Who Are You?!?!

*Disclaimer, this blog is meant to be both educational and entertaining.  The information shared here should not be a substitute for your own research.  Additionally as new information comes to light through books and other reputable sources, facts shared here are subject to revision.  Constructive feedback is welcome as long as it is appropriate and professional*

The more I reflect on my experiences as a re-enactor and write this blog the more and more I realize how eerily similar I am to Alice from Alice in Wonderland.  So for this next post I'm going to travel back to Wonderland once again.  Let's be honest, there's not a lot of women in this hobby who choose to do an Axis impression more particularly a German female impression and you may at times get questioned about why you are doing your particular impression.  Whether you're a newbie or veteran you may just feel like your encounter several versions of Wonderland's Caterpillar both in fellow re-enactors and with the public. You will get asked "who are you" and you will need to be able to answer this question from a historic representation and a personal representation at events.  This was my biggest fear going into my first event but once I understood who I was personally as a re-enactor and knew how to answer that question to guests the fear turned into excitement and enjoyment at events.  

My very first Caterpillar

As I mentioned in "Take the leap and the net will appear," D-Day Ohio was my first event as a re-enactor and I was incredibly nervous going into it.  I literally felt like a new kid going into my first day at a new school and how everyone was going to perceive me.  I knew I had my White Rabbit by my side and my Cheshire Cat was going to be there too, but who were the other people I would encounter.  Well to be honest, one of those first people happened to be exactly like the Caterpillar Alice encounters in the garden.  He was talking with my White Rabbit and then paused and turned to me and asked, "Who are you exactly?"  This caught me off guard and just as Alice stumbled over explaining herself I did the same.  For as much as I knew my personal goals as a re-enactor and had done my research on who I was representing in my impression I hardly knew who I was in relation to everyone else that lived in Wonderland.  

That brings me to the first point of this post, know who you want to be among other re-enactors in your unit and the hobby as a whole.  Are you content being the significant other of another member of your unit?  Do you  consider yourself a serious re-enactor and desire to have others look at you that way too?  Do you want to carve your own path and let your reputation speak for you?  How will you answer that question when a fellow re-enactor asks you, "Who are you?"  However you choose to answer that question answer it with confidence and never be ashamed or embarrassed of your response.  

After a split second of panic and feeling my cheeks go red in embarrassment, I answered that question as confidently as I could to the Caterpillar.  I wasn't someone's significant other, I wasn't there as just some random girl who's tagging along for a fun weekend with a friend.  I was a Luftnachrichten Helferin, I was a German re-enactor, and I was there to represent women who served Germany during the war as accurately as possible and deserved to be respected as a re-enactor like others in the hobby.  At that precise moment I knew exactly who I was.  I may have surprised the Caterpillar with my response and to this day I don't remember the exact words I said to him but I like to think it was enough for him to pause and take another look at who I was going to be as a re-enactor compared to possibly other women he had met in the past.  

Now before you form a negative opinion about the Caterpillar, I want to say he has become one of my close friends within the hobby.  He has my utmost respect as a re-enactor, he's one of the most knowledgeable men I have ever met in this hobby and is extremely dedicated to representing this history as accurately as possible.  He strives to elevate everyone around him in the hobby as best he can.  He's challenged me, supported me, and overall has helped me become the best helferin re-enactor I could possibly be.  He always encourages me to continue to grow in my impression.  In my personal opinion it's all because he was the first person to challenge me and ask the question "Who are you," to force me to decide truly who I was as a re-enactor.  If it wasn't for that, who knows where I would have ended up in this hobby.  

The (in)famous Caterpillar, and I, at Rockford 2015

Who are you?

As long as there are public guests attending events you should be prepared to answer the question from them, "Who are you?"  If you're an representing an Allied civilian, you will be asked this question.  If you are representing  a CWAC, you will be asked this question.  If you are representing a French partisan, you will be asked this question.  And if you are representing a German Helferin, you will be asked this question.  

When I'm at an event I love talking to the public!  My goal at every single event is to successfully engage the guests and teach them about history in an interesting and entertaining way.  If I have even a single guest walk away from the display or camp I am participating with having learned something new I consider the event successful.  

How do I answer the question "Who are you" though when talking to the public?  First off it's important to have confidence through body language and speech to the guest.  I'm not ashamed of the impression I represent and by demonstrating to guests with my body language and intonation that I am passionate and proud about this impression draws them in and often creates a more receptive mindset to the brief history lesson I'm about to give them.  

How do I answer someone who approaches me and asks who am I?

I say to them exactly who I am and then connect it with something they might already be familiar with.  In my case my opening response will almost always be, "I represent a German Luftwaffe Helferin which was Germany's female auxiliary service for their Air Force branch of the military."  This gives them the historic term but then connects it with something they already may know about.  For 90% of the guests you engage with this will draw their interest and even open the door for you to talk further with them about the history of women in the role your are representing.  

I'm not to sugar coat it but re-enacting German is not for the faint of heart and isn't for everyone.  Our uniform insignia, although historically correct, isn't something everyone feels comfortable wearing.  To be clear no one as a German re-enactor nor does any event ever represent the partisan side of that history during the war.  I choose to do my particular German impression because these women who served Germany in their respective roles deserve to be represented in the telling of history just as much as those women who served as Allied Auxiliaries.  

Now I'm also not going to lie to you about a particular question, if you are doing a German impression you will eventually encounter one of the toughest questions to tactfully answer.  Inevitably someone will ask you, "Are you a..." in reference to the political party in power in Germay during the war, and here is your opportunity to positively connect with them and educate them about history.  The first time you get asked this question it may be tough to answer, but if you've researched your impression thoroughly you will know the historically correct and accurate answer to give.  Explain calmly and clearly that you are not what their perception might be and answer factually who your impression truly represents.  Some guests will receive that well and appreciate the clarification even invite you to share more information with them.  Unfortunately for a small fraction of guests, no matter what historic facts you attempt to explain to them it will not change their minds.  Stay calm, confident, and genial when interacting in these situations and that's the best you can do.  

How will you answer?

You may be like Alice right after she arrives in Wonderland or you may have been in Wonderland for an extended period of time.  Regardless of your experience level, how will you answer the question "Who are you?"  Have you answered this question for years and you know exactly who you are to your fellow re-enactors and are extremely comfortable explaining your impression to the public?  Maybe this is a work in progress for you?  Maybe you are self-reflecting yourself to truly know how to respond?  Either way once you know this answer be confident in your response no matter who is asking it.  

One of the things I love about this hobby is the diversity.  There are so many people who re-enact they come from all different walks of life and bring something unique and interesting to this hobby.  There is never any right or wrong answer when defining yourself within the hobby, and every re-enactor can have a different approach and style in communicating who their impression is to the public as long as it has a positive impact on the guest's event experience.  

Figuring out my response to both situations when this question was brought up molded me into who I am as a re-enactor.  If I never encountered my Caterpillar early on I honestly don't know how I would have grown into because the positive impact his question had was instrumental to take me to where I am today.  

So consider me acting as your own Caterpillar and I'm going to ask you this question.
  

Who are you??

What (not) to Wear

*Disclaimer, this blog is meant to be both educational and entertaining.  The information shared here should not be a substitute for your own research.  Additionally as new information comes to light through books and other reputable sources, facts shared here are subject to revision.  Constructive feedback is welcome as long as it is appropriate and professional*

Several years ago there was a show on TLC that was called "What Not To Wear."  It was the classic makeover show but one thing I always loved about it was the stylists taught many of the guests how important it was to invest in quality pieces for their wardrobe and how investing in their wardrobe will ultimately impact them positively in other aspects of their life.  This concept I think carries over well to re-enacting and why I'm calling this post "What (not) to Wear."  I'm not going to sit here and write what you should or should not purchase for your uniform and where but instead hopefully I can help you understand how a well educated investment in your uniform will positively impact your experience in this hobby.  

It's been 16 months since I started re-enacting and 12 months since I purchased my first uniform.  Since then I've had countless people approach me with questions on where to buy uniforms, what are good quality ones, how accurate are various reproductions etc.  So I decided it's time I put some of this down into a post to share with everyone.  Before we get too far into this post I want to let you know this is focused on German Helferin uniforms since my level of expertise lies in this arena instead of Allied Female Military Uniforms.

The "walking out" uniform is the most common uniform worn by women at reenactment events.  This is the standard wool uniform that women were issued during the war and what they wore when they were "walking out" or out in public when they were stationed in occupied territories.  Helferin were actually not allowed to wear civilian clothing outside the borders of Germany when in service.  The walking out uniform consists of a jacket/tunic, skirt, blouse, necktie, and overseas cap but the colors and details varied by service branch.  

Research, Research, Research

This has been and will remain a common theme of my informational posts.  Do your research before you purchase anything.  Make sure you are knowledgeable on the basics of your impression's uniform requirements.  This information is relatively easy to find, most of the recommended reference books I listed in a previous post should have this information.  Although not to substitute for your own research I've listed a basic description of some of the most common impressions below.

Nachrichten Luftwaffehelferinnen:
This uniform consisted of a blue-grey wool comparable to the color wool worn by the men in the Luftwaffe branch.  The tunic was a 3 button single breasted jacket with no front breast pocket and worn with a skirt with two kick-pleats in the front.  A light blue blouse was worn under the tunic but a white blouse was allowed on special occasions or Sundays; both blouses had a black tie and Luftwaffe service pin that were worn with it.  The overseas cap was the same style as the men's cap but no cockade was worn on the hat with the insignia and had a gold-brown piping along the top flaps of the cap .  

Examples of a Reproduction LW Helferin Uniform,
Photos Courtesy of Matthew Sperzel Photography

Nachrichtenhelferinnen des Heeres:
This uniform consisted of a grey wool but typically was not the feldgrau color most men's uniforms issued for the Heer branch were made of.  The tunic was double-breasted with two rows of two buttons each, it also had two front breast pockets with flaps, and at the waist were two additional pockets without a flap but with a button closure.  At the cuffs on the tunic there was buttoned tabs and on the back of the tunic a two buttoned half belt.  This tunic was worn with a skirt with two front kick-pleats and one back kick-pleat.  A gray or brownish-grey blouse with a black tie and blitz service brooch were worn under the tunic.  The overseas cap was similar to the M1938 cap worn by Heer officers, the semi-circular front had lemon-yellow piping along with the insignia and blitz patch.  

Photo Courtesy of Kvh Dolium on Pinterest

SS Helferinnen:
This uniform consisted of either a mouse-grey or Feldgrau wool.  The tunic was a 3 button single-breasted jacket with a front breast pocket worn with a skirt with two kick-pleats on the front.  A white blouse was worn under the tunic but without the black necktie worn by the Luftwaffe and Heer branches.  The overseas cap was either black.  (The SS Helferin is the branch I know the least about, if this is your chosen impression do plenty of research on the uniform for more details.)

Example of a Reproduction SS Helferin Uniform

You get what you pay for

It's no lie that with anything you purchase in today's world you get what you pay for.  If you spend $100 on a 42" TV don't expect it to be well made and come with as many fancy details as a $500 42" TV.  The same will go for your uniforms for this hobby.  If you purchase the $150 budget uniform from Ebay don't expect the quality and level of detail to be the same as the $700 uniform made in Germany. 

The quality of wool is key on uniforms, ideally you want a tightly woven wool.  The looser the weave the quicker the fabric will wear thin and eventually become threadbare in certain high friction spots on the garment and the looser the weave the lower cost per yard/meter the fabric costs.  Most of the wool used by Asian manufacturers are a looser weave which allows them to keep the cost of the garments low in price.  

The accuracy of the color can be related to the price of the uniform.  It is true that there was quite a bit of color variation that existed in the uniforms during the war due to the dye process used on the raw wool fibers but there also is certain spectrum that the uniform should strive to stay in.  Understand a low cost reproduction Luftwaffe uniform may be a bright blue instead of a blue-grey wool but as I said, you get what you pay for and make sure you do your research before purchasing.  

Details are what set high quality uniforms apart from the low cost reproductions too.  Investing in a $700 European made uniform will likely yield you a well tailored uniform with all the details to make it as accurate as possible such as the proper placement of pockets, correct color piping, and well made insignia.  A $150 reproduction may be mass produced and not well tailored, the piping may not match the correct color, and the insignia may not be the best quality.  

What's on the market?

Before I get into evaluating what's out on the market, I want to preface this by stating I am not endorsing nor discouraging purchases from any of these vendors.  If you feel a particular vendor is the one you want after doing your research then go ahead and purchase it.  This post is designed to simply help you understand more what you are looking at.  

Ebay Sellers

Recently a new Ebay listings for reproduction uniforms have entered the marketplace with reproduction sets and headwear.  They are listings include LW Helferin, NHdH, and SS Helferin uniform sets and most of them are listed for approximately $155 USD for the tunic, skirt, blouse, necktie, and cap which can appear as a steal when it comes to reproduction WW2 German uniforms.  The low price can be very attractive to re-enactors who are new to this impression and getting the whole uniform set for less than what some men's uniforms start at will make them want to jump at it.  

Remember though you get what you pay for and it looks like these uniform sets may have several inaccuracies to them.  

Let's look at the LW helferin uniform to start with.  This uniform has a front breast pocket which is incorrect for their uniform standards.  The piping on the hat also appears to be a lemon yellow instead of the gold-brown piping which was correct for LW Helferin.  The blouse should be a full button down instead of a half button down front.  The color appears to be in the correct blue-grey spectrum for the service branch and the tunic is the correct single-breasted front cut.  

The NHdH uniform has the correct double-breasted tunic and also a decent grey color.  The hat also has the right lemon yellow piping.  The skirt unfortunately does not appear to have a back kick-pleat, the blouse is also a half button-down instead of a full button-down, and the cap also seems to have an abnormal cut to the semi-circular front.  It comes standard with a white blouse which means if this uniform set is purchased the gray or brown-grey blouse would still need to be purchased. 

The SS Helferin uniform appears to be the best out of the three, unfortunately I can't willfully speak on details because I do not have the depth of knowledge to provide insight on that.  

Reproductions from India

I've heard numerous mixed reviews from a vendors from India.  Despite this I would consider these uniforms to be mid-range when it comes to price.  They typically will run close to $300 for a tunic, skirt, and hat.  The website for one of these vendors does have grainy pictures which can make it difficult to determine the quality of the garment and details associated with it.  On the website they list the uniform as a generic "helferin uniform" but it actually is the LW Helferin uniform.  The benefit is that they do make the uniform somewhat custom tailored to your measurements and can accommodate larger sizes.  

The wool they use is a looser weave wool and also tends to be a brighter blue than a true blue-grey.  The color shouldn't be ruled out as completely inaccurate due to the dye lot variations during the war.  This vendor does send complimentary fabric swatches by request so if you want to purchase from them I suggest requesting the swatch prior to purchase.  

All in all though if you choose to purchase from this vendor, see if you can talk with other re-enactors who have purchased from them and get their first hand opinion or advice.  If you connect with someone who has purchased from them in the past you'll probably get a chance to see the uniform in person to see the quality of the wool and craftsmanship.  

Feldissue

This vendor I personally and highly recommend.  I purchased my uniform from them and the quality and level of detail is impeccable.  This vendor's uniforms are definitely on the high end when it comes to price.  One of their uniforms typically is quoted at approximately $700 for a tunic, skirt, and cap.  The uniform is made based off of original wartime patterns and sewn in Germany.  Due to the fact they use original patterns they don't 100% custom tailor it to you but will take your measurements and alter the pattern ranges to fit for your size as best as possible.  

Feldissue currently produces uniforms for LW Helferin, SS Helferin, and also have a Flak-helferin uniform in process.  All three uniforms use very high quality wool with a tight weave and fairly accurate dye colors.  They provide fabric swatches upon request which I also highly recommend prior to investing in one of their uniforms.  

Uniforms from Feldissue Top R-Left:
SS Helferin, Flakhelferin, LW Helferin
Photos Courtesy of Feldissue.com

These uniforms are manufactured in Germany but shipped from England.  Due to this the pricing is in GBP so you will have to deal with exchange rates when purchasing from them.  The insignia can also be purchased from them but is shipped separately from the uniform.  

All in all if you can afford these uniforms I highly recommend you invest in them.  Earlier in this post I talked about the differences between a $100 TV and a $500 TV.  Consider Feldissue to be your "$500 TV" investment, they are much better made than the "$100 TV" because the craftsmanship and quality.  If you invest in this uniform it will last several years for you and hold up to all sorts of conditions, a $700 investment that will last you 6-10 years and only end up costing less than $150 per year.    

Make the choice which will work the best for you

I think I've rattled on long enough in this post so I'm going to wrap this up.  Of course there's countless more details I can go into about uniform specifics and if you are interested in further discussion feel free to contact me.  

One last time for this post, do your research ahead of time.  An investment in a uniform is probably going to be the largest investment you will make when building your impression.  Glossing over the research and purchasing an inaccurate uniform or poor quality uniform can make or break your impression and your enjoyment of the hobby.  

When shopping around for your impression's uniform make sure you do your research and make an educated decision for your investment, talk with the vendors ahead of your purchase, and talk with other re-enactors in the hobby and their opinions of different vendors.  Match the price point and quality with your goals for your impression and what you ultimately feel is going to be best for you.  If the economy reproduction is the best fit for you then go for it, if you decide to invest in the higher end uniform own it when you wear it, but whatever you choose to purchase the most important thing to remember is accuracy.  We represent history and actual people in our impressions and we don't want to disrespect history by being inaccurate no matter what the price point is.