Maryland woman shocked by SS appearance in World War II train ride

Spartanroller · Nov 12, 2010

Maryland woman shocked by SS appearance in World War II train ride

It was an all-star lineup: Bob Hope, Abbott & Costello, the Andrews Sisters, Rosie the Riveter - and the Nazi SS?

The Saturday before Veterans Day, Marcia Lurensky, 62, of Forest Hills, Md., paid $169 for a first-class ticket and a hot meal on the Western Maryland Scenic Railway. She traveled from Cumberland to Frostburg not just for the stunning view of autumn leaves but because she wanted to see the impersonators playing the Andrews Sisters - a star attraction of "Cumberland Goes to War," an annual commemoration of World War II.

The Andrews Sisters did not show. What Lurensky did see was a group of men dressed in Nazi uniforms, including the black-shirted SS, the elite unit founded by Adolf Hitler. Lurensky protested the use of Nazi reenactors but said she found little sympathy among more than 600 fellow passengers, some of whom openly mocked her.

"The whole experience was shocking," she said. "I thought of the 6 million. I thought, this is not entertainment."..............
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Mehar · Nov 12, 2010

It was an all-star lineup: Bob Hope, Abbott & Costello, the Andrews Sisters, Rosie the Riveter - and the Nazi SS?

The Saturday before Veterans Day, Marcia Lurensky, 62, of Forest Hills, Md., paid $169 for a first-class ticket and a hot meal on the Western Maryland Scenic Railway. She traveled from Cumberland to Frostburg not just for the stunning view of autumn leaves but because she wanted to see the impersonators playing the Andrews Sisters - a star attraction of "Cumberland Goes to War," an annual commemoration of World War II.

The Andrews Sisters did not show. What Lurensky did see was a group of men dressed in Nazi uniforms, including the black-shirted SS, the elite unit founded by Adolf Hitler. Lurensky protested the use of Nazi reenactors but said she found little sympathy among more than 600 fellow passengers, some of whom openly mocked her.
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Maryland woman shocked by SS appearance in World War II train ride

Spartanroller · Nov 13, 2010

The controversial and touchy issue of having German uniforms with swastikas in WWII reenactments

German soldier re-enactors took Allied forces hostage on Western Maryland train - baltimoresun.com

"There is no way to have a swastika, there is no way to have the Nazis, there is no way to have this presented that is not inherently offensive," said Marcia Lurensky, a Washington lawyer who was riding in the first-class cabin of the train and said she found the depiction of Axis soldiers deeply disturbing and insensitive.
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Mehar · Nov 13, 2010

The veterans seem to be ok with the interpretation so it's difficult seeing the other side.

Lurensky said she took particular issue with the depiction of Allied soldiers as prisoners of the Germans, which she noted did not occur in the United States during the war and was offensive to veterans present. She said when she voiced her dissatisfaction on the train, she was ridiculed by some of the re-enactors, who said she should "get over it."
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99.9% of battles, scenarios, etc depicted by re-enactors haven't happened in North America. Unless someone wants to fly everyone to Europe or Asia, this is really the only way to do re-enactments.

In the original story I thought they were S.S. uniforms complete with arm bands and the like. But the second story reveals they were actually Heer uniforms.

Edit: One of the comments from the Baltimore Sun article, supposedly from a re-enactor who was at the event.

That_Guy_Over_There at 12:48 PM November 13, 2010
I was a re-enactor at this event and actually talked to this lady. NO ONE told her to "Get over it" What we actually told her was "it's a part of history"! After she walked away, one attendee said to me that to pretend the Germans didn't exists at a WWII event is like saying the Holocaust didn't happen!

Further more this lady was clearly looking to cause trouble at the event. There were SS soldiers walking around, but when I spoke to her, that was not what she mentioned to me that offended her. She clearly told me she was offended by a person portraying Sergeant Schultz!! A fictional character from the TV show Hogans Hero's! Which leads me to think that 1) she didn't know the significance of the SS troops, 2) she recognised the fictional character from TV and latched on to that as bad, 3) anything German would have offended this lady regardless of the context!

I think there are two quotes in this article that really show this lady is just causing trouble. The first one is from Arthur Abramson, executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council, "You just can't make a general statement, that 'Oh, it's bad because they're wearing a uniform.'"

And the second is from the lady herself saying "there is no way to wear a Nazi uniform, period, and have it be anything other than offensive."
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Takao · Nov 13, 2010

Why am I not surprised that the only person who complained was...say it with me...A LAWYER!

From German soldier re-enactors took Allied forces hostage on Western Maryland train - baltimoresun.com

Lurensky said she took particular issue with the depiction of Allied soldiers as prisoners of the Germans, which she noted did not occur in the United States during the war and was offensive to veterans present.
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Guess she never heard that, in areas other than the United States, some 94,000-95,000 Americans were taken prisoner by the Germans...

She said she has since has filed complaints with railroad administrators, state legislators, and city officials about the content of the day's entertainment, which she said included one soldier making rounds with a German shepherd dog and checking passengers' identification.
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I'd really like to know if the ticket checker was a German soldier or an American soldier, since, as we all know, German Shepherds only fought for the Germans

Ooops!, well I can see how the name "GERMAN shepherd" might throw her off.

I'm sorry, but I have absolutely no sympathy for this woman or her complaint. But then again, I have enjoyed watching WW2 reenactments for over 20 years now, the only complaint I've had was about the weather - I either burned or drowned. Ehh, you can't please everybody.

formerjughead · Nov 13, 2010

What were they serving for the meal?

PizzaDevil · Nov 13, 2010

formerjughead said:

What were they serving for the meal?
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Sauerkraut mit Bratwurst.

formerjughead · Nov 13, 2010

PizzaDevil said:

Sauerkraut mit Bratwurst.
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I was thinking more like potato broth and saw dust bread.

Sturmpioniere · Nov 20, 2010

what is wrong with this woman? does she want a reenactment where US soldiers kill each other? you have to learn about the other side to get a full view of WWII...

Skipper · Nov 20, 2010

Does she want the SS to be replaced by the Teletubies , including on TV shows. At least those are politically correct?

Sturmpioniere · Nov 20, 2010

I would love to see her reaction to Cross Of Iron

formerjughead · Nov 20, 2010

Obviously she is clueless to the fact that thousands of German and Italian POWs were transported accoss the US, and Canada, by train during WW2. There are pictures of POWs from Camp Beale being brought to Chico by train for the nut harvest.

Sturmpioniere · Nov 20, 2010

Obviously this woman is clueless and one sided if she's going to relate WWII reenactments with Neo-Nazi organizations.

Schultz · Nov 28, 2010

I was the One doing Sgt Schultz, This Woman never sed a word to Me, She went around Our backs to make a stink. I am doing a TV impresion of on of the least bad German of WW2. a loveable idiot, baffoon, that knew nothing, saw mothing, and in matters of War, did not like takeing sides! this Woman neads to grow up, and get a real life!!!I just wish She would of talked to Me, I would of Her that I am not real, that I to lost People under the NAZIs. most of Us have in one way or another.

Schultz · Nov 28, 2010

View attachment 12121 Its Me doing Schultz, with Abbit & Castello, on the World War II Train ride. (I an so scary).LOL.

Skipper · Nov 28, 2010

This is excellent, you look excellent as Schultz! Thanks for sharing this with us.

White Flight · Nov 29, 2010

Sturmpioniere said:

what is wrong with this woman?
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Simply said, narrow minded.

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Maryland woman shocked by SS appearance in World War II train ride

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