About the 5th SS Wiking Historical Reenactment Society
5th SS Wiking is a historical reenactment unit based throughout the United States, with members all across the Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, and other states. Wiking hosts and attends reenactments locally, and even events as far away as Pennsylvania. As such, our unit accepts members from all across the country.
As a unit, Wiking is the standard for World War II historical reenacting in the South Central and Southwestern United States. While the unit maintains high authenticity standards for it's members, we are welcoming of newcomers and are happy to help you get set up for your first foray into this fantastic hobby. Our primary goal is to promote an deeper understanding of World War II history while having fun and enjoying a "Kameradenschaft" that is usually only found within an actual military unit.
As a unit, Wiking is the standard for World War II historical reenacting in the South Central and Southwestern United States. While the unit maintains high authenticity standards for it's members, we are welcoming of newcomers and are happy to help you get set up for your first foray into this fantastic hobby. Our primary goal is to promote an deeper understanding of World War II history while having fun and enjoying a "Kameradenschaft" that is usually only found within an actual military unit.
History of Wiking (1941-1945)
The 5th SS 'Wiking' Division was originally formed as a motorized infantry division just prior to the invasion of the USSR. It was composed of not only Germans but also ethnic Germans from conquered countries, as well as members from Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Though it started late in the invasion of Russia, in 1942 the division became an integral part of Army Group South as it pushed towards the oil fields near the Caucasus Mountains. As Stalingrad started to become a disaster for the German Army in 1943, Wiking was redeployed out of the south, and put in the position to stop a Soviet breakthrough. It eventually went on to take part in the Battles for Kharkov, and were put on flank duty for Kursk. Wiking's shining moment in the war came in early 1944 at the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket, where the soldiers of Wiking broke out of an attempted Soviet encirclement of Army Group South, and later at the town of Kovel, where the division once more held out against a Soviet advance despite being encircled. The division spent the rest of the war in several major engagements in Poland and later Hungary as a part of IV SS Panzer Corps. As the end grew near, the battered men of the once proud division made their way west and surrendered to American forces in April of 1945. Despite having fought in the most brutal theater of the war, Wiking ended the war as a highly-decorated panzer division while keeping their honor clean (at Nuremberg no war crimes were proven to have been committed by this division).
Join the fight! Enlist!
To enlist in our unit, please download and fill out the application below, then attach it to an email to [email protected]. You will then be contacted within two weeks. Our unit, while open to both new and experienced reenactors, has high expectations of its members.
wiking_application__1_.docx | |
File Size: | 8 kb |
File Type: | docx |
In addition, all recruits and current members should take care to download and read through the unit handbook, provided for your convenience below.
Inside you will find the most up to date uniform and gear regulations, along with information about the unit history, and our code of conduct. All members are expected to fully understand that last portion, as every individual member's behavior effects the image of our unit, and hobby, as a whole.
Inside you will find the most up to date uniform and gear regulations, along with information about the unit history, and our code of conduct. All members are expected to fully understand that last portion, as every individual member's behavior effects the image of our unit, and hobby, as a whole.
wiking_handbook_8.pdf | |
File Size: | 771 kb |
File Type: |
NOTICE: 5th SS Wiking Historical Reenactment Society is a non-political organization dedicated to honoring the memory of US Servicemen by portraying the men that we fought against.