Maybe some European reenactors can help me out here.
I was in Amsterdam in March of 1997 (shortly after easter) travelling around doing the student backpacking thing. I went into a coffeeshop for a smoke and to write some postcards for a while. When I left it was midafternoon and I started walking down the street. I looked up at the people walking ahead of me and saw two guys wearing yellow rain jackets with feldgrau wool trousers tucked into black boots. I then noticed that they were carrying stahlhelms and webbing as they casually walked and chatted with eachother. Based on what I had just smoked, I wasn't too sure I could believe my eyes so I looked around to see if anyone else noticed the unusual gear these guys were carrying. I turned around and saw an entire platoon of SS troopers complete with mp40s strolling along like there was nothing wrong. I must've walked into the middle of their formation without realizing it. Naturally, I became concerned. I had to look for signs of modern technology to verify I hadn't gone back in time. Once I made sure I was still in this era, I tried to figure out what the hell was going on.
At the end of the block, there was a canal and I stopped on the corner to light a cigarrette and try to figure out what the hell was going on. The mysterious troops stopped at the canal and chatted amiably in either German or Dutch (I couldn't tell the difference) until a coach bus pulled up and they got on board and drove off. I got a couple of pictures from a distance before they left.
The next day, I was waiting to check out of my hostel (Durty Nelly's, near the red light district, I recommend it) when I picked up a dutch newspaper out of boredom. In the paper, there was a picture of a german soldier with a long caption. Since I don't know dutch, all I could decipher is that a film was being made and for some reason Barbara streisand was involved.
Does anyone know what film this was or if any reenactment groups were involved? I'd love to hear from anyone who might have been one of those mysterious troopers. From what I recall, this was near the university. The coffeeshop was called cum Laude. any info would be good.
Thanks.
Amsterdam, March 1997
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Ebusitanus
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The "Time travel" feeling based on the pot makes some scary moments. 
I remember once when marching with some fellow German reenactors down some wooded mountain trail all stoned from some grass one of the guys had passed around. All I can remeber was that we heard some cross-motocycle nearing us. We panicked thinking it might be the Spanish Rural Guardia Civil, thoughts about how to explain our ataire and being stone propelled us for a mad cross country dash for cover.
In these moments, being stoned and all, I, like my friends who told me they felt the same, forgot totally about the motocycle and just focused on the panic itself as there could have been a Soviet patrol passing by. We threw ourselfs almost headlong down a stone wall like shots would have been fired behind us. Thank God we did not hurt us in the rough moves but it was really an odd feeling.
Drugs will kill ya...man!
I remember once when marching with some fellow German reenactors down some wooded mountain trail all stoned from some grass one of the guys had passed around. All I can remeber was that we heard some cross-motocycle nearing us. We panicked thinking it might be the Spanish Rural Guardia Civil, thoughts about how to explain our ataire and being stone propelled us for a mad cross country dash for cover.
In these moments, being stoned and all, I, like my friends who told me they felt the same, forgot totally about the motocycle and just focused on the panic itself as there could have been a Soviet patrol passing by. We threw ourselfs almost headlong down a stone wall like shots would have been fired behind us. Thank God we did not hurt us in the rough moves but it was really an odd feeling.
Drugs will kill ya...man!
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brau meister
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Mak Los Mien Schnitzel
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Two things mate, you were mulled up, saw some germans, then went to mull up again? 
What were you expecting? clarity?
Boy oh boy you're lucky you didn't see a bunch of stormtroopers and Darth vader walking towards you after that stunt 8)
Second thing...you said you took a photo...please share, it would be an interesting snappy.
What were you expecting? clarity? Boy oh boy you're lucky you didn't see a bunch of stormtroopers and Darth vader walking towards you after that stunt 8)
Second thing...you said you took a photo...please share, it would be an interesting snappy.
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brau meister
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Sorry, I don't have access to a scanner and the pic doesn't have much detail. I wasn't pretty far away and well, my own lenses weren't very well focused. I'll see if I can find it and if I come across a scanner I'll put it up.
btw, The second smoke was of the tobacco variety. I'm not that stupid or desperate...at least not when the SS is around.
btw, The second smoke was of the tobacco variety. I'm not that stupid or desperate...at least not when the SS is around.