The Reenactor's Corner

Join Chris as he shares this year's collection of reenacting related spooky stories and terrifying tales from our  listeners...... As the witching hour approaches there will be more horror over on our Patreon channel. Dim the lights and Happy Halloween...! Huge thanks to everyone who supports the podcast on Patreon - we couldn't do this without your help! You can sign up to support us from as litt...

This month 7th. Kompanie Grossdeutschland Div. celebrates 50 years of reenacting . To celebrate this landmark event here is an episode from our archives where Chris and Ben talk to Rudi Lange about the secret to the group's longevity ! In a world where burn-out and drama tend to limit the life span of many reenactment groups this episode makes fascinating and compelling listening . Congratulations...

Public events can range from small local "dog and pony" shows to large scale multi-period reenactments. For many they offer a great opportunity to meet the public and explain more about the hobby - for others they represent a necessary evil, or something to be avoided.... In the run-up to this years D-Day Ohio in Conneaut  Chris sat down with long time reenactor Dylan Williams, who has a positive...

As ever, a very big thank you to everyone that supports the Podcast via  Patreon - we really couldn't do this without you ! Why not sign up and become one of our growing band of supporters with access to all of our Patreon exclusive content and more for as little as $5 a month.  www.patreon.com/reenactorpodcast Friedhelm Maus has explored  many different impressions during his reenacting career -...

Despite being a mainly conscripted force the British Army of WW2 drew on many hundreds of years of history and tradition. Dylan from the UK has previously reenacted both medieval periods and WW2 German but is now focusing on his own native military with The Platoon Living History Group. In this episode he talks to Chris about the challenges and benefits of reenacting WW2 forces from your own home...

The introduction of additional  tariffs on imported goods last year hit many reenactors across the United States hard in the wallet . Sourcing items from overseas has always been important to many in the hobby but the additional charges proved problematic and also caused many vendors and suppliers to stop shipping to the USA for a period. In this epsiode Chris talks to Hunter who reenacts with the...

As ever, a very big thank you to everyone that supports the Podcast via  Patreon - we really couldn't do this without you ! Why not sign up and become one of our growing band of supporters with access to all of our Patreon exclusive content and more for as little as $5 a month.  www.patreon.com/reenactorpodcast FFI (French Resistance ) reenacting is sometimes viewed as the poor relation within the...

As ever, a very big thank you to everyone that supports the Podcast via  Patreon - we really couldn't do this without you ! Why not sign up and become one of our growing band of supporters with access to all of our Patreon exclusive content and more for as little as $5 a month.  www.patreon.com/reenactorpodcast In this episode Chris talks to Bartholomaus Weis from South Australia about WW2 reenact...

For some reenactors public events have long lost their appeal - with the same mock "battles" being played out against the same inappropriate backdrops year after year. However could a change of approach maybe help to revitalise these type of events ? In this epsiode Chris is joined by Peter Scholey of 4th Kompanie GD in the UK to discuss how to build rapport with the organisers of public events in...

In this episode long time contributor and friend of the podcast Ludwig Topf catches up with Chris to discuss the perils and possibilities associated with creating a new reenactment unit.  

It is estimated that over 17 million Soldbuch identity documents were issued during World War Two and surviving examples often provide valuable insight into the everyday lives of those who served within the German military, including what uniforms and equipment they were issued. In this episode  Chris goes on a deep dive into the world of these documents and explains how information gleaned from o...

Although the majority of WW2 reenactors are based in North America and Europe the hobby has members all over the world. In this epsiode Chris talks to James Fortner, who is originally from the United States but now lives in Japan - where he is a member of several reenacting groups that portray both Allied and Axis powers during World War Two. Given Japan's sometimes complex relationship with recol...

The Wound Badge (Verwundetenabzeichen ) was one of the most issued German military awards during World War Two. Around five  million were awarded during the conflict and, as a result, originals often come up for sale on the collectors market. Price depends on the grade of the award (black,silver or gold) and manufacturer. In this epsiode guest host Rudi Lange walks through the history of the Verwu...

Ever since the American Civil War photography has played an important role in recording the realities of war. Whether posed propaganda photographs, combat reportage or candid shots of life behind the lines this kind of material can be a priceless resource when building your reenacting impression. In this episode Chris gives his hints and tips on how to use original photogtraphs to their best advan...

Current events in the Middle East are already having a knock on effect for many at home as fuel costs rise - potentially impacting members of the hobby who are already operating on a tight budget. In this episode Chris discusses ways to help reduce the costs associated with World War Two reenacting..... As ever, a very big thank you to everyone that supports the Podcast via  Patreon - we really co...

Our last episode, which focused on the topic of finding an appropriate role within the hobby as we grow older, certainly generated alot of feedback from our listeners. In this episode guest host Rudi Lange shares his thoughts on what some of our listeners had to say.......

During World War Two the average age of soldiers serving in the German Army was around 25 years old. Reenactors, however, come in all ages from those who are still in their teens to some who are still actively involved in living history well into their 60s and 70s.... In this episode our guest host Rudi Lange talks with Josef Brandt, a fellow member of 7kp GD, who has been reenacting since 1983. H...

World War Two has long been the backdrop for many Hollywood films - meaning that reenactors can sometimes offer their servives to film makers and be employed as extras. In this episode Chris recounts his experiences portraying a German soldier in the 2010 movie Shutter Island - alongside several other members of his reenactment group and Leonardo DiCaprio.................

This January marks eight years since the last Fort Indiantown Gap.... For many reenactors who attended over the years it's been hard to find another event that compares - whilst for some of those who didn't attend, the annual reenactment in Pennsylvania has achieved almost mythical status. By the time the event closed in 2018 Chris had been taking part for almost 20 years and in this episode he sh...

Join Chris and podcast regulars Rudi Lange and Ludwig Topf as they look back at WW2 German reenacting in 2025 and share their predictions for what the New Year has in store for the world of living history... As ever, a very big thank you to everyone that supports the Podcast via  Patreon - we really couldn't do this without you ! Why not sign up and become one of our growing band of supporters wit...

It is estimated that over 18 milion identity discs (Erkennungsmarken) were stamped and issued by the German Armed Forces in World War Two. It's unique design, with a perforated centre and identitical details on each half, carried no name but instead a unit designation and numbers that would identity the soldier when cross-referenced with official records. In this epsiode Chris goes on a deep dive...

The ability to source both original and reproduction items from overseas is an important part of the hobby for many reenactors - however recent changes in the United States mean that buying from Europe , or any other part of the world , has become more problematic....and expensive. At the end of August 2025 the Trump Administration removed the long-standing "de minimus" arrangement whereby non-com...

For many reenactors using a vintage camera loaded with film is the best way to capture images at an event - they provide a more authentic and tangible record than their digital counterpart and having only 12 or 36 shots available per roll of film really focuses the mind when it comes to subject matter and composition . In this episode Chris talks to Vijay, a WW2 reenactor from Chicago who has comb...

Ever since our first Halloween Special way back in 2019 every year we've brought you a selection of our listeners spookiest stories . From late night encounters with spectoral sentries or enemy combatants to original items in your collections that maintain a malevolent aura long after World War Two.  This year the story submissions were more spine-chilling than ever - so sit back, lock the doors a...

In this episode UK based reenactor and long time friend of the show Ludwig Topf tells Chris about the events that he has attended this summer - including one organised by the "We Have Ways" WW2 history podcast where he swapped his regular German uniform for a British one for the weekend and had a vigorous exchange of views with comedian and podcast host Al Murray in the beer tent..... As ever, a v...