French Forces in Berlin

The French Forces in Berlin (French: Forces Françaises à Berlin) were the units of the French Armed Forces stationed since 1945 until the end of the Cold War-era in West Berlin according to the agreements of the Yalta Conference and Potsdam Conference. The troops were the French counterparts to the United States' Berlin Brigade and the United Kingdom's Berlin Infantry Brigade in the city.

Badge of the Forces Françaises à Berlin

History
French forces of 159e Régiment d'Infanterie Alpine parading in front of the Reichstag (1946)

By agreement of the Allies, Berlin was divided into four sectors after the unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945. The allied powers of France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States of America were each granted control of a sector, with permission to station troops there.

The first contingent of french forces, from the 1st Armored Division, arrived in Berlin on July 3, 1945. They were led by General de Beauchesne and occupied Camp Cyclop in the district of Reinickendorf.[1]

After the withdrawal of the Soviet Union from the Allied Control Council and the start of the Berlin Crisis in 1961, units from the other three countries were ordered to protect West Berlin against Soviet troops and against the GDR's own National People's Army (NVA) troops, since the Federal Republic of Germany was not allowed to station Bundeswehr units in Berlin. The French Army first stationed troops in Berlin in 1947. Their headquarters were called Quartier Napoléon.[1]

After the end of the Cold War and the Two Plus Four Agreement, all Allied troops left Berlin in July 1994.

Units

Combat Units
AMX-30 of 11ème Régiment de Chasseurs (1988)
  • 11e Régiment de Chasseurs (11e RCh) (40x AMX-30B, 2x AMX-30D)
  • 46e Régiment d'Infanterie (46e RI) (70x VAB)
  • 110e Compagnie du Génie (110e CG)
  • Centre Entrainement de Commando (CEC No 10)

Support Units
  • 11ème Compagnie de Transmission
  • Gendarmerie Berlin
  • Hôpital Louis Pasteur
  • Base Aérienne 165 (1x Max Holste MH1521 Broussard -1988,1x DHC-6-300 Twin Otter 1988-1994)
  • Groupement de Soutien
  • Quartier Général
  • Direction des Transport et de la Circulation de Berlin (TMFB – Train Militaire Français de Berlin)
  • État-Major
  • Détachement de l'Aviation Légère de l'Armée de Terre (DETALAT) (2x Cessna O-1 Bird Dog 1968-1993, 2x Sud-Ouest Alouette III 1987-1994)[2]

Subordinate Unit
  • Mission Militaire Française de Liaison- MMFL in Potsdam

References
  1. "History of the French, American and British Berlin Brigades". Forces Françaises à Berlin. 2004. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  2. "History of the French, American and British Berlin Brigades". French Units. 2004. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
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