Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Aubrey Reiss Taylor

From Writing to Reenacting

A Guest Post

I’ve mulled over the idea of getting involved with a living history group for years. Finally, this year, I took the plunge. Just when I was about to ask myself what I could possibly be thinking, I found it to be a perfect complement to what I’m already doing.

All of my World War II novels are written from the German perspective, so naturally, I joined a group that portrays a German unit from WWII. Remaining true to history, I can’t reenact as a soldier, but I can portray a female civilian or a member of the women’s auxiliary.

It is easy to see how this will infuse new life into my imagination. To be able to handle the things they used and the clothes they wore, to listen to stories of their tactical events, which, like combat, take place regardless of the weather, in sun, wind, rain, snow, heat, cold—you get the idea.

Reenacting makes everything tangible, which is something period photos, wartime footage, and war movies can’t do. Seeing and hearing the boys talk and joke with each other makes everything so much more vivid. Eighty-plus years later, it is the closest thing we have to real-time experience.

I have great respect for reenactors because many of them take their craft very seriously. The ones who

don’t usually don’t last too long. The ones who stick around are always learning, always improving their “kit” (accoutrements), and if they are soldiers, they are rising through the ranks, receiving awards, and being stretched in new ways. They strive to make things as real as possible, albeit with blanks in their weapons. It is an activity even some veterans enjoy, and from what I understand, when German WWII reenacting was in its infancy, there were even veterans of the war who wanted to participate.

Everyone has something to offer, and their knowledge or specialty differs from that of the person next to them. For someone like me, who does not have a specialty but desires a broad understanding of many things, I am grateful for their knowledge.

Some of the youngest reenactors are barely in their teens. They are not even able to participate officially, and yet they are willing to put their phones away for a weekend and sink into something completely different from what most kids their age are doing. (You have to know that many people who reenact as Germans receive pushback from their families or peers—and the younger reenactors are not exempt from this.)

This brings me to what I feel is the most important point. There’s still so much we don’t understand about World War II, and I am passionate about bridging these gaps. The younger generations are interacting with things differently than previous generations, and asking questions we cannot answer. They are willing to overlook the stereotypes, assumptions, and stigmas attached to the war. They know history has been written by the victors and are hungry for an objective viewpoint.

True, there is a concern that young people might swing too far in the wrong direction, but that’s less likely when the adults nearby have already worked through the uncomfortable questions and are willing to take the time to share what they’re learning. And the truth is, sometimes, the youths already see things clearly. We can learn from them as well.

As for my books, they don’t cater to a younger crowd. My hope is that they provide adult readers with food for thought, and facilitate more conversations about the things we still don’t understand.

About Sani: The German Medic (Second Edition):

Can a young man born in America navigate between his family’s fears and the enthusiasm he encounters as he returns to his ancestral homeland?

Raised in a German-American community, Frederick cannot resist the pull of the Fatherland. America is in the depths of the Great Depression, yet Germany is thriving under Adolf Hitler. A sense of opportunity draws him back to Europe, and together with his new friend Fritz, he volunteers for the German Army.

Though Frederick anticipates adventure and camaraderie, he experiences a continent plunging into war. His new friends say he can’t possibly understand their perspective. Can an army chaplain help bridge the gap? Or does the man hold a secret that will only devastate Frederick further?

About the Book: Maintaining the heart of the original story with updated text and a more comprehensive view of the period, Aubrey Taylor Books invites you to experience Sani: The German Medic again, or for the first time!

Links:

Website: www.aubreytaylorbooks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aubreytaylorbooks
Substack: https://aubreytaylorbooks.substack.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/54029024.Aubrey_Reiss_Taylor
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Aubrey-Taylor/author/B0973KWXV8

Purchase Links for Sani: The German Medic:
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZ8FTX1D
eBook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GKQ7MBY6

Photo Credits:

Author photo and book imager: Courtesy Aubrey Reiss Taylor

German soldiers/motorcycle: Pixabay/Cico Zeljko

German soldiers/truck: Pixabay/Southtree