How it all started
The nonprofit organization « Historical Military Remember Association » was born from two distinct perspectives: the one of collecting and restoring military artifacts and the one of historical reenactment. In 2009, some friends passionate about history decided to join together to create an association aiming at two major missions:
- World War II military historical reenactment,
- Collection and restoration of military vehicles of WWII era of various origins.
This synergy serves two main objective. Firstly, being able to provide with quality artifacts, exhibits and/or reconstitutions by the association. Indeed, it is not rare to see reenactment groups – we are not talking here about collecting groups from which few members portray reenactment characters – without any vehicles. Which may cause depending on the context, prejudice to an event. Secondly, portraying, the best from our abilities, all sides of the conflict during the period of 1939 to 1945, including the Germans.
In Belgium, still up to a few years ago, because of painful memories of World War II, occupying forces were excluded from historical reconstitution events of WWII, resulting in un-realistic reenactment. And this, despite the fact, that other commemorations of other periods such as the Middle Age, First Empire, castles, fortresses or famous battle fields allow more and more realistic reconstitutions.
A vision becoming a reality. Thanks to its un-common rolling vehicles and various sections – Americans, Germans, and also Belgians, civilians or partisans -, the H.M.R.A. develops a growing expertise in the domain of « military archeology » and in saving historical assets. The association has accumulated experience through numerous participation to events and commemorations honoring the memory of all patriots and all sides engaged in a bloody and useless conflict. However a landmark event would impact for a long time the H.M.R.A. and transform its vision.