Columbus, IN Scottish Festival - Grumblings

[hospitaller]

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Wife and I went to the Columbus, IN Scottish Festival and all in all was a good time.

Admission price was same as last year, plenty of food vendors, plenty of 'celtic' vendors (everything is celtic nowadays, not scottish in a scottish festival, oh well), euro cars, dogs/sheep, etc.

There was something that both my wife and I did not appreciate (and by talking to a few other visitors, we were not the only ones) was the fact that they had WWII reenactors.

Sure, there were some Black Watch guys in very nice WWII BW garb...but right next to them was a group of nazi reenactors (german heer, SS and I believe at least one LW dude).

We really can not understand what the idea was to have these folks at a scottish festival....it was bad enough to have to wait in line for fish/chips right behind what looked like a lord of the rings ork....and 3 female elves (complete with pointy ears and 1 winged)...and then there's nazi dudes walking around with their mausers and their cammo gear...uncalled for.

Emails and letters will be forthcoming to the committee for next year.

Weather was perfect this year, and based on what the announcer was detailing, one highland athlete was 3 inches short of a new World Record for the 16 pound Braemar stone at 62' 11" (according to the announcer, the WR is 63' 2")

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[jgcunningham]

So were the WWII Scottish going to reenact something with the Nazi-garbed guys at some point? Maybe that's why they were there. And you know, they've got to eat too. And sightsee, and all of the other stuff you do there too.

As to the orcs and elves, I just chalk that up to idiocy on their part, like those scantily clad pirate wenches at the Renaissance festival.

[Jock Scot]

I don't want to tread on American toes here, but, as a lad I saw nazi uniforms for real, on prisoners, the uniforms offended me then and the uniforms offend me still.

[macwilkin]

I don't want to tread on American toes here, but, as a lad I saw nazi uniforms for real, on prisoners, the uniforms offended me then and the uniforms offend me still.

If memory serves me correctly, there are WWII German reenactors in the UK as well. I belive Daz has posted photos of them before.

As a former reenactor (not WWII) I would agree with Hector's comments.

T.

[Jock Scot]

If memory serves me correctly, there are WWII German reenactors in the UK as well. I belive Daz has posted photos of them before.

As a former reenactor (not WWII) I would agree with Hector's comments.

T.

Apperently we do have them here and I remember seeing HD's post and I seem to recall that my reply was much along the lines of my reply above.

[macwilkin]

Apperently we do have them here and I remember seeing HD's post and I seem to recall that my reply was much along the lines of my reply above.

Aye, Jock...I would generally agree with your comments as well. I'm proud to say my grandfather and great-uncles fought against totalitarianism in the Second World War.

Todd

[Chas]

I don't want to tread on American toes here, but, as a lad I saw nazi uniforms for real, on prisoners, the uniforms offended me then and the uniforms offend me still.

Jock - I cannot agree more. I lost family members in WWII.

If memory serves me correctly, there are WWII German reenactors in the UK as well. I belive Daz has posted photos of them before.

As a former reenactor (not WWII) I would agree with Hector's comments.

T.

Todd - there are a couple of 'military vehicle groups' which display vehicles from both the Allies and the Axis in uniform, but as far as I know, no one, I repeat no one, wears either the swastika or the SS symbols. Off the top of my head, I don't know if the wearing of those symbols is illegal in the UK, but I know that it is in Germany and France.

Regards

Chas

[Santa Kona]

I can't seam to understand there thinking ether. But you have to give them the benefit of the doubt if this is the first time that they have been there. You will just have to wait and see what the committee was thinking having the there.

[macwilkin]

Jock - I cannot agree more. I lost family members in WWII.



Todd - there are a couple of 'military vehicle groups' which display vehicles from both the Allies and the Axis in uniform, but as far as I know, no one, I repeat no one, wears either the swastika or the SS symbols. Off the top of my head, I don't know if the wearing of those symbols is illegal in the UK, but I know that it is in Germany and France.

Regards

Chas

Chas,

Highlander Daz has posted several photos of German Reenactors in the UK. They do exist.

http://www.wwiireenacting.co.uk/foru...?f=144&t=37873

T.

[Santa Kona]

I read a little bit from their site they are really into it.