About Us
East Penn Re-enactors Group was founded in 2016 by Ethan Krall and Luke Newmaster. The pair founded the group with the intentions of promoting the legacy of World War II, specifically that of the 32nd Infantry Division. Since the group's inception, our leaders have ensured our reputable participation in several renowned public re-enacting events in Pennsylvania, and have established an outstanding reputation for the group as part of the new wave of young men entering the World War II re-enacting community. The group prides itself upon continually improving our authenticity and presentation quality based upon primary and secondary historical sources as a part of a larger progressive movement within re-enacting and living history both nationally and internationally.
Our dedication to presenting our impressions and information to the public in an educated, sincere, and enjoyable manner rests in our belief that first and foremost we are serving the public good as living historians volunteering our time and efforts to teach history in a engaging and personal way. We do so by diligently studying and sharing the experiences of individuals who participated in and shaped the history and chronology of the war through their roles, their service, their courage, and their sacrifices. Their experiences are expounded upon to explain not only how battles and events of World War II were fought and why, but to also acknowledge the following:
Our efforts to center the experiences of individual veterans who served during World War II stems largely from personal connections to the veterans themselves, whether they be family members, elder neighbors in our communities, or strangers, initially, who happened to meet our group while attending living history events that we participated in. We also take care to center the experiences of veterans recorded in writings, such as autobiographies, journals, and memoirs, as well as those recorded in audio and video interviews. When possible, and if veterans we come to know are willing, we aid them in preserving their history by conducting audio and video interviews of our own.
Group Structure & Hierarchy
Major group decisions are decided by simple majority vote either in full session or amongst the executives depending on the matter at hand. As a volunteer organization, we attempt to replicate the democratic process to foster a sense of ownership, participation, and responsibility among all of our group members. Every member has a voice.
The group also, when possible, meets up for meals out, trips to the rifle range to hone our marksmanship skills with World War II - era firearms, or project working days to keep in touch and maintain our equipment as well as our camaraderie.
Our dedication to presenting our impressions and information to the public in an educated, sincere, and enjoyable manner rests in our belief that first and foremost we are serving the public good as living historians volunteering our time and efforts to teach history in a engaging and personal way. We do so by diligently studying and sharing the experiences of individuals who participated in and shaped the history and chronology of the war through their roles, their service, their courage, and their sacrifices. Their experiences are expounded upon to explain not only how battles and events of World War II were fought and why, but to also acknowledge the following:
- how battles and campaigns impacted those who fought them, as well as how these individuals as members of fighting units impacted the battles and campaigns they fought and how these campaigns affected the course of the war at large
- how these battles and campaigns were fought and experienced, interpreted through historical record of the material conditions that the individual soldiers and their unit and branch of combat arms existed within and contended with on the battlefield; what these soldiers fought with and what they fought without
- how individuals contended with their experiences in war through the rest of their life, how it shaped them to be the people they would become in postwar civilian life, and how their experiences can inform and inspire younger generations
Our efforts to center the experiences of individual veterans who served during World War II stems largely from personal connections to the veterans themselves, whether they be family members, elder neighbors in our communities, or strangers, initially, who happened to meet our group while attending living history events that we participated in. We also take care to center the experiences of veterans recorded in writings, such as autobiographies, journals, and memoirs, as well as those recorded in audio and video interviews. When possible, and if veterans we come to know are willing, we aid them in preserving their history by conducting audio and video interviews of our own.
Group Structure & Hierarchy
Major group decisions are decided by simple majority vote either in full session or amongst the executives depending on the matter at hand. As a volunteer organization, we attempt to replicate the democratic process to foster a sense of ownership, participation, and responsibility among all of our group members. Every member has a voice.
The group also, when possible, meets up for meals out, trips to the rifle range to hone our marksmanship skills with World War II - era firearms, or project working days to keep in touch and maintain our equipment as well as our camaraderie.