Union of European Paratroopers

Club coat of arms of the UEP

The Union of European Paratroopers (UEP after the French name Union Européenne des Parachutistes ) was founded on November 25, 1989 in Altenstadt in Germany. The aim of the association is to preserve the traditional values of paratroopers of all generations and to contribute to the construction of a united Europe within the framework of the free world.

history

After the Second World War , in the course of ever closer relations between the states of Europe, a European paratrooper union emerged from Franco-German initiatives, which was subsequently joined by paratrooper associations from other European countries.

As early as 1976, Friedrich A. Freiherr von der Heydte and the then president of the French paratroopers, Colonel J. Romain-Defossés, tried in 1981/1982 by Colonel a. D. Rudolf Witzig to lay the foundations for a European paratrooper union. However, it was not founded until 1989. On November 25, 1989, in the officers' quarters of the airborne and air transport school in Altenstadt, the statute of the association was approved by the then Federal Head of the Association of German Paratroopers (BDF), Colonel a. D. Karl-Heinrich Sander and the President of the Union Nationale des Parachutistes (UNP), Commandant Henry Jean Loustau initialed. The statute was deposited with the prefecture of Paris on May 21, 1990 and was later adopted by the national paratroopers' associations wishing to join in the version of March 30, 1993. The representatives of the German and French paratroopers had put into practice the will of the war generation for the paratrooper level to create a stable bond of friendship between all similar associations in Europe based on the motto “Reconciliation over the graves”.

The example of the founding countries of the association, Germany and France, followed Greece (1990), Spain (1991), Italy (1991), Cyprus (1992), Portugal (1992), Poland (1999), Belgium (2005), Hungary (2006 ) and Austria (2014). To date, eleven national associations with a total of over 40,000 members are part of the association.

President

The founding fathers, Commandant Henry-Jean Loustau, Colonel a. D. Karl-Heinrich Sander, General Arnaud de Foyard, General Konstantinos Malamas, General Palace and Konstantinos Likotrafitis were appointed honorary presidents for life in 1995.

1989: Major Henry-Jean Loustau (UNP)
1990: General Aussaresses (UNP)
1991: Colonel Karl-Heinrich Sander (BDF)
1993: Mr. Konstantinos Likotrafitis (FPFS)
1995: General de Vita (FENASVPE)
1996: General Munoz Manero (FENASVPE)
1997: Colonel Terras Marquez (UNP)
1998: Mr. Makkoukides (PARC)
1999: General Eckert (BDF)
2000: General Theodoly-Lannes (FPFS)
2001: General Komanski (ZPS)
2002: General Galinos (FPFS)
2003: General Speranza (ANPd´I)
2004: General Christian Piquemal (UNP)
2005: General Almendra (UPP)
2006: GenMaj a. D. Georg Bernhardt (BDF)
2007: Colonel Emile Genot (ANPCV)
2008: Colonel Dr. Jozsef Boda (FAHP)
2009: Major a. D. Mattheos Economides (PARC)
2010: GenMaj a. D. Jan Kempara (ZPS)
2011: GenLt. a. D. Emilio Pérez Alamán (FENASVPE)
2012: GenMaj a. D. Eleftherios Mavroudis (FPFS)
2013: GenMaj a. D. Georg Bernhardt (BDF)

structure

The association is managed by the president, who is rotated annually by the member states. He is supported by a vice president. The tour is supported by the Secretary General, who is based in Paris.

The following member states are represented with their national associations:

Belgium (Belgian National Para-Commando Association ANPCV)
Germany (Bund Deutscher Fallschirmjäger BDF)
France (Union Nationale des Parachutistes UNP)
Greece (Hellenic Commando Association, PanHellenic Federation of Special Forces of Greece HCA / FPFS)
Italy (Associazione Nazionale Paracadutisti d´Italia ANPd´I)
Austria (Federation of Former Paratroopers BeF, observer status since 2005, became a full member in 2014).
Poland (Polish Parachutists Union ZPS)
Portugal (Uniao Portugesa de Paraquedistas UPP)
Spain (Federacion Nacionale de Asociaciones Paracaidista de Espana FENASPE)
Hungary (Fraternal Association of Hungarian Parachutists FAHP)
Cyprus (Pancyprian Association of Reserve Commandos of Cyprus PARC)

aims

The aims of the association are listed in the statute, article II:

Regardless of political or religious world views, the traditional values of paratroopers of all generations form the basis of the association's work
The association supports all efforts to build a united Europe within the framework of the free world
The association takes part in the major military events in which the military traditions of the European states live on and which are intended to convey the spirit of paratroopers based on honor and the fulfillment of duty to the younger generation.
He initiates and coordinates all measures aimed at promoting cohesion and solidarity among the members

activities

In addition to an annual congress in one of the member states with a current topic, the association regularly organizes military parachute jumping competitions, which are also organized alternately by one of the member states. In addition, there are numerous relationships between sections or sub-organizations of the national associations, which through mutual visits, especially on official national festivities and memorial days and special events, bring the togetherness in the European context to life. Examples include:

joint events and visits of the ANPd'I to the comrades circle 1.LL Div in the BDF,
International jumping competition in Poland,
International competitions in Hungary,
joint events and visits of the UEP section Annecy, France with the traditional community LLBrig 25 in the BDF,
Joint appearance of the BDF delegation with UNP at the annual St. Michel commemoration in Paris, France,
joint appearance of BDF delegations of the Landeskameradschaft West in Ypres, and the St. Michel commemorations in Brussels, Belgium.

literature

The History of the European Parachute Union Dr. Jozsef Boda (Ed), Budapest Sep 2009 ISBN 978-963-06-8806-2 .
The Union of European Paratroopers - more than an information exchange OTL a. D. Erich Bosse in DDF 6/10 p. 58.