Hey Imgur! Wanna hear about my weird hobby?

These are the 8th Kurassier Regiment Reenactors

A group of reenactors portraying a Prussian Heavy Cavalry regiment from WW1. Essentially, twice a year, we get together with a few hundred other crazies and live in trenches for a weekend. Once the gate closes at around 6 PM friday, we live as close to WW1 as we can for about 36 hours. This includes our clothes, food, daily routine, and we do our best to insure it includes our conversations as well.

If you have any questions please post them in comments or send them to me.
Here are some cool/useful links if you're interested:
http://greatwarassociation.com/
http://www.8thkurassier.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vctf8rqAJk

This is me and three of my friends who I got into the hobby

I'm center right (shiny buttons).

This is me looking like an idiot

This unit's main duties is communications. We have a fully functional phone system through out the German lines, and use it to redirect troops and collect information from our observation posts (which will be shown later)

A group of burly men being given instructions.

These are the line infantry men whom we do our best to support. We supply them with info on troop movements and concentrations and make sure they're where they're most needed.

Here I am swearing allegiance to the German Empire

Every soldier was expected to take the oath, I had to take mine alone as I am the only Jew in the unit (there were different oaths depending on religion).

This is Kuer. Kessler

He is a fantastic cook (or koch) and has now taken on that duty with Kuer. Fonger as a permanent position.

He's currently cutting up a huge chunk of pork.

For this event the meal scenario was basically "we caught a pig, used some parts to barter, and are left with this chunk... how much can we make with it?" Kessler and Fonger managed to make 3 different meals for about 6 or 7 men from this one piece of meat. During the war, it would have lasted much longer, but our diets today are much more similar to prewar rather than late war.

Here's Hanson giving a slide show.

The man with the pipe is Gefreiter "Merlin" Hanson. He got me in to the hobby and is a fantastic character. You should visit his website:
http://www.hansonmechanical.com/

The GWA Trench Line in Newville PA

There's literally nothing like this anywhere else in the US, or at least not on this scale. Every single event there are amazing sights like this that give you a feel for what the men would have seen daily during the war

More trenches

Observation post

This one is still under construction. But was used at the last event. (though you felt really exposed using it)

Our daily duties include a lot of observation

And sometimes standing in the line.

But also lots of observation.

Also communications

The phone system we have has been a real boost to the Central Powers' combat effectiveness, and has allowed use to really become and integral part of these events even if we're not manning the trenches. Here I am winding the crank to send a call out.

Taking a break from the phones.

TRIGGER DISCIPLINE! Use it kids.

And of course... lots of observation.

Seriously. We sit in these OPs (observation posts) for around 16 hours on saturday, though we keep a steady rotation.

Friendly faces in the trenches...

Even friendlier...

But really it's a great group of people.

And we have a lot of fun.

Here is Der Weihnachtsman! (German Santa) Handing out letters and presents to all the good little Kurassieren

We also get a little crazy.

Well a lot crazy

This is a game called "Fleisch" (German for Meat)
One person stands in front with a line behind them. Someone in the line has to slap their ass, then they have to guess who it was. If you guess right, then the person who slapped you has to go up. We play it a lot... for... reasons... copious amounts of alcohol is usually involved.

We also get a little risque at times.

Two hardened veterans are corrupting the young recruit with crude humor and images.

Locicero and Kidd are the allied commanders.

There's always lots of silliness

No really... lots of silliness

"Flowers sir?"

But this is why we really do it.

This is Gus Rewwer. He is a 90 year old veteran of the Second World War, and a very kind man. He comes and visits us at these events because we're one of the only things which can really bring him back to the old Germany, from a time which no longer exists, even if we predate him slightly. But we reenact to keep the memory of the men and women who suffered in this war alive. We try to literally live in their shoes for a weekend to gain a better understanding of how their lives would have been. While we don't have the death, fear, sorrow, and pain which punctuated so much of this war, we do our best to recreate what we can.

Wow... you must be pooped after reading all this.

But before you go!

Here's a rat tax. Our cat was eaten by one a little bit ago... so we've been using shovels and pistols lately.

(Seriously... read some of the accounts of the rat problems during the war. There are a few records of them killing and then eating the cats sent after them)

Now go take a nap.