Eurocorps celebrates the German and Spanish national days.

Strasbourg (France), 11th October 2006.

Because the national days of some of Eurocorps’ framework nations are close one to another, the Eurocorps community celebrates them together. In Germany the 3rd of October or “Tag der deutschen Einheit” refers to the German re-unification in 1990. The 12th October or “Dia de la Hispanidad” in Spain remembers the Kingdom of Spain was created in 1492 and also refers to Christoffer Columbus discovering the “new world”, America.

Brigade General Walter Spindler (Germany) and Major General Francisco Puentes Zamora (Spain), took the opportunity of this ceremony to award some honour-medals to soldiers from their respective nations. At the same time General Spindler awarded with the “Ehrenmedaille der Bundeswehr” the Belgian non commissioned officer Adjudant Eddy Dries and the French non commissioned officer Adjudant-Chef Claude Kennel for their particular investment in their contacts and work with their German colleagues.

German Lieutenant-colonel Michael Hoppen received a dual awarding for his engagement with the French Army from the hands of the French Major General Patrick Marengo. He now proudly wears the “médaille d’argent de la Défense Nationale” and the “médaille commemorative ex Yougoslavie” amongst his national medals.

The military parade being held on a Wednesday afternoon and the nice autumn weather attracted a lot of family members as spectators.

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