Important note
Photos provided on this website are not an endorsement of any political idea or of war. War is one of the most regrettable human activities.
All photos on this page are copyright Robert Mary and may only be reproduced with his express permission. You may contact me here
What is this event
about ?
This event is a multi-ages re-enacting event.
The following text comes from Historia Mundi website:
What is “Historia
Mundi” ?
Historia Mundi is the overall organization that aims to bundle all the societies
in Belgium who practise re-enacting and living history.
This finalizes in a yearly event where all these associations are assembled
with the aim of presenting our
hobby to the general public.
In this event a journey through the world history is presented.
What is re-enacting and living history ?
Living history is reliving history. Specific in this is that a particular place
and period are depicted in their totality.
Based on research we try to live exactly as men did in those times.
This means that clothing as well as all materials are historically correct.
We picture the life of persons of this period without really imitating a particular
person. We render persons and crafts of the relevant periods. These periods
generally cover 10 to 50 years, depending on the industrial evolution of the
relevant period.
Re-enacting is similar. The difference is that usually we re-live battles or
events of the history, following a pre-planned scenario or following a free
story.
The major difference with the living history is that we do not depict common
life, but that we try to imitate events of history as true as possible.
It often happens that in the first group we mostly find hobbyists who depict
the common citizen, the population or the artisan. On the other hand the second
group is concentrated on militarism, historical events or battles.
The event
This event is unique in its kind.
It only happens once a year in Belgium that all historical associations are
assembled under the cover of
a multi-period camp.
During this camp we make a journey through World History.
This happens in an encampment built in the style and the tradition of the presented
period.
Some of the participating periods are: Celts, Romans, Vikings, Early Middle-Ages,
Late Middle-Ages, Renaissance, Scottish Highlanders, 18e Century ‘Bourgeoisie’,
Woodland Indians, French and Indian War, Colonisation of the Americas, Napoleon,
Trappers and Plain Indians, Civil War, Cowboys, 1st and 2nd World War, Vietnam
War, etc.
Further More there are all sorts of demonstrations in this historical framework.
Not only camp-life of the related period is presented, but also the matching
trades, such as White and Indian handcraft, pottery, wood-work, forgery, to
mention only some, are presented to the general public.
Finally we demonstrate historical battles, tournaments, drill exercises and
duels.
Historia Mundi has an official website.
Extent of the event
During our last-years event we counted over 900 re-enactors or participants
in historical costumes.
Also we had about 400 tents to give a realistic image of the different period
of World History.
100.000 flyers and 1200 posters were distributed all around Belgium.
Location
Plaine de Manoeuvre du Sans-souci
6600 Bastogne.
Personal note
It
was an opportunity to take photos of soldiers of the Middle ages and even
from the American
Civil War. I just regret the absence of Indians, Napoleonic soldiers.
and soldiers from the American Independence War. For the rest I was happy
to find there my friends, re-enactors of the 101st
Airborne Belgian Friendly and from the GBMRH groups.