Historical reconstruction as an experimental method of research in history. Military-historical reconstructions of great battles Reconstruction of past events as they call it

Military historical reconstruction has become extremely popular in Russia and abroad in the last two decades. It is known that initially it had deeper roots. The first reconstructions of important events and great battles were carried out in Ancient Greece and Rome. Now they have decided to revive this tradition.

Event history

Military-historical reconstruction was also carried out in Ancient Egypt. The organizers staged costumed performances. The public could see with their own eyes how key battles unfolded. Sometimes special arenas were even built for such events.

This type of performance experienced its next wave of popularity in the 17th century. This time, the country where military-historical reconstructions began to be carried out en masse was England. Here, in 1620-1630, units of the London militia performed demonstration drills in front of the public.

In second place in popularity were the battles of the Patriotic War of 1812.

Battle of Berlin

One of the most popular military-historical festivals in recent years is the “Battle of Berlin”. The reconstruction is dedicated to the storming of the German capital by Soviet troops in 1945.

The event takes place in Moscow at the end of April. In culture and recreation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation "Patriot" reenactors recreate the main moments of one of the most important battles of the Great Patriotic War.

Guests of the Battle of Berlin festival find themselves in the very center of the battles. The reconstruction allows you to plunge headlong into this operation of the Soviet troops. The park recreates the streets of real Berlin, through which tank units and motorized troops pass. Real artillery cannonade sounds, and uncompromising air battles unfold in the sky. You can feel firsthand what the storming of Berlin was like. Not only history buffs take part in the reconstruction, but also professional stuntmen and pyrotechnicians who carefully prepare a performance in memory of the heroes of that war.

It is worth noting that the storming of Berlin played an important role in the history of the war. The reconstruction allows you to imagine how it really was.

"Fire Arc"

The Moscow region is generally famous for regularly holding festivals of military-historical reconstruction. "Fire Arc" takes place in the town of Stupino in late April - early May.

This is a very spectacular military-historical festival, in which not only a large number of reenactors take part, but also a variety of equipment. These are German Messerschmitt planes, the legendary Soviet T-34 tank, and the famous Katyusha gun, which terrified German troops.

Every year about four thousand guests take part in the military-historical festival. The organizers take care of the organized delivery of guests to the holiday and the provision of parking spaces for those who decide to come by personal vehicle.

About 400 people take part in the reconstruction of the battle itself, as well as at least ten pieces of military equipment from the Great Patriotic War, produced in the 40s of the last century. The places where the festival takes place also attract a large number of tourists. These are fields and meadows next to

A large-scale performance is being prepared for the guests of the action, and after the reconstruction of the battle is completed, they can communicate with its participants and take unforgettable photographs.

The last time about 550 people took part in the reconstruction of the Prague Operation. 57 clubs from 19 Russian regions sent their representatives. There were about 100 German participants among them. It is worth noting that this is one of the largest military-historical festivals in the Moscow region.

Spectators witness the last operation of Soviet troops in the Great Patriotic War. held from May 6 to May 11, 1945.

At the moment, the Russian government has not decided what to dedicate the coming year of the Yellow (Earth) Dog. Why not time it to coincide with such a wonderful thing as “living history”. After all, the next 12 months will shock the Fatherland not only with a phenomenon called “World Cup 2018,” but also with another phenomenon called “historical reconstruction 2018.” Role-playing events have long become synonymous with a successful vacation for many Russians. Of course, this refers not only to war, but also to peaceful pursuits. Rather, a whole historical complex. Yes, history can come to life. Everything is within our power. In the article you will learn more about CIS festivals.

What is military historical reconstruction

Since 1979, the described hobby has been an activity of a narrow circle of people passionate about the romance of medieval battles, the Civil and Great Patriotic Wars.

Full-scale historical reconstruction became part of Russia only in the 1990s. It concerns the restoration (reconstruction) of a historical complex associated with a specific time, a specific place and a specific event. In the 90s, it all started not with historical battles, but with... fantasy ones. The fact is that the main contingent in organizing such an event as the festival of historical reconstruction were Tolkienists, fans of the world created by the English writer D. Tolkien. Some of them still live exclusively in Middle-earth, often speaking to each other in the language of hobbits or elves. Although most of their ideological followers switched to Westeros, created by the minds of the Game of Thrones writers. The “role players” already had experience in “revitalizing” events, although not historical ones. They created costumes, weapons, fortresses and palisades, and wrote production scripts.

It remains to add that abroad, the “resurrection of history” (as well as all the fun associated with it) came into use among significant masses of the population much earlier. The fact is that this process was firmly connected with the social movement living history, which was born in the middle of the last century. At the moment, the trend has “reborn” into some kind of school lessons, medieval festivals (in the Middle Ages, many Western cities were separate states - now the population takes their coats of arms into the streets), as well as the work of skansen - open-air museums. Their workers completely restore the historical complex of a certain era and the associated traditions of a certain ethnic group (costume, tools, architecture, life, weapons and rituals). In fact, ancient life appears before the viewer (the history lesson student) in all its details.

So, we also have such a concept as a historical reconstruction club (HRR). And the joint activities of these associations of enthusiasts (from different parts of the state) accordingly “gave birth” to a global interactive performance, which is usually called the festival of historical reconstruction (FIR). Now this is something more significant than what the Tolkienists of the 90s called “making a toy.” As a rule, several organizations of “historical role-players” come to the festival at once. Moreover, they try to recreate a certain event in the location where it took place.

The largest festivals of historical reconstruction 2018

In the vastness of the CIS (in hundreds of its cities and rural settlements) shows are regularly held as part of various FIRs. However, not every one of them attracts thousands of participants and spectators, as well as dozens of journalists. In the category “the largest festival of historical reconstruction” were “” - a global event that takes place annually in different parts of Greater Moscow. It originated back in 2011 - in Kolomenskoye Park, with the goal of presenting to the general public the events in Rus' of the 9th-11th centuries. However, in the following years, it turned to later pages of the biography of our Fatherland, and not only ours. This year the event will come under the name “Times and Epochs. Meeting". Moscow is going to surprise Russians and World Cup guests from other countries with a kind of time machine. From June 12 to 23, people from different countries and centuries will gather at different venues, surprising onlookers with their clothing, crafts, dishes, dances and songs! “Vremena” is rivaled (in terms of popularity and people’s involvement) only by “Borodin’s Day” (more about it below).

The so-called medieval festivals are also especially popular. Some of the events (including an episode of the regatta of historical ships) will take place within the framework of the already mentioned spectacle “Times and Epochs. Meeting". We'll talk about the rest below.

Ancient Rus' and the Viking Age

Medieval festivals in the Russian Federation have a chronological frame of reconstructed events, starting from the 9th century. The fact is that this century became fateful in the history of the East Slavic peoples. There was an attempt to unite them into a single state. At the same time, this century was the heyday of the Viking campaigns.

In different regions of Russia, the 9th century has become the main theme of the activities of historical clubs. This year, such associations have a new reason for meeting - “Rusborg 2018” (it will gather admirers of the first Russians in May, the place is still unknown). “Rusborg” “pulls out” from the darkness of centuries the military campaigns that took place on the territory of the present North-Western Federal District of the Russian Federation - in the 9th-11th centuries.

“Rook Pole” and “Abalakskoe Pole” are FIRs that have their own “zest”. Their participants are forced to travel on large wooden boats - longships, knorrs or longships. In the new year, the Volga near Yaroslavl will be chosen as the scene of action at Ladeino Pole. It is planned to raft (with stops here and there) all the way to Kazan. Siberian “Abalak” invites everyone to Tobolsk for the second time on July 7-8. The next plot of these “Fields” is sea battles with the participation of Russians, Vikings, Finnish and Baltic archers, as well as military competitions.

The last event that is worth mentioning in this regard is the “Epic Coast”. At this “gathering” a specific event is not taken into account. This is a series of buhurts (field team battles), illustrating the difficult relations of Kievan Rus with Scandinavia and other neighbors. The brand of the festival (in addition to the sword tournaments and archery competitions common to such events) is the sulitsa competition (the sulitsa is a swing weapon that is similar to a mace, but differs from it in the design of the nozzle). The new epic bank on July 27-29 will be the bank of the Volga near the village of Toporok (rural settlement of Fedorovka, Kimry district of the Tver region).

Medieval festivals 2018

We are always predisposed to something most impressive - to terrifying iron armor, to large swords or axes clanging against them, to a lady's handkerchief sentimentally tied to a knight's spear... In a few months, all this will happen again in different Russian cities! Medieval festivals 2018 are:

• “Kulikovo Field” (will be held on September 13-16 near the Tula village of Tatinka);
• “Knight's Tournament of St. George” (will take place from April 30 to May 2 in Moscow);
• “Heritage of Centuries” (end of June, Belarus);
• “Knightly Fest of Mstislavl” (July, Belarus);
• “Battle of Four Epochs” (July, Sula Park, Belarus);
• “Genoese helmet” (Pike perch, August).

Let's start with "Paul Kulikov". This is a fairly popular historical reconstruction. 2018 on Red Hill once again promises us grandiose skirmishes and archery competitions. The bank of the Don near Tatinka is the place where D. Donskoy’s troops crossed before the battle.

Sword fights, whistling arrows - this is what intrigues tourists about medieval festivals. 2018 will be the year of several “interactive performances related to Western Europe. And most of them will be dedicated not to court balls, but to knightly tournaments, beloved by the people of our planet, as well as field battles in full equipment. Among the participants themselves, the latter idiom is more used in the form of the French original - the “new birth” of a large-scale battle is called the word “buhurt”. Buhurts will be held both at the Kulikovo Field and at the Knight's Tournament of St. George (in Kolomenskoye Park). Come early.

The medieval festivals “Heritage of Ages”, “Knight’s Festival of Mstislavl” and “Battle of Four Epochs” are a vivid embodiment of collective projects of historical clubs in Russia and Belarus. As always, the events will take place on the territory of the last of these states. In the last days of June, the Mir castle complex (Grodno region) will become a gathering place for medieval musicians, equestrian daredevils and all sorts of knights (“Heritage of Centuries”). Lovers of medieval culture will gather in Mstislavl (Grodno region) and in the Sula park in July. Three events will show in all their glory the knights of the gentry, the “winged” hussars of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, zalmers, musketeers from Western European countries, archers and Cossacks. Ancient castles will serve as the backdrop for the festival.

The summer Crimea is preparing for us another show with knocking the enemy out of the saddle with a huge spear, sword fighting and archery competition. Traditionally, in August, in the Genoese fortress (the one located in one of the coastal quarters of Sudak), citizens and guests of the city gather at the “Genoese Helmet” - a festival that is included in the top five best knightly spectacles in Europe! Medievalist reenactors from all over the world come here.

Napoleonic Wars

Unlike the concept of “medieval festivals,” the concept of other role-playing spectacles does not involve tournaments. It involves more storming of defensive structures, attacks, and restoration of some circumstances of trench warfare.

Historical reconstruction of a later time traditionally (for obvious reasons) has a more expanded composition of participants. A striking example of this is “Borodin’s Day” - a reconstruction of the decisive stages of the Patriotic War on the territory of what is now Kaluga, Moscow and Smolensk regions in 1812. In September, compatriots from all over the Russian Federation will flock to the Borodino Field nature reserve.

However, in the coming year, the battle of Krasninskoye will also be in the center of attention of reenactors. Near today's village of Krasny, the Russians fought with the French for 4 days and defeated the enemy. Everything will happen again - near the Losmina river (on the Smolensk-Krasny road). By the way, in addition to the Russians, clubs from Belarus will take part in the battle.

In Belarus itself, the War of 1812 will traditionally be honored with the large-scale action “Berezina”. Near the town of Borisov, near the Strakhov forest (where the pommel of the banner of one of the Russian regiments and a soldier’s warehouse were found), costumed memorial ceremonies will be held, as well as a reconstruction of one of the episodes of the persecution of retreating Napoleonic units. The event will take place at the end of November - to the date itself.

WWII reconstructions

A major festival of historical reconstruction, associated, among other things, with the Great Patriotic War, will, as always, be held in Sevastopol. This time – September 15-16. The action, within the framework of which several episodes of the city’s defense will be restored, is called the “Crimean Military-Historical Festival.” Its opening will take place on Historical Boulevard, which is laid on the territory of the defensive structures of the 1st Defense. By the way, the festival will also resurrect the events of previous eras associated with this place.

On February 2, the whole country will once again celebrate the Stalingrad Victory. On this day, in the hero city of Volgograd, in addition to the ceremony of laying wreaths and flowers at the Eternal Flame, a military-historical reconstruction will also take place. One of the battles of the Battle of Stalingrad (the breakthrough of the Soviet 64th Army has already been reconstructed in the Kirovsky district of the city - October 21).

On December 9, on the embankment of the Bystraya Sosna River (the city of Yelets), the troops of the Southwestern Front will again “come to life” to carry out the offensive of the first half of December 1941. The inhabitants of this city were completely liberated from the Nazi invaders.

A vibrant historical reconstruction is planned for the south of the Voronezh region. On January 14, near the town of Rossosh, details of the liberation of this settlement from the Nazis will be shown. Fighting will break out in the floodplain of Black Kalitva. They will be attended by residents of the Voronezh, Belgorod, Rostov, Volgograd and Moscow regions, as well as historical reenactors from Italy (in the “role” of compatriots buried here who fought on the side of the Third Reich). Spectators will communicate with participants in the reconstruction, local historians, historians, and see old equipment. The main feature is the large-scale use of pyrotechnics.

Clubs of historical reconstruction of Russia

Typically, the leaders of creative associations that “revive history” are people who are in one way or another connected with history (busy in the summer on excavations, and at other times in professional activities in universities). But there are many exceptions. After all, knowledge of the past (not only Russian) is now becoming fashionable. Members of the KIR gather in the premises allocated to them to make (or collect) household items or costumes authentic to “their” era. They attend historical fencing or shooting lessons (if the organization is reconstructing a complex of the New or Contemporary times). Participants in reconstruction even have the opportunity to earn money. They are able to decorate a celebration related to “their” theme with “action” or “ceremonial”. Reenactors often appear in documentaries (and today more often in feature films) dedicated to “the affairs of bygone years.” KIR unites people of all ages and professions.

Now you know what else you can devote the year 2018 to. Historical reconstruction awaits you both as a spectator and (if desired) as a participant. Leading KIR, as a rule, have their own network resource, where the amount of the contribution, patterns of historical costumes and the collection location are indicated. There you can also get a lot of other information useful for a beginning reenactor. We would be very flattered if, after reading this review, at least one of our readers personally signs up for the historical reconstruction club. Look around and understand: it’s not too late to do this at any age.

How should we evaluate the activities of those who call themselves historical reenactors? What is this - a hobby or a profession? What role does the reconstruction of historical events play in modern society - is it just entertainment or something else? In this article we tried to answer these and other questions related to historical reconstruction.

For some reason, it is generally accepted that historical reconstruction is a fairly recent hobby. They say that the first clubs and communities of people calling themselves reenactors began to emerge in Western Europe and the USA only after the Second World War. In fact, this, of course, is not the case - the roots of this hobby go back centuries, or more precisely, in ancient times. Although, of course, then it was not a hobby at all, but rather a profession.

However, in order to delve into the history of this hobby, first of all you should understand - who are historical reenactors? This is usually the name given to people who try to accurately reproduce the life, entertainment, battles or material (however, sometimes spiritual) culture of some long-gone era. They are traditionally divided into household and military reenactors, although this division is arbitrary - the same people can be engaged in both areas of this activity.

So, if a reenactor is a person who recreates events of the past, then it should be recognized that historical reconstruction was practiced... in Ancient Rome. As we remember, the Romans were extremely fond of gladiator fights. So, from time to time these competitions took on the appearance of battles of the past. For example, one group of gladiators was dressed as soldiers of Alexander the Great, another as the Persians Darius III Codoman, and after that they acted out some episode from the Battle of Gaugamela.

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At the same time, the fighters tried to follow the historical truth in every detail - the detachments maneuvered in the same way as the troops participating in this battle, the leaders of the detachments called themselves the names of Macedonian and Persian commanders, etc. So such an action can well be considered a military reconstruction. It differed from modern analogues only in that during this battle the fighters died for real.

So, it must be recognized that first there was a military re-enactment, which functioned as an element of show (for gladiator fights were more of an ancient Roman show than a sporting competition). Later, in the Middle Ages, it ceased to be so bloody, but still survived. During all kinds of holidays at the courts of monarchs and aristocracy, fragments from the battles of the past were often played out, for example, the same episodes from the battles of Alexander the Great.

Later, from the 17th-18th centuries, clubs for antique lovers began to emerge, which became the prototypes of associations of modern reenactors. For example, in England a very popular hobby was shooting with a medieval “long” bow. The secretary of the great German poet Goethe, Johann Peter Eckermann, wrote that: “There (that is, in England. - Ed.) Everyone who is not too lazy shoots from a bow. Even in the most run-down town there is a “society of archers.” Just as the Germans go to a bowling alley, they gather in some tavern - usually in the evening - and shoot with arrows; I watched their exercises with great pleasure. These were all tall people, and as they pulled the bowstring, they assumed amazingly picturesque poses.”

In parallel with this, everyday reconstruction also developed, which at first was an element of city carnivals. During these holidays, participants not only dressed in costumes of bygone eras, but also tried to reproduce dances, games and other entertainments of the past. And since the beginning of the 19th century, the fashion for making antiques has spread in Europe, and not for commercial purposes.

The pioneers of this movement should be considered two Swedes, Henrik and Hjalmar Lingi, who, fascinated by the Viking era, sought to accurately recreate not only the weapons and armor of these fearless warriors, but also the household utensils of that era. They relied on information obtained from the Scandinavian sagas. Later, the example of a talented father and son inspired other lovers of antiquities from Western Europe, and homemade products from bygone eras for some time became almost an ordinary piece of furniture.

At the end of the 19th century, the first attempt was made to carry out reconstruction at the state level. This happened in Germany. By special order of the Kaiser's government, when entire military companies were allocated to restore the events of past eras. Someone restored the appearance and fighting techniques of the soldiers of Ancient Rome, someone - the barbarians who competed with them, someone depicted knights, landsknechts, etc. Such reconstructions were no longer just elements of the show of those times - their participants helped historians conduct some research. For example, it was the reconstruction of the Battle of Grunewald that helped clarify some of the mysteries of this outstanding battle.

Historical reconstruction is a fairly young hobby. It appeared in Russia in the early 90s and immediately became widespread among people interested in history, the romantic spirit of the Middle Ages and art. In Russia there are several federations of historical fencing. Sports tournaments are held regularly. Festivals and mass staging of battles are held mainly by historical fencing and reconstruction clubs with the support of the administration of the regions and cities where the event is held. There are also events of national importance (for example, the reconstruction of the Battle of Kulikovo or the Battle of Borodino in Russia or the reconstruction of the Battle of Grunwald abroad).

Historical reconstruction is the reconstruction of the material and spiritual culture of a particular historical era and region using archaeological, visual and written sources.

Historical reconstruction is a movement that has scientific goals and uses the method of role-playing and scientific experimentation to solve problems and gain greater insight into the issue under study.

The term “historical reconstruction” can be used in two meanings:

Restoration of the appearance and design of an object, theoretical or practical, based on its surviving fragments, remains, and available historical information about it, using modern methods of historical science (including such a method as an archaeological experiment). The historical reconstruction of processes, events and technologies is defined similarly. Also - its (restoration) result.

Activities aimed at restoring various aspects of historical events, objects, etc.

Historical reconstruction as a hobby appeared in the CIS countries (then the USSR) in the late 1980s. As a rule, those who are keen on historical reconstruction are interested in creating a historical complex consisting of costume, armor, weapons and household accessories for the selected region and historical period. Each element of the complex must be confirmed by any scientific sources (archaeological, visual, written). The main idea of ​​reconstructing such a complex of costume, armor, etc. is the practical application of this complex, including to confirm or refute scientific hypotheses regarding the possibilities of using certain items.

Currently there are two most popular directions:

living history;

tournaments (buhurts) - not present in the Napoleonic reconstruction.

Living history (or English living history) is a scientific discipline located at the intersection of such disciplines as “experimental archeology” and “museum pedagogy”. Living history is the recreation of the daily life of the inhabitants of a place during a specific historical period, usually in the form of a “living history museum” and/or a “living history festival”, as well as “living history” lessons in schools. Absolutely everything is important here, from the cut and appearance of the clothes worn to authentic cuisine recipes. Such events are interesting not only for the participants themselves, but also for the spectators, who can look with their own eyes at the non-textbook history of their country, at how their ancestors lived. This trend is very popular and developed in Western Europe; there are dozens of “open-air museums” where people live and work in the atmosphere of bygone times.

Tournaments (as well as buhurts - reconstruction of field battles) - the essence of this direction is the study and practical application of the military art of a certain era. Much is taken from sources of that time, some are thought up by people based on common sense. The result is a spectacular performance that will be interesting for everyone to watch, because up close everything is perceived especially keenly. Tournaments can be divided into staged ones (for spectators or just aesthetics) and sports ones, where people want to objectively evaluate their strengths and skills.

The most popular eras of historical reconstruction:

Antiquity;

Early Middle Ages (VII-XI centuries); High Middle Ages (XII-XIII centuries); Late Middle Ages (XIV-XV centuries); Modern times (XVI-XVII centuries); Napoleonic Wars; First World War; Second World War; Cold War ( military conflicts 1946-1991)

Recently, new directions have been actively developing.

This is a rather arbitrary division, reflecting only the most characteristic differences. Within each era, there is differentiation by region and certain historical periods (each era has its own), for example, for the High and Late Middle Ages, the recreated complex must fit within a time frame of 20 years, which, of course, is unacceptable for the Second World War.

Historical reenactors- fans of historical eras, ideology, spirituality.

Reenactors are people involved in recreating the life, crafts, traditions and martial arts of a specific era of a specific state. Reenactors examine historical materials about the manufacture of weapons, clothing, and household items in order to recreate these items using the technologies by which they were made. Customs and mores are also explored and recreated. Many reenactors are engaged in recreating military history and making their own armor and weapons. Many also practice historical fencing.

Due to the fact that many role-players are also often engaged in a kind of “partial reconstruction” of the historical realities of role-playing games, reenactors often develop a biased, somewhat ironic attitude towards role-players as some kind of “under-reconstructionists”. At the same time, however, many reenactors are also role players at the same time, or were previously role players. Often, roleplayers, beginning to become seriously interested in history, leave role-playing games and switch to historical reconstruction and fencing. The departure of reenactors to role-players is a much more rare occurrence. [source not specified 1055 days] However, extraordinary cases also occur when role-playing departments are organized in reenactor clubs, which allows both role-players and reenactors to mix their activities without much effort. Although, as a result of the same neglect on the part of the reenactors, internal conflicts arise, and such organizations easily fall apart.

Unlike role-players, reenactors have not yet managed to fully form into a subculture, despite the existing prerequisites for this (historical reconstruction as the basis of the subculture, the presence of certain musical styles, specific chemical accessories of a historical orientation, such as historical rings and amulets, etc.). At the same time, historical reconstruction often does not imply that the reenactor has any specific worldview, religious or political views, etc. Moreover, this distancing is specially emphasized in a number of cases. This is especially true for reenactors who restore historically controversial organizations - such as the Wehrmacht troops.

In most cases, reenactors unite in the “Historical Reconstruction Club” (HIR) or the “Historical Reconstruction and Fencing Club” (KIRiF) and the “Military Historical Club” (VIC), which have their own premises for training, storage of equipment and clothing, a workshop and etc. The size of the club is, as a rule, 10-30 people (possibly more). Large clubs may have branches in other cities. There may be a hierarchy within the clubs that, to one degree or another, repeats the hierarchical structure of the period being reconstructed (say, the structure of the early medieval Slavic squad or the infantry regiment of the Napoleonic army). Members of the same club in most cases have certain distinctive features that allow them to be identified at major events (shields of a certain color or with a certain pattern, uniform color, stripes, special shoulder straps, etc.).

In addition to participating in festivals, clubs can organize their own private events that reconstruct certain events, rituals, etc. (for example, feasts and balls). Members of KIRs are often invited to participate in certain historical events, presentations, exhibitions, and participate in the filming of historical films (a typical example is the film “Alexander. Battle of the Neva”). In addition to "club" reenactors, there are also reenactors who do not belong to any particular club and reenact on their own. Among reenactors, such people are sometimes called SSers (SSR - “Your Own Reconstructor”).

Role-Playing Game Movement (DRG), Role-playing movement, role-players- an informal community of people playing various role-playing games, primarily live-action role-playing games. Related to role-playing are the movements of historical reenactors, Tolkienists, hardball players, airsoft players and paintball players. The role-playing movement is distinguished both as a hobby and as a subculture, which is characterized by its own jargon, its own music (see minstrelsy), its own literature (mainly fantasy) and other characteristic elements of a single culture.

The role-playing movement in Russia and the USSR arose in the 80s on the basis of Science Fiction Fans Clubs.

In addition to role-playing games, roleplayers gather for Role-playing Conventions - short-term meetings dedicated to informing players about the games of the next season, discussing past games, and informal communication. The conventions host historical fencing tournaments, photo and art exhibitions, concerts by game song authors, theatrical performances, and video screenings.

Currently, there are critics of this term. Based on the fact that the word “movement” in this context is understood as a community of people who have a certain goal, they say that this term brings the wrong meaning to the understanding of role-playing games by the public, since they are an end in themselves and do not pursue any political, social or other purposes.

play polygon games and live action role-playing games. This is a kind of theater where people transform into heroes of a book, legend, history, fairy tale or fictional heroes and live their lives. Polygon games, as a rule, are held over several days, and during these days all participants must organize a camp, a fortress (if necessary), plan the game and live, most often in the forest, during the game period.

In general, the beginning of the role-playing movement is considered to be back in 1989, when members of the Science Fiction Fans Club decided to stage the action described in one of the books by J.R.R. Tolkien. I liked the idea, and soon an annual festival arose, where games were held based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Therefore, we can safely say that the first role-players in our country were Tolkienists. With the development of the role-playing movement, it became clear that besides Tolkien, there are a great many writers whose works can be used to make games. Costumes for role-playing games were first made from scrap materials, but over time, the creation of role-playing costumes reached a whole new level. Today it is not a problem to find specialized places for selling reenactment weapons, jewelry, clothing and shoes. All these wonders are made by hand in special workshops; the armor is made individually for each customer.

With the development of the role-playing movement, various role-playing clubs appeared, and entire fencing schools were created. A standard has now been developed for holding role-playing festivals, knightly tournaments and fights. Within the role-playing community, separate groups with their own specialization began to emerge. For example, someone is engaged exclusively in fencing and wrestling, and participates in fights; someone is engaged in the reconstruction of a certain historical era and tries to accurately reproduce the clothing and life of their period, someone specializes in the reconstruction of only dances - dancers can show their art at thematic balls. Men fight at the games, learn sword fencing, and have fights. Women set up the camp, cook and dance, some also participate in “battles” on an equal basis with men and are often as good with a sword as they are. With specialization, everything is now clear, but who is directly involved in organizing the game, thinking through the course of action and assigning roles? This is already the work of the master. Here, too, everything is clear - the master “masters” the game. As a rule, the master belongs to the older generation of roleplayers, who played countless games during his time.

Not a single role-playing event is complete without a person with a guitar. In the role-playing environment, folk (especially Irish and Scottish), medieval music, folk rock, art song and a little heavy metal are welcome. People who perform songs with a guitar (other instruments are much less common, but also have their place) are called minstrels. About a third of the minstrels are women and girls with large, sad eyes. The role-playing theme is specific, and often the words of the songs are incomprehensible to the uninitiated listener. But mostly the heroes of minstrel songs are ladies and knights, elves and gnomes, fairies and dragons. Here it is necessary to observe the laws of the genre, otherwise the role-playing song turns into an ordinary bard song.

According to some reports, the number of role players in the post-Soviet space is approaching half a million, and this figure is steadily growing. What drives people to training grounds, tournaments and balls? Most likely, this is an escape from the drab everyday life, an opportunity to communicate with interesting people, meet old acquaintances and find new ones, live the life of a fairy-tale hero, get new sensations in extreme conditions. There are many reasons for this, just as there are many truly talented, diverse and interesting people among role players. Here you can meet programmers, physicists and chemists, writers, factory workers (there are some), teachers and doctors. They all strive to plunge into a magical world where there is magic and fairy-tale heroes. Perhaps this is an escape from the real, bustling world, or perhaps a way to ourselves, because we are all a little children at heart who secretly believe in miracles and magic.

Essence.

What dominates, of course, is an unconditional passion for the Middle Ages and fantasy. Roleplayers live where dragons, demons, elves, gnomes and other magical creatures live. This is their way of life, but do not think that reality has turned its back on them. After all, such people are great at finding work, friends, family... What’s interesting is that, according to statistics, most role players are either psychologists or programmers. Of course, any of them loves bonfires, forests, nature, and guitar songs. The role-playing movement, first of all, is built on friendly relations - you cannot live without them in our world, so everyone knows that if he finds himself in a difficult situation, they will be happy to help him. Music. As the old truth says: “Not every metal player is a roleplayer, but every roleplayer is a metalhead.” It follows that all roleplayers, without exception, have a love for rock music, mainly heavy metal. Well, and of course, to folk rock, stylized as ancient music... In Russia, these are either Celtic, Irish or Slavic national melodies, as well as songs on role-playing themes, which are still accompanied by musical details of the Middle Ages and fantasy. Appearance.

First of all, of course, long hair. Regardless of gender, 90% of role players have long hair. They also have all sorts of historical attributes - metal bracelets, rings, rings, the use of various runes, leather shoulder pads, a cord on the hair across the forehead, well, and everything that is connected with their way of life. In everyday clothes, they are not much different from ordinary informals. But if roleplaying or training is carried out, then ancient Russian shirts, chain mail, armor, cloaks, long beautiful dresses, fur and leather cuirasses are used, all this together with weapons such as a sword, bow, dagger, halberd, etc. Classification. First of all, I would like to say that there are traditional role players and technogenic role players. The former are in favor of fantasy, the latter are in favor of weapons and games of the 20th-21st centuries. Usually, there is a slight, almost imperceptible competition between them, even disdain for each other. This article is written about the first type. It is not customary to divide them, but the main group is Tolkienists - they mainly represent a peaceful class that simply plays according to the books of J. Tolkien. Basic classes. Typically, role players are divided into clans (teams), which have their own hierarchy, have their own pros and cons, and have developed a set of laws, a coat of arms, a charter, and a uniform uniform. Each team conducts training, usually outdoors. They include exercises in combat using various types of medieval weapons. Those who do not have a professional sword or staff can go and cut themselves a stick somewhere in the forest to practice the technique. This is where the constant grinning comes from at the role players, who, they say, run through the forest with sticks and beat each other. In addition to physical training, roleplayers also love roleplaying in different worlds. For example, someone becomes a demon who is tasked by the “master” (the person who enforces the rules and determines the course of the game) to kidnap a princess from a human settlement. Accordingly, the princess is guarded by other players - human warriors. Thus begins an exciting game with battles, showdowns, treaties, and agreements. Everyone has their pros and cons, magic and strength, agility and health determined. Another thing that is not in last place among role-players is the so-called DnD (Dungeons and Dragons) - a verbal role-playing game in which the player does not actively act physically, but verbally explains his actions, communicates with other players and from his actions depends on the course of the game, which is actually led by the “master”. Well, and, of course, any roleplayer will not miss a good flash mob! :) In general, the role-playing movement is now gaining momentum. And in general, it’s great when people take a break from everyday life and do something abstract and unusual.

The games play out as follows:

a large group of participants - with weapons, always in suits - goes somewhere into the forest. There, according to the plot invented by the master (or master organizers of the game), roles are distributed. Games are played based on books, historical eras, or situations invented by the master. Rolewolves can go from several hours to several days. During this time, you can live a whole life, or even several - the life of a hero or a traitor, a king, a minstrel or a warrior. However, there is no script in role-playing games. The plot represents only introductory information and more or less specific tasks for the players - teams or individuals. The game includes not only combat, but also economics and magic. According to the rules of the Numenorca game, the player must have on his clothing a piece of fabric, the color of which indicates belonging to one of the peoples of Middle-earth: blue - elves, red - people, green - dwarves, brown - orcs. Each team has several peasants and fighters, as well as artisans - weavers, blacksmiths, etc. and at least one aristocrat and possibly a magician. Everyone has their own functions. For a normal life, they all need a certain number of chips (from the English chip) - the game equivalent of food and drink. If agriculture is developed in the “country,” then the Team Master issues the chips, but if not, the chips are bought from neighbors. For example, if in a gnome village there are only vegetable gardens, and there are no conditions for keeping livestock, then meat chips can be obtained as payment for the services of a skilled gnome blacksmith - at least for “strengthening” the armor. At the end of the cycle, each player is obliged to hand over the required number of chips to the Master, confirming that he did not die of hunger. In the event of starvation (or death on the battlefield), the player goes to Mandos (colloquially a death house), where he spends three hours, and then returns as a different character - which one is decided by the Masters in agreement with the player. Each participant in the game has a certain number of hits (from English hit) - lives. Armor and the level of military skills increase their number. The weapon must meet strict safety requirements and have a Master's certificate. Each type of weapon has a damaging force specified in the rules and, when struck, removes a certain number of hit points. A player is considered killed if all hit points are removed from him and he is struck again. Any magical skill must also be certified by a certificate on a form. For example, a very useful gift is to ask questions in such a way that the answerer is obliged to tell the truth. However, other players may require you to present a certificate. Taking someone's word for it is a possible right, but bluffing is not prohibited. Fights occupy a special place, and a very important one, in games. There are three types of fights: a wall fight, when two groups of comrades come together in military combat, a one-on-one duel, and, finally, a wolf fight. This is when more than two people get together and “kill” each other, each for himself. Girls rarely participate in walls and wolf camps, except perhaps the most formidable ones. But they don’t refuse to fight among themselves. As a rule, no one inflicts serious injuries on anyone. The worst thing is a finger injury followed by a bruise: in the party there is a sacred rule - “Don’t hit on the head.” Tolkienists(from Tolkien) - fandom (an informal (usually) subcultural community, whose members are united by a common interest related to works of art - a passion for a particular film, book, TV series, etc.) fans of books by J. R. R. Tolkien, who has a close connection with the role-playing subculture.

Researchers believe that it is even possible to establish the exact time of the beginning of Tolkien mania: the summer of 1965, when the American audience did not have enough of the million copies of The Lord of the Rings. Harvard students acquired badges: “Long live Frodo!”, “Gandalf for President!”, etc. It was a time when even in newspapers there were article titles like “A little more Mordor!” - and people understood it!

Complete translations of Tolkien first appeared in Russia only in the early nineties. It was then that the first Tolkienists began to appear in Russia. But this phenomenon became widespread only in the middle of our decade. Then only a few went to games in the forest. Near St. Petersburg in Zakhodskoye, the RHI (Regional Hobit Games) took place, the participants of which were divided into several camps and lived like hippies, some wanted to fight, some just relaxed, there was some alcohol involved, but the spirit of role-playing game was everywhere.

What was (and is) the goal of the Tolkienists? I would venture to suggest that, first of all, in communion. A role-playing game based on Tolkien does not simply allow you to “extend the space of a book” that, unfortunately, has been read, re-read, and learned by heart. Not only will you once again meet friends and comrades, the main thing is that you can feel equal to the author.

Tolkienists are distinguished by:

A caring attitude towards the game, towards fantasy literature, up to a philological interest in the study of Elvish languages, a great interest in history, mainly of the early Middle Ages, martial arts, fencing, etc. A life perception of the world combined with a very humorous assessment of one’s own activities (a person is capable of ardent, argue passionately and in all seriousness about the genealogies of hobbits, but a minute later the same hobbits will become the object of his ridicule - in general, a Tolkienist who always takes himself seriously is bad);

Tolkienists themselves identify in the structure of their crowd several types of people who came here, in accordance with the reasons that led to Tolkienism. Firstly, these are people who, for whatever reason, have not been able to establish themselves in the big world, or have managed to, but they don’t like what they did. They hold on to the new world like polar explorers hold on to a radio station, since loss means the final collapse of life. Over time, such people constitute the elite of Tolkienism; they close themselves in their narrow circle, and here religion actually grows, but it is directed inward - therefore, the influx of new flock is extremely undesirable, because the system is hermetic, fresh blood can destroy it. The other part of Tolkienists are those who just like to play. Role-playing allows a person to be in the shoes of another, while remaining himself at the same time - and this is a most interesting emotional experience. Unlike theater, play provides virtually unlimited opportunity for action. For the most part, such individuals lead a normal “civilized” life, and consider games as a hobby, a means of relaxation from the harshness of everyday life. The third category is those who need to feel their otherness. In fact, the Tolkienist with his fancy costumes, swords under his arm, and medieval style of behavior really attracts attention. As a rule, such individuals are carried away by a lot of other things at the same time and, in general, do not stay long in Tolkien society.

Tolkienists usually stand out from the crowd with their exotic outfits. Many wear cloaks, some wear medieval outfits. Hairatniki (ribbons around the head that catch the hair) are very popular here. The range is from simple to woven from threads with beads. An almost obligatory attribute is a sword. Swords - wooden or textolite - are not empty decoration. Fights (or, as they are called, maniacs) occupy almost the central place in the life of Eglador. Some "creatures" prefer other types of weapons - spears, bows, flails, daggers, etc. All weapons are homemade or purchased from local craftsmen. The arsenal also includes shields, chain mail and armor. Good chain mail is not cheap - up to several thousand rubles. You can make it yourself by getting a sufficient number of washers or wire. Tolkienists often meet at concerts. Concerts are organized by Tolkien singers - minstrels. As a rule, they perform their own songs, accompanying themselves on guitars. Sometimes you come across studio recordings. The themes of the songs, as well as the interests of the performers, are varied. Some of them are associated with literary works, others with historical events, and others touch upon pressing topics.

Thus, we can conclude that Tolkienism as a subculture has the right to exist and has a huge influence on modern culture and youth. We have looked at the beliefs, expressions and values ​​of the Tolkienists. It is difficult not to notice how much this culture influences the modern world, because it gave birth to many other works, both printed, cinematic and musical, which in turn influenced the minds of people, raising several generations of people. Many members of society and public organizations can no longer objectively fail to recognize the existence of Tolkienism. Recently, even the Orthodox Church expressed its attitude towards Tolkienism (an interview with one Moscow region priest in the newspaper “Orthodox Moscow”): “Fairy tales written by Tolkien have a right to exist... They can even be useful, because their meaning boils down to the struggle between the forces of good and evil. This may lead some to search for the meaning of life, to the question of the existence of God. If you use these works only as a reason to hang out, then there’s nothing to talk about... I don’t see anything bad in games either. Even a religious, serious person is not a stranger to games, especially in his youth. True, there are some nuances that should be paid special attention to. Children get used to the role, most often the evil one. This is easier, because awakening the forces of good within oneself requires will. Sometimes young people identify themselves with the dark forces - the nine evil heroes - and even call each other by these names. Having played too much, they can remain in this role in life. It is sometimes difficult and difficult to return them to the real world...” But there are also some problems. Like many subcultures, Tolkienism changes with the arrival of new members. Many young people are now coming to this culture, following increasingly simpler and “lower” motives, and the threat of degeneration of Tolkienism is created, but grounds for optimism still remain.

The youth subculture, which we classify as romantic-escapist, is Indianists. They study the cultures of the Indians, mainly North American, striving to accurately reproduce their customs and rituals. According to the observation of T. Shchepanskaya, Indianists are something between a club of lovers of American Indians and a religious-mystical movement. With all the “ethnographic” attributes of the Indianist subculture, its values ​​are: collectivism (community), environmentalism, cosmism.

They study the culture of the Indians, striving to accurately reproduce their customs and rituals. In the 70-80s. Kazan was one of the centers of the emerging Indianist movement. Later, the initiative passed to more numerous groups of Indianists in Leningrad and Moscow. The Indianist movement peaked in the 90s. To date, this subculture is poorly represented.

The depth of reconstruction may vary. Novice amateurs, as a rule, are limited to the general appearance of the costume, without particularly worrying about its historical accuracy, the authenticity of the fabrics used and the appropriateness of color combinations. Those for whom historical reconstruction has become a real hobby, they take equipment much more seriously. As a rule, the costume is compiled according to a “passport”, where each of its elements is carefully described: the fabric, the method of dyeing it, the source of the pattern (based on archaeological finds, museum collections and works of art), the types of hand or machine seams used, the approximate time period for which clothes match. “Passports” are checked by a special commission, and if the sources are reliable enough, the applicant is admitted to historical reconstruction festival as a participant rather than a spectator.

If, as a rule, each reenactor can sew clothes himself, then more complex items made of metal, leather, and fur are difficult to handle without special skills and equipment. Many people buy shoes, weapons and armor, belts and fasteners in special workshops or at festivals.

The most enthusiastic reenactors practically reach the professional level: for them, not only the appearance of the product is important, but also thorough adherence to historical traditional technology. They spin and weave themselves, dye the fabric with natural dyes, and use historically accurate needles and thimbles. At their events, they recreate not only the costume, but also the everyday life of the chosen era: tents and tents, dishes, musical instruments.

From antiquity to the recent past: the era of reconstruction

The era chosen for reconstruction may vary. If the ancient world and antiquity in the CIS are represented by a very small number of clubs, then there are a lot of fans of the early and late Middle Ages. Moreover, approaches to the reconstruction of the early Middle Ages, as a rule, are quite strict and tend towards “deep” reconstruction. However, after the 13th and especially the 15th centuries, costumes become too complex to require most festival participants to be fully in keeping with the era. It is precisely because of the complexity of technology and the inaccessibility of materials that so few are engaged in the reconstruction of life of the 16th-18th centuries. Some enthusiasts almost professionally recreate the era of the Napoleonic Wars and the events of the Great Patriotic War, and here the requirements for historical accuracy are again greatly tightened.

However, with a suit, naturally, movement historical reconstruction not limited to: such hobby it would simply be boring. A huge number of clubs are divided not only by era and depth of reconstruction, but also by specialization within the movement. Military history clubs pay a lot of attention to physical training and military history - it is their representatives who stage historical battles or organize knightly tournaments. Many groups perform medieval music or study dances. Various types of artisans who work using historical technologies are extremely valued among reenactors: gunsmiths, embroiderers, furriers. Some study ancient sources in search of authentic recipes for food, drinks or cosmetics.

Often this hobby becomes a profession. Reenactors are invited to be extras for the filming of historical films, commercials, and they organize tourist attractions.

Where and when do historical reconstruction festivals take place?

Large historical reconstruction festivals, gathering more than a thousand participants, are held annually in Vyborg (late July), in the Crimean Sudak (first half of August), Ukrainian Khotin (late April - early May), Belarusian Novogrudok (late June). Famous battles are reconstructed in Borodino in early September, in the village of Samolva near Pskov (mid-April), in Dubrovno, Poland (Battle of Grunwald in July). Smaller-scale festivals take place almost every weekend of the season: in Izborsk, Mstislavl, Mamonovo near Kaliningrad, and Drakino near Moscow.