German Units
General
Unit commanders should contact either the German Representative or the
German Camp Coordinator with the number and size of tentage they play to bring. Units are encouraged to have all (or at least a good portion) of their tentage arrive at the same time to facilitate camp layout.
Units should decide whether or not they will have a public display and inform the
German command staff of their choice. Those units wishing only to camp will be placed in designated areas away from the public.
## For female military authenticity regulations, click here.
Camp
Reenactors will be instructed where to set up their campsites upon arrival, since space is at a premium and we wish to present an orderly, military appearance. Reenactors/units who ignore event staff instructions in this regard will be asked to move their tents to conform with the camp layout. Repeated refusals may be grounds for dismissal from the event. We simply don't have the room for everyone to camp wherever they wish. Participants are encouraged to set up their respective camps to encourage public interest. Anything period-correct (German and limited commonly-found French items) to add to the ambient background of your camp is greatly encouraged. Keep all non-period items from sight and police your area of any garbage or debris. Garbage bins are located at several points within the German camp; please use them. The Germans were neat and orderly in general so please have your camp reflect that reputation.
Port-A-Potties
Port-a-potties in the German Camp are for reenactor and veteran use only. Please assist us by gently reminding spectators not to use them if necessary.
displays
If possible, avoid placing items on a blanket for display. This is not realistic. Try to arrange your camp and personnel so that they are the display. Arrange items in such a way as they would have been seen realistically during the war.
Display Boards
Display boards for education are permitted and encouraged. Contact a staff member for information regarding recommended format/design.
Acting the Part
German participants are encouraged to be "in character" during the event. Speak the language if possible, observe the customs and mannerisms of the Soldat, observe and practice military order and bearing. Per D-Day Ohio policy, Eastern Front, PTO, Political and celebrity impressions are not permitted. However, those wishing to do a celebrity impersonation of non-political persons may contact event staff to discuss the permissibility of their proposed impersonation.
Daily Briefings
Units are encouraged to participate in morning briefings to be held Friday and Saturday. These briefings will be held in the open field adjacent to the German camp at 0900 hrs. Minimum requested uniform is tunic and soft headgear; individual unit commanders may exercise discretion in this regard. Units are requested to assemble in period-correct German formations. Please be aware that the German camp and bridge areas will have a high amount of French civilian/resistance activity during the event. It is possible that prisoners will be taken in the course of living history events; however, mock "executions"of French prisoners are forbidden. This will be strictly enforced.
Safety
Fires
No campfires will be permitted in the park. This is a park-wide rule, not D-Day Conneauts rule. Reenactors may use the permanent charcoal grills in the park for cooking, but the event does not supply charcoal.
Weapons in Camp
No weapons will be loaded in camp. Spectators are not permitted to handle firearms or edged weapons, even if under reenactor supervision. No weapons fire is permitted in camp except in designated test areas. These will be identified with barrier tape, and pointed out during morning formations.
Optional Equipment
Any other equipment that would have been carried or used on D-Day such as binoculars, range finders, field phones, ammunition crates, water cans, ammo cans, camouflage netting, sandbags, etc, are encouraged to add to the ambient background of the Atlantic Wall defenses and to the German camp.
Units wishing to participate in the beach battle and defend the bluffs are strongly encouraged to bring materials and obstacles for their defensive positions. We would like to prevent
German forces from having to lie out in the open. We anticipate making sandbags available for purchase in the German camp, but this should supplement, not replace, units bringing additional materials.
Vehicle Guidelines
Modern Vehicles
NO modern vehicles will be permitted in the park between 0900 and 1700 hours on Friday and Saturday. No exceptions. Reenactors are encouraged to arrive as early as possible, and
"dump and go" when they receive their camp location. In conjunction with Conneaut Township Park and the Conneaut Police Department, D-Day Ohio reserves the right to tow any modern vehicle violating this policy (at the owner's expense), and participants may be removed from the event.
All military vehicles will be operated "unbuttoned,"� with hatches open. Ground guides are required when operating in camp areas. Audible warning devices (i.e. horns) are encouraged to alert spectators of your approach.
German military vehicles (motorcycles, belwagens, armored vehicles, trucks, etc.) MUST be parked in the motor pool which will be established across from the vendors at the entrance to the
German camp from 0900 hours to 1700 hours. You are welcome to post a guard (wearing proper uniform and equipment for this duty) to ensure the safety of your vehicles and for living history purposes. Vehicle owners are welcome to have their vehicles parked at their campsites (space permitting) once the public has left the park, but under no circumstances will military vehicles be allowed in the camp area before 1700 hours. Military vehicles may still be driven around other areas of the park as normal. Vehicle owners violating this policy will receive verbal warning from D-Day staff to move their vehicle(s). Refusal to do so and/or repeated violations will constitute non-compliance with D-Day Ohio safety rules, and may result in removal from the event.
Grooming Standards
Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS Forces must meet the grooming standards of the period. No facial hair (except for Gebirgs - 2cm in length). Troops stationed for Atlantic Wall defense were garrisoned, and required to shave and maintain grooming standards. Hair must be trimmed to Wehrmacht regulations. Uniforms were clean and well-maintained; please do not rub dirt and mud all over your uniforms before the battles.
Flags
No Nazi Party Banner Flags Permitted due to their nature and response. This will be strictly enforced. Battle flags, unit and divisional flags are acceptable.
Minimum German Authenticity Standards
Inland Battles (Friday Afternoon and Saturday Morning)
D-Day Ohio appreciates everyone's effort to adhere to these authenticity guidelines in order to make the experience better for everyone, reenactor and spectator alike. We will be conducting inspections and expect units and individual reenactors to meet our minimum standards; we reserve the right to limit the participation of those units/reenactors who refuse to abide by event authenticity standards. In extreme cases we reserve the right to remove offenders from the event.
All Non-German (OST & other) Impressions
Click here for a downloadable guide to non-German forces impression requirements and guidelines.
All German Impressions (Heer, Luftwaffe, Waffen-SS)
Uniform
• Field-grey wool (preferred) or reed-green cotton HBT
• No off-white drill uniforms
• No tropical uniforms--this is northern France
• No M-44 type tunics
• FJ and Waffen-SS may wear camouflage uniforms as appropriate for June 1944
• Grey, green, or dark yellow service shirt
• Field-grey M35, M40, or M42 steel helmet
• Netting, wire, and camo covers are permitted
• Soft caps discouraged for safety reasons
• Officers and NCOs may wear visor/crusher caps at discretion of unit CO
• Jackboots or low boots and gaiters. Reproduction preferred; East German or Swiss acceptable for now but this will gradually be phased out!
• No Panzer-type uniforms should be worn during these battles unless you are part of an armored vehicle crew
• As always, NO political, SD, Allegemeine-SS, or other non-military uniforms allowed! (D-Day Conneaut
German Staff reserves the right to make an on-the-spot decision if a question of appropriateness arises)
The German forces in Normandy were in garrisons and would have been expected to maintain proper standards of grooming and cleanliness. Therefore, we ask that you be clean-shaven and have a clean uniform. Please DO NOT rub mud or dirt into your uniform. This is not a tactical. Please refer to the general grooming regulations on the D-Day website for further information.
Equipment
• Black leather (preferred) or olive-green web belt. Non-Heer reenactors do not need to change buckles
• Appropriate ammo pouches for your weapon (no bandoliers on the beach)
• Canteen with brown felt cover (cup optional but recommended)
• For safety reasons, we would like all German forces to have a canteen full of water (preferred), or a modern water bottle that you keep out of sight. Remember there will be literally thousands of cameras pointed at you. (Please refrain from using modern cameras in view of public during the battles. D-Day Conneaut has an extensive crew of staff photographers who will be covering the event. If you can see the public, they can see your camera.)
• Olive-green or khaki breadbag
• Bayonet and black leather or olive-green web frog (mounted or unmounted)
• Field-grey gas mask canister
• E-tool optional
• Pistol holsters: officers, NCOs, MG/gun crews only
Weapons
• All standard issue Wehrmacht weapons are generally permitted
• STG44 use is discouraged
• Please no Russian, American, or British small arms. Yes, some of these were actually present in very small numbers, but please save them for the public displays in camp and use German weapons on the bluffs.
• French and Czech machine guns are permitted
• Units may employ other heavy weapons (mortars, PaK guns, etc.), but must observe event safety rules regarding ordnance. Due to the close proximity of the public during the inland battles, firing actual ordnance rounds is prohibited. Use grenades judiciously.
• NO wooden-tipped blanks
• No weapons with mounted sniper scopes
Minimum German Authenticity Standards: Beach Landing Battle (Saturday Afternoon)
D-Day Ohio appreciates everyone's effort to adhere to these authenticity guidelines in order to make the experience better for everyone, reenactor and spectator alike. We will be conducting inspections and expect units and individual reenactors to meet our minimum standards; we reserve the right to limit the participation of those units/reenactors who refuse to abide by event authenticity standards. In extreme cases we reserve the right to remove offenders from the event.
Multiple Landing Beaches
Since we have opening up a second landing beach, for the Saturday battle German forces will be designated either "716.ID" for the British beach (new) or "352.ID"� for the American beach (original bluffs area). These standards are intended to create the impression of coherent units manning the Atlantic Wall, regardless of your regular impression. NO CAMOUFLAGE is to be worn by any impression! No Exceptions. This is to simulate the fact that only Army formations were stationed on the Atlantic Wall fortifications. We do realize that both Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe units were in the vicinity, but they were not actually present on the beaches. If you are a non-Heer unit you are welcome to participate in the beach landing battle but we ask that you adhere to the following authenticity guidelines. All Impressions (Heer, Luftwaffe, Waffen-SS)
Uniform
• Field-grey wool (preferred) or reed-green cotton HBT Heer and Waffen-SS reenactors DO NOT need to change insignia on their tunics
• Luftwaffe reenactors are requested to bring a Heer tunic with generic white infantry insignia for use on the beach. We would like to limit blue LW tunics on the beach/bluff--green FJ coveralls are acceptable.
• No drill uniforms (either reed-green or white/off-white)
• No tropical uniforms--this is northern France
• No M-44 type tunics
• Grey, green, or dark yellow service shirt
• Field-grey M35, M40, or M42 steel helmet
• Netting, wire, and camo covers are permitted
• Soft caps discouraged for safety reasons
• FJ reenactors are asked to wear regular army helmets if at all possible; if not please make sure FJ helmets are not camouflaged (nets are OK)
• Jackboots or low boots and gaiters
• Reproduction preferred; East German or Swiss acceptable for now but this will gradually be phased out!
• No Panzer or Kriegsmarine uniforms or female impressions on the beach/bluffs
As always, NO political, SD, Allegemeine-SS, or other non-military uniforms allowed! (the
German staff reserves the right to make an on-the-spot decision if a question of appropriateness arises.)
The German forces manning the wall were in garrisons and would have been expected to maintain proper standards of grooming and cleanliness. Therefore, we ask that you be clean-shaven (no facial hair on the beach) and have a clean uniform on the beach/bluff area. Please DO NOT rub mud or dirt into your uniform. This is not a tactical. Please refer to the general grooming regulations on the D-Day website for further information.
Equipment
• Black leather (preferred) or olive-green web belt
• Non-Heer reenactors do not need to change buckles
• Appropriate ammo pouches for your weapon (no bandoliers on the beach)
• Canteen with brown felt cover (cup optional but recommended)
• For safety reasons, we would like all German forces operating on the bluffs and beach to have a canteen full of water (preferred), or a modern water bottle that you keep out of sight. Remember there will be literally thousands of cameras pointed at you. (Please refrain from using modern cameras in view of public during the battles. D-Day Conneaut has an extensive crew of staff photographers who will be covering the event. If you can see the public, they can see your camera.)
• Olive-green or khaki breadbag
• Bayonet and black leather or olive-green web frog (mounted or unmounted)
• Field-grey gas mask canister
• E-tool optional
• Pistol holsters: officers, NCOs, MG/gun crews only
Weapons
• All standard issue Wehrmacht weapons are generally permitted for the Atlantic Wall
• STG44 use during the beach landing battle is strongly discouraged!
• Please no Russian, American, or British small arms on the beach. Yes, some of these were actually present in very small numbers, but please save them for the public displays in camp and use German weapons on the bluffs.
• French and Czech machine guns are permitted
• Units may employ other heavy weapons (mortars, PaK guns, etc.), but must observe event safety rules regarding ordnance. Rounds and grenades will be inspected for safety.
• Be sure of where your rounds go--the public will be on three sides of each landing beach so make sure all ordnance is aimed in the direction of the water!
• NO wooden-tipped blanks
• No weapons with mounted sniper scopes
