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The Association of Reservists of the German Bundeswehr, Reservist Camaraderie Spiesen-Elversberg will sponsor its 4th Horst-Feld Memorial/Spiesener Long Distant March May 5 in Spiesen.
The march is a combination of a remembrance event for departed comrades along with a competitive but non-obligatory march and a social get-together.
The Association of Reservists wants to maintain the original idea of having a march, conduct an ecumenical church service in memory of Horst Feld, in honor of all fallen comrades and friends, and offer an 8-km distance march, with the opportunity of a stopover at a half way point for those, who would prefer a more leisurely environment.
“When we planned the first Horst-Feld Memorial March in the beginning of 2009, we didn’t expect that this event would have such a positive outcome: over 120 guests accepted our invitation, and this positive achievement was topped in 2010 by 80 military as well as 60 civilian guests who attended,” said Col. Udo Lauer, 1st chairman of RK Spiesen-Elversberg. “This outstanding result was once again surpassed in 2011 with the participation and attendance of over 140 military and 60 civilian competitors from four different nations.” The event route runs through the forests, passing the communities of Spiesen, Furpach, Hassel and Rohrbach.
Local restaurants along the route will serve as manned control points. For ambitious competitors, military and civilian, there also will be a long distance route, over a timed period of 6 hours.
“We will be eager to see if the competition record of 48 km, (Men’s Rating, Civilian), or even 52 km, (Men’s Rating, Military), can be surpassed in 2012,” said Lauer.
The Task Force “Gudd-Gess” (local Saarland dialect meaning Having Eaten Really Well, will ensure food and refreshments are made available throughout the event. They will get support by an original Germany Army field kitchen team, who will prepare, among other fine culinary delights, the famous German “Eintopf,” stew, at decent prices.
A special treat to highlight the social get-together is the performance of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe Band, Direct Hit, who will wrap up the late afternoon with hits from the past 40 years.
“No matter how each person, whether active duty, Reservists, veterans, retired military in uniform or civilian guest, plans to particpate in the march — either with high expectations, as a social camaraderie event or just as a fan at the finish line, we are looking forward to each and every one, and will be warmly welcome guests on May 5 in Spiesen,” said Lauer. Up-to-date information and documents concerning the event can be viewed at www.rk-spiesen.de under “Veranstaltungen.”
