9 October 2026
On October 7, the Eurocorps gathered to celebrate German Unity Day. At the Aubert de Vincelles barracks in Strasbourg, military personnel and civilians attended an official reception commemorating the 36th anniversary of German reunification, which took place on October 3, 1990. The event was attended by the Eurocorps Commander, General Aroldo Lázaro, and a representative from the Strasbourg City Council, Alexandre Riou.
During his address, General WEEKE —Deputy Chief of Staff Support (DCOS Spt) and senior officer of the German contingent— highlighted «The Day of German Unity is therefore not only about remembering how far we have come.
It is also about asking where we want to go next.
Thirty-six years ago, a wall came down because people refused to accept that separation was their destiny.
Today, new walls can appear in many forms: between nations, between generations, between East and West or North and South, between fact and fiction, and between people who simply happen to disagree.
Let us not allow those walls to harden.
Let us remember that unity is not a finished monument. It is a living promise — one that must be renewed whenever fear tries to divide us.
Because the greatest achievement of German unity was not merely the disappearance of a border.
It was the restoration of a shared future.
And that future belongs to all of us.
It is ours to build, ours to protect and, when necessary, ours to defend – with courage and determination »
Following the ceremony, the Oktoberfest celebration began, offering a perfect blend of live music, traditional attire, shared merriment, and the finest Bavarian beer and culinary culture. Before members of the Eurocorps, their families, and numerous guests, General Lázaro—joined by the rest of the Eurocorps Command Group—performed the ceremonial tapping of the first beer keg to open the festivities: an opportunity to further strengthen cohesion and unity within an atmosphere of multinational camaraderie.
