In recent years the Franco-German Brigade, stationed in the south Baden town of Mullheim, has practised repeatedly the whole spectrum of possible military deployment options from helping fight forest fires and humanitarian relief activity to mechanised operations in support of national and alliance defence policy.
| French NCO instructing German troops in a French armoured sanitary vehicle |
This unique formation's history began on November 13, 1987 when at the 50th Franco-German summit in Karlsruhe President Mitterand and Chancellor Kohl announced the setting up of a Franco-German brigade.
A few months later staff of the establishment team began work in Böblingen and on October 2, 1989 General Jean-Pierre Sengeisen assumed command of the first German and French units.
In 1992 the brigade occupied new stations at Müllheim, Donaueschingen and Immendingen and by the end of 1996 soldiers from both countries will be serving in each garrison, either in integrated companies and platoons or in national formations accommodated in bi-nationally occupied barracks.
| A German tanker lorry supplying a French AMX 10 RC |
Soldiers from Donaueschingen and Müllheim where joint garrisons already exist, give the impression that Franco-German co-operation works better in this 5,100-man brigade than almost anywhere else. Although mother tongues are used in national units, bi-lingualism operates in integrated units and where German and French soldiers work together.
Both nationalities have developed common procedures to improve the brigade's deployment capability. These include regulations for unit re-supply as well as working out tactical principles, joint rules for guards and common standing operational procedures.
| Light armoured French scouting vehicle in observation |
Mental agility and willingness to compromise are required because each nation's regulations often vary widely. But this is the attraction of the brigade where readiness to co-operate makes greater demands than in any other troop formation.
In October 1994, the brigade was able to demonstrate its capabilities when it co-operated for the first time with a central European partner. With soldiers of the Polish Army, the brigade exercised the operation of a check point and a refugee camp on the model of an imaginary UN deployment. Polish-French-German co-operation continued with a joint study period in Müllheim.
The brigade holds a particular attraction for those doing national service. Many accept long travelling times and separation from their families to make a contribution to a common European future. The Franco-German Brigade is more than a symbol, it is an operationally deployable large formation and the concrete expression of the will of the governments of France and Germany to work in co-operation in the areas of security and defence policy.
