The actors recreate the Battle of Austerlitz, which was an outstanding example of military art.
All this military-historical reconstruction of past events took place in the Moscow region, or rather in Khimki, where there is now a unique opportunity to buy an apartment without intermediaries. Moreover, in addition to already equipped housing, there are schools, kindergartens, medical centers, a yacht club with its own pier, a stadium, a swimming pool, a fitness club, and much more that is necessary for a comfortable stay.
Actors in military uniforms of the Hungarian and Austrian Habsburg dynasty reenact the first stage of the 1849 battle in Isaszeg, Hungary. The battle was part of the spring campaign of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 between the Austrian Empire and the Hungarian Revolutionary Army.
An 18th-century Maltese militiaman fires a musket at an enemy near the Verdala Palace near Valletta.
In the Middle Ages, militia was the name given to auxiliary military formations of military monastic orders (Order of the Temple, Order of Malta, etc.), staffed not by knights, but by members of the order of junior status or even temporary soldiers serving the order.
A man dressed as a samurai warrior runs screaming at the enemy during a reenactment of the Battle of Kawanakajima, which was fought in the mid-16th century in Fuefuki, Yamanashi Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, Japan. A recreation of the brutal battle between two famous warlords, Kenshin Uesugi and Takeda Shingen.
The samurai finished off the enemy during a reenactment of the Battle of Kawanakajima (a field famous for being the site of five battles between the Takeda and Uesugi clans).
Shooting from a matchlock pistol during Kawanakajima in Fuefuki (a city in Japan, located in Yamanashi Prefecture).
A man takes part in a historical re-enactment of the Roman games in Nîmes, southern France. The priests of the imperial cult held a ceremony in honor of Emperor Hadrian. Publius Aelius Trajan Hadrian - Roman emperor from 117 to 138.
Girls in costumes near the Colosseum, Circus Maximus and the Roman Forum, celebrating Christmas in Italy. Legend has it that Rome was founded by Romulus in 753 BC surrounded by seven hills.
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Actors dressed in armor staged medieval jousts in Eltham, England.
A man dressed as a soldier walks with a bicycle in the town of Courceulles-sur-Mer. The photo was taken on June 6, 2013 during the celebration of the 69th anniversary of the Normandy landings.
Reconstruction of events as Washington crossed the Delaware River to attack the British camp on the night of December 25–26, 1776. Photo taken in Pennsylvania on December 25, 2012.
A burning plane of the Kuomintang Air Force, the conservative political party of the Republic of China. The Kuomintang waged an armed struggle with the generals of the Beiyang group and the Communist Party of China for the right to rule the country until defeat in the Civil War in 1949, when the communists completely took power in the country, and the Kuomintang government had to flee to Taiwan. Military-historical reconstruction in Shaanxi province in China, October 19, 2012.
An actor in a Japanese military uniform jumps up and kicks an actor dressed as a villager. A re-enactment takes place at a cultural theme park in Shanxi province, China, on October 20, 2012. In the scene, Chinese soldiers torture a villager. The 8th Army is one of the formations of the National Revolutionary Army of China, controlled by the Chinese communists.
Actors in military uniforms of the Hungarian and Austrian Habsburg dynasties reenact the first stage of the 1849 battle. Photo taken in Isaszeg, Hungary, April 6, 2013.
Masked actors take part in the Cavalhadas festival, Brazil, May 19, 2013. This three-day celebration of the victory of medieval knights over the Moors is a tradition introduced in the 1800s by a Portuguese priest to mark the ascension of Christ.
Actors are preparing to reenact the battles for Berlin in 1945. The photo was taken in Germany on April 29, 2013.
Reconstruction of Napoleon's famous battle of Austerlitz in 1805, near the southern Moravian town of Slavkov.
The decisive battle of the Napoleonic army against the armies of the third anti-Napoleonic coalition went down in history as the “battle of three emperors,” since the armies of the emperors of Austria Franz II and Russian Alexander I fought against the army of Emperor Napoleon I.
Actors from Iere Productions play the roles of Indian indentured laborers and British police during a re-enactment of the Indian arrival in Trinidad and Tobago. The country celebrates this holiday on May 30 every year.
A man in a samurai costume on horseback shoots a bow at a target. Photo taken at Sumida Park in Tokyo on April 20, 2013. An archer takes part in yabusame during a samurai martial arts demonstration.
Yabusame is a form of archery in Japan in which archers using special turnip-shaped arrows shoot directly from the saddle. This type of archery originated at the beginning of the Kamakura period (1192–1334), when Minamoto no Yoritomo became alarmed by the lack of archery skills among his samurai and began teaching them.
Reconstructions of battles in the First World War. Bucharest, June 15, 2013.
Military-historical reconstruction of the famous Battle of Austerlitz in 1805. The photo was taken in a tent during the actors' break.
Children take part in a military parade held at an amusement park in Pyongyang to mark International Children's Day on June 1, 2013.
British soldiers. Military-historical reconstruction of the Second World War.
Actors take part in a historical reconstruction of the Stations of the Cross. Bucharest, May 3, 2013.
The picture shows Satan. Reenactment of the Passion of Christ in Mexico City.
Historical reconstruction of the Crucifixion. Manila, Philippines.
Fort Rinell is a Victorian-era structure. The British built the fort between 1878 and 1886 so that it could fire one single gun - the 100-ton Armstrong gun! A 450 mm caliber gun, more than 9 meters long and weighing more than 100 tons, easily destroyed ships at a distance of 2 kilometers, and its firing range was about 6 km. Valletta, Malta.
A military-historical recreation of the Battle of Karbala, which took place between the detachment of the grandson of the prophet Muhammad Hussein ibn Ali and the forces of Caliph Yazid I on 10 Muharram 61 AH (October 10, 680) in Karbala in the territory of modern Iraq.
Shia Muslims reenacted the Battle of Karbala during the Ashura festival in the Shia neighborhood of Sadr City in Baghdad, Iraq.
Cambodian students celebrated May 20 as “Day of Wrath,” a day of remembrance for the victims of the genocide that occurred there in the 1970s.
A military-historical re-enactment of the 1812 Battle of the Berezina, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the battle, near the village of Bryli, about 115 km east of Minsk. Fights between the French corps and the Russian armies of Chichagov and Wittgenstein on both banks of the Berezina River during Napoleon's crossing during the Patriotic War of 1812.
Civilians fight back against Red Army soldiers during a re-enactment of the 1945 Battle of Berlin.
Military-historical reconstruction of the Battle of Hastings 1066. The battle took place between the Anglo-Saxon army of King Harold Godwinson and the troops of the Norman Duke William. The battle lasted more than ten hours. King Harold's army was completely destroyed: several thousand selected English soldiers were left lying on the battlefield, the king himself was killed, as well as his two brothers. England, October 14, 2012.
The actors walk past a row of portable toilets.
Historical events, as a rule, are long gone. But thanks to the enthusiasts who participate in the reconstructions of these events, everyone can feel involved in these events.
The actors recreate the events of the Hungarian Revolution of 1849. Battle of the city of Isaszeg. Hungary. In the photo: Hungarian Honved Hussar.
The battle of the Maltese and the Napoleonic army near Valletta. In the photo: a Maltese Guard soldier fires a musket.
A man dressed as a samurai warrior during a reenactment of the Battle of Kawanakajima, which took place in the mid-16th century, in Fuefuki, Yamanashi Prefecture northeast of Tokyo, Japan.
Same reconstruction.
An actor fires a firearm in a reenactment of the Kawanakajima battle.
Reconstruction of Roman games in Nîmes in the south of France. In this city, during Roman times, there was an amphitheater where gladiator fights and battles between people and wild animals took place.
A group of people dressed as ancient Romans celebrates the birth of Rome.
A medieval jousting tournament is recreated by actors at Eltham Palace on June 16, 2013 in Eltham, England.
Reconstruction of the events of Washington's army crossing the Delaware River, covered with ice fields, to attack the British camp on the night of December 25-26, 1776.
A Kuomintang plane explodes during the reconstruction of the defense of Yan'an in the northwestern province of Shaanxi in China, where the armed struggle between Mao's troops and Kuomintang troops took place. China.
Reconstruction of the Sino-Japanese War, in which a Japanese soldier mocks a Chinese peasant. In Shanxi Province, China.
Events of the Hungarian Revolution of 1849. Battle of the city of Isaszeg. Hungary.
Masked actors ride horses at the Cavalhadas festival, Brazil. This festival was first held in the 1800s by a Portuguese priest and has since become an annual tradition. It is dedicated to the victory of the knights over the Moors.
Before the start of the reconstruction of the Battle of Berlin.
During the reconstruction of Napoleon's famous battle of Austerlitz near the South Moravian town of Slavkov, Czech Republic.
Actors take part in a reenactment of the Battle of Austerlitz to mark its 207th anniversary, near Brno, Czech Republic, on December 1, 2012.
Celebration of Arrival in Trinidad and Tobago.
An actor dressed as a samurai shoots an arrow during a martial arts demonstration at Sumida Park in Tokyo, Japan.
A man dressed as a soldier of the Austro-Hungarian army during a reenactment dedicated to the First World War. Village of Fundata. Romania.
Participants rest before the reconstruction of the Battle of Austerlitz. Near Brno, Czech Republic.
Children take part in a mock military parade at an amusement park in Pyongyang, North Korea, to mark International Children's Day.
Reconstruction of the Allied invasion of Malta on July 3, 1943. The capture of Malta was of strategic importance for the invasion of Italy on September 3, 1943.
Actors take part in a re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross, commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, during Good Friday during the celebration of the Orthodox Church in Bucharest, Romania. May 3, 2013.
Portraying Satan, inmate Cesar Rivera Aguilar participates in a reenactment of the Passion of Christ on Good Friday at the Reclusorio Oriente prison in Mexico City, Mexico.
Re-enactment of the Good Friday crucifixion in the village of San Juan, San Fernando City, north of Manila, Philippines.
Shot of a huge Armstrong cannon at Fort Rinella, Valletta, Malta.
Military historical reconstruction of the Battle of Karbala, during the Ashura festival in the Shiite district of Sadr City in Baghdad, Iraq, November 30, 2012. The Ashura festival commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, at the Battle of Karbala, Iraq in 680.
Reenactment of the American Revolutionary War. Pictured: British soldiers. New Jersey, USA.
Reconstruction of the atrocities and abuses carried out by the Khmer Rouge in the 70s of the last century. Every year, Cambodia celebrates a “Day of Wrath” to commemorate the atrocities of the regime and visit the mass graves of its victims.
People dressed in historical uniforms of the Imperial Russian and French armies take part in a re-enactment of the 1812 Battle of the Berezina, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the battle, near the village of Bryli, about 115 km (71 miles) east of Minsk, November 24, 2012. The battle between the attacking Russian army and Napoleon's retreating army ended in a Russian victory and heavy losses for the French.
Re-enactment of the Battle of Berlin.
Historical reconstruction of the Battle of Hastings, between the Saxons and Normans, England in 1066.
Actors dressed as Norman soldiers in a reenactment of the Battle of Hastings.
Mandatory attribute of historical reconstructions: portable toilets. It’s scary to imagine how the gathering of so many people would have ended without them.
A people who do not remember their past,
has no future...
Recently I have taken up military-historical reconstruction of the Second World War. There will be a series of articles on this topic, starting from ideology and, sequentially, I will describe what it is, how to collect a uniform, select a weapon. I will be reporting from military festivals, cathedrals and other events.
Why did you get involved? I love guns and their history. And the history of weapons is an integral part of military history. I want to not only be able to shoot, but also to know why this or that weapon, this or that cartridge was adopted. Few IPSC shooters wonder why the 9x19 Luger cartridge and much more are used for pistols...
Why the Great Patriotic War? We should all remember this victory and be proud of it. It is necessary for our contemporaries to understand that it was not the Americans who defeated the Germans, as is often shown in films and computer games.
This is the first post, boring, about ideology and general principles, but it’s impossible without an introduction.
What is military reconstruction
Today, military historical reconstruction (MHR) is a popular hobby among the male population. Adult men, some of whom have actually served in the armed forces and participated in real military conflicts of our time, as well as very young boys aged 14 years and older, are “sick” of this hobby. Although it should be noted that women are also present in considerable numbers, many of them followed their husbands. For some, this is a family hobby that also extends to friends.All these passionate people are united by a love of military history, the history of weapons and uniform art. Reenactors deal with different eras and armies. In Russia and the CIS countries, the most common is a passion for the history of the First and Second World Wars, in particular the events of the Great Patriotic War.
Many will agree that military-historical reconstruction is one of the most effective forms of studying military history - it allows you to supplement and strengthen knowledge obtained from various sources. It must be said right away that politics has no place in reconstruction. There are no left and right. You can reconstruct any troops and being interested in the history of the troops of Nazi Germany is not something bad. This is history. And you need to treat this hobby as history.
Reconstruction is a performance whose storyline is a battle, an episode of hostilities between warring parties. All participants, without exception, are actors, albeit not professional ones, but they believe in what is happening. Reenactors know how to get used to their roles, which allows you to truly experience the events of the past. VIR is not only a uniform, items of equipment, weapons, but also household items, the experiences and feelings of the participants in those events - this is living history. The sensations experienced by the participants are incomparable to any other emotions in terms of brightness and sharpness. The events are like a time machine, which allows you to travel back many years, find yourself on the battlefield, and transform for some time into a warrior of that time.
The main principle of reconstruction that the clubs adhere to is maximum historical correspondence to the era in everything, from everyday details to action tactics. If this rule is not followed, then the reconstruction turns into a poorly theatrical "Pokemon" party. Mugs, lighters, penknives, any small thing is not a small thing!
Another important note: military reenactment is not just about knowing how to wear a uniform correctly. This is the ability to preserve the memory of the exploits of our ancestors. Therefore, many military-historical clubs (MHCs) were created on the basis of search teams (SPs) engaged in excavations on the fields of former battles. These are not “black” diggers, as you might think. These are official communities, everything is done in white within the framework of the law (and we have harsh laws for illegal archaeological activities, I tell you). Search teams find the remains, identify them, find relatives and rebury them with honors.
View of the reconstruction through the eyes of a reenactor. Events of the Battlefield Festival 2013.
The largest military festival dedicated to the Second World War in Russia is the international festival “Battlefield”.
Roots of military reconstruction
The Living History movement originated in the first half of the twentieth century in Britain. The task of the reenactors was to study the history of any period not in the historian’s office, but directly, in action. You can feel the weight of ancient equipment, understand the distance you can cover in it, try how it behaved on a campaign and in battle, live in a military camp of that time, eat food prepared according to the recipes of that time... Historians and scientists received answers to various questions - what the length of the march could be carried out by armies in this or that equipment, how equipment behaves on the roads in different conditions, whose army had more advanced weapons and equipment, whose uniforms were more functional, and so on... Such “little things” influenced the course of the companies, and reconstruction allowed us to study the cause of the historical event much better.Another side of historical reconstruction emerged - a kind of “time machine” began to work, allowing each participant to see with his own eyes a picture close to the events of the past and experience the emotions and impressions associated with what he saw. History buffs flocked to the movement. Today, historical reconstruction brings together thousands of people in many countries around the world. It is difficult to find a historical event that has not yet been reconstructed. Everyone will find their own era.
How are reenactors divided into “our own” and “Germans”?
All reenactors are universal soldiers. At the first stage of the passion for reconstruction, many begin to recreate the members of the Red Army (Workers' Peasants' Red Army). Firstly, for purely patriotic reasons, and secondly, it is cheaper than reconstructing the armies of other countries. Almost everyone has a Soviet uniform, regardless of which country’s troops are being reconstructed. At any reconstruction there are always fewer Germans by definition - it’s not only a matter of principles, but also the cost of the form. It costs about 30 thousand rubles to assemble a Soviet uniform. It costs much more to assemble a German uniform - from 60 thousand rubles. So the Germans are mostly adults, wealthy, and have been involved in military reconstruction for many years.What does this hobby give?
Using equipment and weapons from war models, you can thoroughly study it, find answers to your questions, and understand what each piece of ammunition was intended for. You can learn how to disassemble, clean and assemble personal weapons. It will be hard for you on marches and marches, it will be hot under the scorching sun, wet and damp under a raincoat in rainy weather, your equipment will get in your way, and a heavy rifle or machine gun and ammunition will weigh you down. You will understand what it is like to dig a trench, a trench, a dugout, what it is like to spend the night in the field and stand for several hours in a damp trench in any weather. You will hear the roar of artillery barrage and see pillars of earth rising into the sky. In the growing roar of shooting and explosions, seeing the flashes of enemy rifles and machine guns ahead, you realize how insignificantly short the life of a soldier on the Battlefield could be. This is an opportunity to communicate with interesting people and like-minded people.Imagine, as a child you went to museums, saw exhibits but could not touch them. VIR is an opportunity not only to collect a museum, a piece of history at home, but also to touch these things and use them.
Where to begin?
Start by finding the right re-enactor club. Find a club that is located in your city or nearby. Get to know each other. You will definitely need to meet with the club members and, in particular, with the commander. Since the VEC is close to the military in its organization, the rules there are like those of the military. Be ready to carry out orders and implement internal regulations. Once you have found the club, you need to start collecting uniforms. Clothing and equipment is a separate big topic, which I will analyze in parts, starting with hats.And, of course, read history books. Don't believe everything they write on Wikipedia and don't base your knowledge base on feature films.
Conclusion
And finally, I’ll give a quote from Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov:I would encourage our youth to take care of everything connected with the Great Patriotic War. It is very necessary to study military experience, collect documents, create museums and build monuments, and not forget memorable dates and famous names. But it is especially important to remember: there are former soldiers living among you. Treat them with care.
