The Recreated Infanterieregiment Nr. 63

Infanterieregiment Nr. 63 is a vehicle through which committed persons can actively explore the experience of the German Infantryman in WWI. Gathered together in the form of a typical infantry company, we strive to investigate the art of trench warfare.

Each member may have different motives, but collectively our goal is the same. We seek to encounter the lessons of the Western Front thus gaining greater insight into ourselves and history.

Our battle reenactments take place within systems of opposing trenches complete with a crater-pocked No-man's-land. There are also belts of barbed wire, which are used to protect the sandbagged front line trenches and are punctuated by bunkers with functioning machine-guns in them. Behind the front line are supporting trenches and dugouts, where officers plan attacks and counterattacks as well as where the soldiers eat and rest.

The sights and sounds of battle are carefully reproduced by blank cartridges in the rifles and pyrotechnic devices that simulate grenades. Mortars fire rounds which fly through the air to land and detonate harmlessly. Other devices spew out colored smoke to imitate poison gas, and at night flares illuminate the landscape.

Through the designation of 3. Komp. JR63, we recreate a cross section of front line infantry in the latter half of the Great War. It is the policy of JR63 that we adopt that which was most commonly used when choosing uniforms and equipment. In assembling his personal impression, each member should take care that his uniform and equipment are compatible with that worn by the rest of the unit. Each component must be consistent in the construction, pattern and overall characteristics with its original issue counterpart. It is of utmost importance that our group appearance credibly portrays the organized body we purport to be. By following our uniform and equipment guidelines, we each can build not only our own impressions, but also our group impression, up to the highest caliber possible.

It should be remembered that JR63 is working to be the best Central Powers unit and we feel we are succeeding. It is a privilege to belong to JR63, and once through the probationary period, it should be a source of pride to belong to JR63. In this light, members should strive to be more authentic in their impressions and to learn the rifle drill to perfection, while at the same time not getting into a shouting match with other reenactors who may be inauthentic.

A final note: We do this for FUN - and when it is not fun anymore, there is no reason to continue to reenact.

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