Help Getting Started: Polish 1939 Reenacting

[feldkuchdienst]

Hello all,

My name's Paul and I'm from the US. I speak German but can't utter a word of Polish, and yet my family is of Polish ancestry.

I've been a reenactor for several years now, having done multiple impressions over different eras, but I'd like to try a Polish '39 WP impression.

With my introduction to this new impression comes alot of ignorance and lack of knowledge. I've read up on various vendors and I want the best out there. My biggest problem has been finding gear and a helmet. Prices are ridiculous for the Wz. 31 helmet, but this isn't a problem for me because I want to do this impression right!

As of right now, I can't source any of the "cloth" gear, meaning the Tornister (Wz. 35?), Wz. 33 breadbag, gaiters/puttees, or the gas mask bag. I have found "repliki-kloda" for the leather gear- but not a good place to find conversions or good reproductions of the cloth gear.

From my understanding, I can't get a Wz. 31 helmet off of Allegro.pl because there are restrictions on sending pre '45 artifacts out of the country, so I'm hosed then it comes to looking there. This leaves me with Armia Militaria out of the US- the same place that only stocks the "denim" Drillich uniforms, which from what I have read are incorrect.

So. The gist of this message is: where do I find this stuff? I'm OK with getting my uniform from Schipperfabrik in the US. I don't have the patience to wait 2 years when there's no group I can fall in with and borrow a uniform from. That is, unless Yanik's are better. I am 20 years old, but small in stature, so it's hard for me to find things that fit when in the US everything's scaled up... so maybe looking in Poland is a better option? I don't know, I'm new to this.

I have a Polish friend back at University who will be helping me with any posts that need to be done in Polish. So it's OK to PM me in Polish- she can translate whatever the online translators mess up.

At this moment I have:

Boots (Blackened, hob-nailed short boots. Originally M43 type German boots that I blackened)
Wz. 29 Rifle
Ammunition Pouches

That's it.

Any help would be appreciated.

Best Regards,
Paul
[/i]

[bolas]

Hello Paul, nice to see You here

A lots of fine quality stuff you will find on allegro. I believe most of sellers should be able to speak more or less english. Most of our uniforms were ordered in "Hero Collection" company from city of Poznan in Poland. They were mostly our special prepared orders with detailed informations about how everything should be made. We are very satisfied of cooperation with this company. They are well known all over the world mostly because of movies - they prepared uniform for many western WWI and WW2 productions as f.e. "Saving private Ryan" "Valkirie" and many more. We don't use Yanik's product at all - they do not match our expectations. Repliki-Kloda is a good company with really good copies of leather equipment. Only disadvantage is the time of realisation. A lot of smaller sellers you will easily find on allegro. From US producents i would (if i have to) choose some of products from Armiam. Some of them are made really good, some well and some really bad. Equipment is quite good. Some time ago there were copies of wz.31 helmets made of laminate. There should be no problem at all with shipping of copies/replicas. Only original items older then 55 years needs official permissions to be sent out of Poland.

[feldkuchdienst]

I'll keep an eye on Allegro.pl for the cloth items.

I heard there is a postwar Tornister that is similar to the 1939 one? What is needed to convert this item?

Also, who's a reputable dealer for the Wz. 33 Breadbag? Or would I be better off converting a Czech one to a Wz. 26?

[bolas]

Converting Czech breadbag is as bad idea as converting Norh Korean. They are different than polish wz.33/wz.26. Really nice wz.26 breadbags You can find in offer of Armiam Militaria (i judge on photos from their website). Wz.33 breadbags from time to time appears on allegro, with some patience it should be easy to find.

There is also a third option. Warsaw Uprising Museum have it's own copies of wz.33 breadbag and backpack. They are not made as a pure replicas, more like for common use by the guests of museum. But with little improvement they could be good copies. Worst thing is black stamp of "Fighting Poland" symbol which could be difficult to remove. They are stamped on the front of both. What makes them attractive for You is availabilty. They are amost all the time in sale. What should be modified ? Mostly details - straps, d-rings and few little things are sewed upside-down or in a wrong places.

I cant see them right now in their on-line store, but you can mail them and ask.
[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]

They looked this way:




This is a company which delivers them to museum:
[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]