The story behind the Foreign Legion

In the film, the Legion fought against ferocious Bedouins of the Sahara, who fought on camels.

Many years later, I was able to learn some details about this group.

For example, that it depended on France and that its headquarters were in Africa, in Algeria exactly, then a French colony.

Was created a May 10, 1831by King Louis Philippe of Orleans.

And I learned, surprised, that they were made up, in high proportion, of fugitives from justice, murderers, failed men, ex-convicts, etc. Why this circumstance?

Because the Legion’s regulations imposed not asking the volunteers – who were volunteers – about their origin, their religion or their background.

In many of the volunteers, a hint of sadness was noticeable.

The thing is, where there were patches, the seams are always noticeable. Because cut ties usually leave marks. Furthermore, old memories often bring new pain.

French were not accepted. There were men of all nationalities, especially Germans, Hungarians and English.

Currently, it is made up of volunteers from more than fifty different countries. And a curious fact. 25% of the total come from Latin America.

At the time of the Legion’s creation, volunteers signed a three-year contract, with very rigorous clauses.

Those who deserted, if they were captured, were buried in the sand up to their necks, until the jackals – if they did not die first – killed them.

Currently the regulations have been relaxed; The contracts are for one year and deserters are punished, yes, but with much lighter penalties.

Today the Legion has less than eight thousand legionaries and has a characteristic symbol: a white cap with a visor called a kepis.

To join it, you must be over 18 years old and under 40.

Since 1962, following the independence of Algeria, this country, logically, ceased to be a French colony.

Then, the French government also moved its barracks to France, where they are currently.

Many years later, in 1931, Spain created a body of foreign legionaries also based in North Africa, in Morocco, which in this case was called Tercio.

But back to the Foreign Legion. In these years, he carried out an efficient task in Bosnia, in 1995, in the war that broke up the former Republic of Yugoslavia.

He also joined the peacekeeping force that the United Nations brought to Lebanon in 2002.

And a final episode.

Many years ago, a soldier from the Foreign Legion, somewhat drunk, confessed to a comrade that he himself was the famous murderer

Later, both of them became estranged and the legionnaire who had heard the confession betrayed his former friend to the superior officers.

They did not even interrogate the murderer and sentenced the informer to 6 months in prison for double disloyalty. Towards his companion and towards the Legion, for transgressing the regulations, which established not to find out or take into account the background of the volunteers.

And today I wanted to bring you some information about this institution, formed in good proportion, without a doubt, by melancholic men beaten by life.

And this is the final aphorism

“No present is totally free of the past.”