Multinational Corps Northeast

On 21 and 22 September 2011, the Corps Committee with high representatives of Multinational Corps Northeast's Framework Nations Denmark, Germany and Poland, met already for the 43rd time. According to a non-written rule, the late summer meeting is always hosted by one of the Framework Nations; and this time, Germany invited the Corps Committee members as well as the Corps' Generals and representatives to its Capital, Berlin.

Under the lead of the new German Chairman, Colonel Dr. Tegtmeier, and his Danish and Polish Co-Chairmen Colonel Knudsen and Colonel Parylak, the Corps Committee and the representatives from Multinational Corps Northeast discussed the ongoing activities and the common goals for the future. The Commander Multinational Corps Northeast, Lieutenant General Rainer Korff, welcomed the two new members of the Corps Committee, Colonel Dr. Tegtmeier and Colonel Knudsen, and analysed in his opening remarks the ongoing current changes in the NATO Command Structure and their influence on Multinational Corps Northeast. He presented his conclusions drawn that shall shape Multinational Corps Northeast's future in order to cope with all upcoming challenges. Follow-on presentations given by representatives from the Corps' different Staff Divisions provided food for thought for a more detailed discussion and focused on the ongoing Structure Review of the Corps' Headquarters, on intensifying the multinational co-operation with the Corps' Participating States, and on training and exercise activities in the upcoming years. Modernizing the Corps' IT-infrastructure was an important topic, too.

Whilst the Corps Committee executed its internal deliberations in the afternoon and developed agreed positions on the future development of the Corps' matters, the members of Multinational Corps Northeast got the opportunity to visit the memorial site in the Bendler Block, the former Oberkommando der Wehrmacht of the Nazi-Regime. While visiting the memorial site, they paid a moment of remembrance to the members of the German Resistance, who lost their lives in their brave fight against Hitler.

The first day of the Corps Committee Meeting was concluded by a formal dinner on invitation of the German Ministry of Defence in the Minister's Guests Casino.

In the early morning hours of the second day, Commander Multinational Corps Northeast, Lieutenant General Korff, his Deputy, Major General Sorokosz, and the Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Danielsson paid respect to all soldiers of the German Bundeswehr who lost their lives whilst performing their duty. In silent remembrance and together with the whole Corps' delegation, they laid down a wreath at the Cenotaph of the Bundeswehr, which is located on the premises of the Ministry of Defence.

Intense discussions about details of the Corps' future structure ended the official part of the 43rd Corps Committee Meeting, which this time was moulded by a combination of honouring remembrance and pre-emptive outlook into the Corps' future. Once again, this brought to our attention that even the most optimistic and ambitious development into a challenging future should never let us forget about those comrades, whom it was not granted to have one.

Photos by German Ministry of Defence