30 September 2011 was a special day for the German community of the Headquarters Multinational Corps Northeast (HQ MNC NE), German National Support Element and German Office of Defence Administration (ODA). Together with friends from the Corps’ subsequent ten nations, common celebrations of the 21st anniversary of German Reunification and, afterwards, in a less formal tone, the traditional German Oktoberfest, were held in Baltic Barracks.
German Reunification Day
This year’s celebration of the 21st anniversary of German Reunification, originally falling on 3 October, assumed a form of recollecting events that led to the separation of the two German states, building and eventually demolishing the Berlin Wall up to the reuniting the both states. Along with the solemn music, a number of emotional photographs, an interesting documentary film and a commentary presented by the MNC NE Commander Lieutenant General Rainer Korff, all participants of the ceremony could visualize what the situation was like in those years. The celebration was followed by a short reception.
Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest celebrated in Baltic Barracks, which refers to the original Bavarian festival, is mainly about integration and socializing among the multinational Corps’ family. The German Senior National Officer Colonel Norbert Hanisch welcomed all members of the Headquarters and National Support Elements, their families and friends as well as honourable guests inviting them to the blue and white world with superb music, tasty traditional German snacks and, of course, traditional beer. Oktoberfest can only be officially inaugurated when a barrel is tapped, the “O’ zapft is” is proudly shouted and the first mug of beer is being filled up. This year Colonel Hanisch had the honour to tap the barrel and in a blink of an eye a stream of beer started to flow, symbolically opening Oktoberfest 2011.
