Keeping it real: Introducing the Fallshirmjager 2 reenactment camp
One reenactment group based in the UK depicts the 2nd Parachute Division or Fallschirmjager 2, which was raised in Brittany, France in 1943 under the command of Generalmajor Herman Ramcke.
The world of reenactments is truly an international hobby, with special events and shows being organized in countries across the United States and Europe, and even further afield. Such is the popularity of these events they attract large numbers of visitors who attend to see participating groups with their incredible displays of artifacts. Some of the finest depictions of historical units have often been achieved by groups with perhaps as few as 12 members. They know quality over quantity is important when visitors expect the highest possible levels of accuracy and attention to detail.
Out of all the periods available to reenactors, it is the time span of World War II which offers almost unlimited options when it comes to depicting formations that took part in the conflict. Although reenactors and collectors are enthusiasts of military history that have different approaches to their interests, there is a cross-over point as they find they share a common interest in militaria collecting. Members of well-established re-enactment groups usually have a very good range of items which they display at shows, sometimes assembling outdoor exhibitions of museum quality.
Among the most popular depictions in Europe are the airborne units, with Italian, British, American and German groups turning up at shows. Among them is the German Fallschirmjager, with their distinctive helmets and smocks, who often stand out and steal the show.
The first German parachute units were raised in 1935, trained and equipped, and eventually made part of the Luftwaffe in 1938. It all happened under a veil of great secrecy; their existance was finally made public when the troops paraded openly for the first time in 1938.
One reenactment group based in the UK depicts the 2nd Parachute Division or Fallschirmjager 2, which was raised in Brittany, France in 1943 under the command of Generalmajor Herman Ramcke. The unit had three battalions and saw service in Italy, Russia and France, where it fought around the city of Brest in 1944. The unit was reformed later in the same year and fought against the Allies in Holland, after which it took part in the fighting in the Reichswald. The remnants of the unit finally surrendered in March 1945 when the “Ruhr Pocket” was surrounded by Allied forces. After the war, U.S. General Troy Middleton paid a personal tribute to Generalmajor Ramcke, the first commanding officer of FJR2, known by his men as “Papa Ramcke”’, saying: “I think he conducted the war in the tradition of a good soldier.”
It is some of these events in this brief but intense period of history which are demonstrated at reenactment events by the group calling itself Fallschirmjager 2 (FJR 2). Created by several like-minded friends, the troop is frequently invited by event organizers to take their display to public shows around the country. Their reputation for authenticity is well known. Some members have reenacting experience going back 15 years and a few have even completed the parachute training course at Texel in Holland. The members all share a love of the history of FJR2, and collect items either relating to or are directly connected with the regiment. The result is a unique exhibition of equipment that is rarely seen or demonstrated at shows.
The group has very high standards when it comes to presentation. There is a chain of command, but ultimately each member is responsible for making sure they have everything they need for a show. This has produced a level of friendship and camaraderie that is a credit to the group as a whole. The FJR2 does not take part in arena battle re-enactment displays because their equipment, being original and virtually impossible to replace, is far too valuable to risk being damaged in such fast-paced, energetic displays.
Instead, they present a demonstration of handling parachutes with a member using the public address system to explain what is happening and how parachutes operate. Such presentations are completely weather dependent. Too much wind and they risk being blown away. Insufficient wind or, worse, rain, can lead to cancellations. Ideal conditions call for just enough breeze to lift and inflate the canopies to look as though they had just landed. Some members enter the arena pulling an original example of an equipment canister mounted on wheels and packed with rifles, adding to the display and completing the impression.
The amount of original equipment and other kit held within the group is extremely impressive. During a show each man will wear the Fallschirmjägerhelm, a distinctive pattern helmet, which lacked the flaring of the better-known WWII German Stahlhelm and was unique to the Fallschirmjäger branch of the armed forces. All members also wear high-quality replica versions of the distinctive side-lacing jump boots, which have been specially made for each man, and only lack the unique herringbone pattern on the soles. The jump smock, known by troops as the “Knochensack”, or “bone sack”, is typically worn.
As would have been the case during the war, each man has his own individual parachute that he packs into a canvas hold-all. This is then placed into a metal container for storage. Members of the group are trained in handling the standard weaponry of the day, including MG34 and MG42 machine guns, FG42 rifle, which was unique to the Fallschirmjager, and even mortars. Strict firearms laws in the U.K. mean all these weapons have to be legally deactivated. Members of FJR 2 also explain radio procedure, tactics and airborne operations along with medical care for the wounded.
The group also owns heavier items which it can bring along to shows, including anti-tank weapons such as the 7.5cm-cal. PaK40 and the 7.5cm Leichtgeschutz 40 recoilless anti-tank weapon, believed to be the only known example in private hands in the U.K. Finally, they also have a couple of motorcycles, which have been adapted to look like authentic machines, including the BMW R12, which can be used to reenact reconnaissance roles or liaison duties.
The FJR 2 is a self-contained group which chooses to keep its membership small. As far as presentations of the Fallschirmager are concerned, this is one of the finest to be found in the U.K. and certainly one of the most authentic-looking. And whenever it appears, the group demonstrates how well the reenactment and collecting communities can fit together.
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