The hero of the Prussian army, General Field-Marshal Blücher, will be played by the German, Klaus Beckert

Klaus Beckert’s passion (aged 77) for re-enactments came about quite unexpectedly, thanks to his son. It dates from 1982, when Klaus Beckert  went with his son to a commemoration of the Battle of the Nations in Leipzig. He was hooked immediately. In the same year he became a member of a study group on military history. Six years later he learnt to ride and then joined a cavalry group as a simple hussar. And so a passion was born.

A perfect likeness

Not long after launching into these new activities as a re-enactor, Klaus Beckert’s destiny takes a new turn. He hears that the Leipzig historical re-enactment circle is looking for 'an old man' (Blücher was 73 when he took part in the Battle of Waterloo). Having become an excellent horseman and bearing a striking resemblance to the Prussian General and Field-Marshal Blücher, Klaus Beckert feels that he is the perfect fit…   

He arrives and the physical similarity with the historic hero is so obvious that the role seems tailor-made for him. He is recruited immediately.  

Since then he regularly takes on the role of the character in every historical re-enactment possible. He has even taken on the nickname "Marschall Vorwärts!"(Marshal Forwards) in reference to the particularly offensive attacking tactics deployed by Blücher.        

After several years in the role, Klaus Beckert has even received official approval from the family of Blücher’s descendants to continue to represent him.

In fact, Klaus Beckert is still recovering from this honour, when, in 2013, during a re-enactment of the Bicentenary of the Battle of Leipzig, he was approached by Prince Nikolaus Fürst Blücher a descendant of the Blücher family who exclaimed "… it’s extraordinary, it’s Blücher, as if he were still alive and breathing!"

Klaus Beckert himself admits that there are times on the battlefield when he feels so comfortable in his role that he forgets that he is not the real Prussian General Field-Marshal Blücher!

The real Europe

Apart from historical accuracy, Klaus Beckert emphasizes the importance of the relationship between the re-enactors, whatever their origins. "Each participant is just playing his or her role on the battlefield. The most important however, is the friendship and the solidarity that develops between the different groups of re-enactors from all of the countries.  When they are all together on a site that is full of history, they actively represent Europe. By putting on a show that is accurate in its historical detail, they are teaching history to the public who are watching. And this is what is so exciting."

If you would like to watch a historical re-enactment, here are those planned for the first half of 2015:

France:
28 February to 1 March: Golfe Juan
7 and 8 March: Laffrey
20 March: Paris, return of the Emperor
May: Le Champ de mai, remise des Aigles (Presentation of the Eagles)

Austria:
1 to 3 May: Lutzen