someone said to this: “It is almost like Holocaust Centers are as biased towards SS-soldiers as the Nazis were to Jews. The Holocaust Centers are out to prove that SS-soldiers were inhumane cold-blooded murderers and nothing but that, just like how Nazis were out to prove that Jews were inferior and evil.”
Hi I am really sorry I will be offline a few days but I wanted to reply just incase I am delayed returning online ,I will address it further later,my source for the human hair etc was Naxi party records I doubted it myself and had not even bothered even checking the claims ,I stumbled across the records looking for something else,I think theres an active link to the archive in the post but if not I will find it and add it next week sometimes .I am certain no ordinary soldiers or even most SS soldiers or camp guards in some of the detention camps knew about most of what was done and I know that most Germand didnt ,however it was documented rigorously .However I also think that the ones who did know ,lack insight into how much was wrong ,so I am not surprised
that some felt their words were twisted ,what might seem like normal everyday things are sometimes horrifying if you havent been desensitised I am really sorry to not address everything and hope I dont seem rude or offhanded I will check things and get back to you
Hi
I have just been going over your comment again,I think I did address most of it ,but with regard to the sources.Old /and /or well respected universities are excellent sources for information ,I am not sure what source is supposed to be more reliable .Most of the foremost authorities in their fields work in universities and those academics have link internationally to others able to provide information ,they have access to archives and artifacts and libraries.In addition all academic research is published and peer reviewed ,so any flaws in research are quickly exposed.
I also fully respect your views on the SS but while I do accept many of the Waffen SS did not know of the atrocities ,it remains the case that as opposed to the ordinary German solider SS members showed a level of commitment to Nazi ideals over and above that required by patriotism or fear of reprisals.A great many were extremely committed to and supportive of racial purity laws ,it was a requirement of SS membership to be able to prove “racial purity ” and marriages had to be approved with similar requirements for ss potential wives .The SS were the founding and driving force behind the Ledensborn program which alongside more mundane roles kidnapped children or forcibly removed children from parents in occupied countries ,discarded children were sent to death camps or occasionaly work camps ,where they would either be sent directly to the gas chambers or worked to death , The other branches of SS were foremost in rounding up Jews ,gypsies ,homosexuals ,disabled etc and arranging transports .Most of the death and work camps were staffed largely by SS.Its also worth noting that the SS were bound by numerous oaths ,including their primary one of loyalty to the fuhrer.Its not unrealistic to assume men would not be willing to break these oaths even decades after the death of Hitler.
WE USE REPRODUCTION UNIFORMS
Hi ,thanks ,yes I should have added something about re enactment groups ,it was primarily aimed at individuals and also to highlight the hidden agenda behind certain individuals wearing SS uniforms etc ,I will try to add something later today about groups as a whole
Hi ,I have just altered the introduction of the post to mention your point
Quite simply, why would you want to dress up as an SS officer? Isn’t it disrespectful to dress in that uniform, with that symbolism, within living memory of WW2 survivors and their children? The photo shows an SS reenactor outside a British church. It is documented that members of the SS murdered British, American and Canadian POWs. I’m sure that the church will have a book of remembrance recording members of their congregation that died fighting against what that uniform represents. The history of the SS is shameful for the depths of depravity that human beings can descent to. Beyond the Holocaust, the horrors that the SS perpetrated behind the eastern front and throughout Europe are well documented. The symbolism of that uniform represents this. If you want to reenact use a Wermacht uniform, there is an alternative. If you want to educate about the SS explain about Nazi ideology, including the murder of the disabled. The suspicion is that anyone reenacting the SS is a Nazi. This I think is going too far. Its not that committed. Rather its a flirtation with the charisma and power of evil by people who should know better. SS reenactment shows a wilful blindness to history, insensitivity to anyone who has suffered directly or indirectly at SS hands and a juvenile lack of understanding and empathy for human suffering. Isn’t this obvious?
I reenact Waffen SS. I feel it is important to represent the most fierce enemy of the allies and to be thankful that they were stopped. I explain the ideology and have no part with it. They were an ideologically based fighting force that was highly trained and committed war crimes, (As did everyone so that is not a valid reason to stop portraying Waffen SS). It’s all about setting. In front of the church is not the right place. In a field with an interested public is appropriate. We even go as far as not wearing the SS runes at public events. Is there a problem with what I do? I don’t believe so.
Hello
I am sorry for the delay replying, I thought I had answered this but my internets erratic and it mustnt have loaded
I think thats probably something for yourself alone to answer ,as a re enactor I understand your point and as part of an educational presentation or re enactment of course I agree its appropriate,I would never wear fur in normal life and I certainly wouldnt buy new furs even for costume purposes ,but I do wear fur and use other animal skin products because they are used to illustrate aspects of the home front and daily life and because when part of my work involved days centers with elderly and alzheimer’s patients they often remembered mums or grandparents wearing or being given furs etc ,though many had also lost family in the war .Also as I think I said in the post its appropriate to have some enemy combatants ,you cant re enact a battle if you dont have an enemy.However the source of the uniforms where they are original and other memorabilia would be something I would personally feel uncomfortable with ,replicas are different but even so as you say in front of churches or in the home front re enactments theres no valid reason to wear them .
Hugo boss never designed anything for the third Reich. The company was in charge of manufacturing.
Hi ,I am sorry for the delay replying, Thank you ,I didnt know about the Hugo Boss companys research at the time the post was produced,It would make sense that the designer didnt design SS uniforms from scratch because the SS had so many complex beliefs.But the research was done by Hugo Boss itself so while I believe its probably true overall ,there had to be some tailoring input and he was a member of the party ,in addition the issues of design is much less important than the collaboration of Hugo Boss,a member of the Nazi party who was found guilty of having dealings with the party including the extensive use of slave labour and he did make the uniforms which involve a much closer ,more extensive and more prolonged involvement than merely designing something .
Add me to the list of people who in years of dealing with historical collectors and reenactors have NEVER seen a real German uniform used at a reenactment. THAT SAID, I’m very happy you have taken the time to explain many of the outstanding reasons why everything about Nazi collectibles is offensive. There is a very large number of reenactors who strive to own originals, and my experience a good 70% of them are generally just interested in military history on the whole. However, the other 30% that own Nazi memorabilia there is a very clear problem with. These people are clearly hero worshiping and often express racist views; which generally is not tolerated at reenactments. Some exchange original items as a right of passage into their racist circle. Most of all, these people are drawn to the reenactment community more so than others; maybe in part due to escapism. This is to be expected though, there will always be outsiders who feel wronged by society and associate more with the “villain” or the “loser” than the society that subjugates them. Education like this article, and welcoming society are usually the best ways to help alleviate this; not more subjugation.
A second gripe with your article, the idea that second hand memorabilia is benefiting people who committed atrocities and we shouldn’t seek out items with province is just plain wrong 99.9999% of the time. You are doing a disservice to history, society, and the victims if you intentionally don’t pass along the provenance of an item. It is very important to maintain FACTUAL history as best we can to avoid repeating the mistakes. When you leave gaps in history you create questions, questions allow people like holocaust deniers to exist. PLEASE do not discourage people from buying items with provenance or sharing that provenance. We need to maintain real factual history to avoid creating fake history like the ones that fueled the Nazi regime.
Again, great article, thank you for helping to remind people why Nazis and the holocaust should not be taken casually or in jest no mater how far disconnected we become from that time. We can’t change history but we can strive to accept it in the most factual way possible.