Military reenacting is sort of an "interactive history lesson" for spectators and participants alike. Unlike history books or documentary films, reenacting attempts to provide first-hand experiences of the wide variety of military equipment, the monotony of camp and garrison, and the tragedy and violence of combat.

Reenacting is not a recent innovation. Revolutionary War reenactments were staged in commemoration of the U.S. Centennial in 1876 and numerous Civil War reenactments were staged for (and in some cases, by...) veterans around the turn of the century. The only major change in the philosophy of reenacting over this course of time has been the shift in emphasis away from spectacle and towards historical accuracy. This new emphasis was also the catalyst for the development of "Living History". Unlike reenactments, living history programs are not centered around mock combat; the main purpose of living history is education.

Historical accuracy and safety are indeed the most important aspects of modern reenacting. The majority of today's participants have a devout interest in the historical periods which they portray, and they work hard to recreate soldiers of yesterday as realistically as possible. To re-create these soldiers correctly requires diligence and a lot of research. Safety is especially vital since various pyrotechnic devices are used to simulate the weapons of an actual battle.

So, if you have ever wondered about the lives of the soldiers of the Second World War, come out and see a reenactment or living history event for yourself. And if you have a genuine interest in entering this hobby yourself or are a veteran with knowledge to share, we would like to talk to you!

Our organization portrays a standard German Army infantry unit. Although we don't have the flashiest uniforms or equipment that Germany had to offer, we do derive a great deal of satisfaction from the U.S. veteran who points at one of us and says "Now that's the German I remember - a plain old infantryman!". In fact, this is one of the main purposes of our club: to research and present the common German soldier of World War II as accurately and objectively as possible. Incidentally, we must stress "objectively" - we concentrate mainly on the military aspects of the German soldier - we do not support in any way or condone the politics which directed him. Our main objective in re-creating a German unit is to provide an opposing force in re-enactments of events and battles as well as study the uniforms, equipment, and lives of soldiers of the period.

As members of a Living History group, we have two main activities: attending events and doing research. The events we participate in range from static educational displays to full-fledged battle reenactments complete with tanks and aircraft. Our research efforts include not only determining the correct uniform, equipment, and personal effects, but also in gathering as much oral history as possible from the veterans we meet.

Participation in World War II living history has been growing steadily, and our membership has been growing with it as new members are attracted by our commitment to historical accuracy and the comradeship which are the hallmarks of our club.

Thank You for your interest in World War II Living History and Füsilier Bataillon 272! The following pages have been prepared to introduce our hobby and our club as well as provide some basic information for the prospective "recruit".



ACHTUNG! Füsilier Bataillon 272 does not support or condone in any way, the ideologies of the German soldiers that we portray. Our focus is to educate and recreate the militaria and tactics of the German army during the Second World War and NOT the politics which governed it.