Of Gods and Ancestors Historical Reenactment and the Long Shadow of Neo-Germanic Paganism Ralf Hoppadietz ... The fog drifts ominously over the forest as a group of armed men on horseback gradually enter the scene. Accompanied by solemn cosmic music, the camera zooms in closer, and now we are looking into the grim and determined faces of the riders, whose weapons, kit and jewellery are adorned with numerous symbols ... Two groups of well-equipped, heavily armed warriors face off in front of the museum visitors, their shields and standards emblazoned with markings from times gone by. A horn sounds, and the two sides charge fearlessly towards each other, bellowing warlike cries. Sword meets shield, axe clashes against helmet, and a steady stream of fighters fall to the ground while their comrades battle on fiercely ... Hardly any history documentary or archaeological museum nowadays can get by without presenting these kinds of performance, which are often put on or offered by what are known as reenactment troupes. Most museums – certainly, nearly all open-air ones – rely on these programmes of “living history”, while a great many exhibitions open with live performances as a way of teaching history in order to stage events that are as memorable as possible. In addition, TV productions and other media relating to early historical themes regularly include reenactments and hence often contribute to the popularisation of images of the past that are highly specific and mostly one-dimensional (yet all the more impressive for it).1 And the producers of these films benefit not least from the fact that these performers come fully equipped with clothing, weapons and, in some cases, even horses, obviating the need for expensive props. The authors and directors, meanwhile, are primarily concerned with using certain stylistic devices to give the viewer the sense that they are witnessing a reality that is spatially, temporally or socially distant from their own. Fictions of authenticity of this kind, which are key to commercial success, are achieved by aiming for the greatest possible degree of emotionalisation while harnessing the audience’s existing viewing habits. These viewing habits are shaped primarily by TV or streaming series, feature films and the major Hollywood blockbusters as well as by video games. Thus, it is often series such as Vikings or Rome as well as fantasy films like The Lord of the Rings that will determine how plausible depictions of history and prehistory will appear in viewers’ eyes.2 Performances in museums often differ from these film productions in that the reenactment troupes generally act autonomously in front of their audience and these performances are rarely moderated by a scholar. This is especially true of the many archaeological open-air museums out there, most of which get no outside funding and thus have to hold their own as a service provider in both the education and entertainment market.3 As a result, the boundaries between scientifically based findings and pure entertainment are becoming increasingly blurred. “Reenactment” in this context is not to be understood in the sense employed by the radical historicism of Robin George Collingwood within the field of the philosophy of history.4 Rather, reenactment is nowadays generally understood to mean reproducing and recreating events from (pre-)history as faithfully as possible. The aim is to create an image of life at that time by presenting archaeological objects and finds in their original context (as far as possible). Members of these kinds of reenactment troupes appear to promise that the historical events that they portray will create an experience for both spectators and performers that neither archaeological exhibitions nor academic debates are capable of competing with. Most forms of historical reenactment are underpinned by a desire for historical authenticity that lies at the heart of the opportunity to experience history that they offer through their performance. This authenticity is understood as attempting to get as close as possible to a vision of the past that is comprehended as historical reality.5 For the performers, this means striving for the most exact reproduction possible of historical equipment and a faithful imitation of certain
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