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.
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| The (in)famous Caterpillar, and I, at Rockford 2015 |
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.
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| How do I answer someone who approaches me and asks who am I? |
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??
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