Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft; at the 25th anniversary of Day... VIEW ORIGINAL
WIESBADEN, Germany -- Army units and organizations across Germany showed its support and appreciation for its host nation by helping to celebrate the Day of Germany Unity.
Known in German as Tag der Deutschen Einheit, Oct. 3 is Germany's national holiday, and commemorates the anniversary of German reunification in 1990, when the hopes for a united Germany were finally fulfilled after decades of separation.
Every year a different city hosts the national celebration; the 25th anniversary was observed in Frankfurt am Main. Many communities celebrate with a local ceremony.
U.S. Army Europe's Commanding General, Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges; and Chief of Staff, German Brig. Gen. Markus Laubenthal attended the central German Unification Ceremony in the Frankfurter Alte Oper.
The ceremony and other events celebrating 25 years of German Unity was arranged by the Hessian Government since the current President of the Federal Court is Minister President Bouffier. Over 1,200 invited guests attended the ceremony including the German Federal President Joachim Gauck, Chancellor Angela Merkel and her Cabinet, the minister presidents of the Germany's 16 federal states, representatives of 160 embassies and international guests.
Brig. Gen. Phillip Jolly, director of the U.S. Army Europe's Army Reserve Engagement Cell attended the Point Alpha German Unification ceremony, held Oct. 2. Point Alpha was a Cold War observation post between Rasdorf, Hesse, in what was then West Germany and Geisa, Thuringia, then part of East Germany. The post overlooked part of the Fulda Gap, which would have been a prime invasion route for Warsaw Pact forces had the Cold War erupted into actual warfare. The 11th ACR ("Blackhorse" Soldiers") the last unit to guard the border between the two German states left in 1991 after the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact and German Unification.
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