Some 6,000 historical re-enactors took over the battlefield of Leipzig in Germany this past week to commemorate the bicentennial of the 1813 battle in which Prussian, Austrian, Russian, and allied forces defeated the imperial army of Napoleon. The clash became known as the “battle of the Nations” and has been celebrated by some German nationalists as the basis of modern German patriotism.

According to the BBC, “Tens of thousands of spectators are attending the reconstruction, described as a ‘reconciliation.’ However, Church leaders object to the battle being turned into a game.”

The BBC reports on the re-enactment of Leipzig and provides pictures.