The Foreign Legion Veteran Societies Federation (french: Fédération des sociétés des Anciens de la Légion étrangère, FSALE) is an association of the ''association law type of 1901'' (french:

Association loi de 1901 A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

) federating different representations of veteran Legionnaires (french: Anciens Légionnaires) across the world.

History

If the associations regrouping veteran Legionnaires (french: Anciens Légionnaires) rapidly saw daylight throughout the course of the history of this institution, it was in 1912 where the ancestor of the FSALE was created. The first President was Jacques-Emile Maurer, President of the first friendly veteran legionnaires association, (french: Première Amicale d'Anciens Legionnaires), ''La Légion'', created in 1898. Due to

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, the veteran association ceased its activities in 1914. In 1920, a new re-launching tentative was initiated, led by Braunschweig, former secretary general, however the regrouping initiative was not made possible due to the insufficient number of associations available to be federated.

L'Union des sociétés d'anciens légionnaires (l'USAL)

Union Veteran Legionnaires Societies (USAL)

In 1931, following the "Centennial Celebration" (centennial of the creation of the French Foreign Legion),

général is the French word for general. There are two main categories of generals: the general officers (), which are the highest-ranking commanding officers in the armed forces, and the specialist officers with flag rank (), which are high-level office ...

Rollet, Inspector of the Foreign Legion, regrouped a congressional session of the veteran legionnaires uniting more than 200 participants, members of 23 societies, at Sidi bel-Abbès, "Maison mère" of the Legion during that époque. It was during this occasion, that was decided the creation of a union whose purpose was to federate the different societies and associations of veteran legionnaires. This union was officially created on June 3 1931 Journal officiel de la République française JO of July 20 1931 under the presidency of Jacques-Emile Maurer. The union counted accordingly 33 associations members.

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

was the occasion again to place the initiative in a dormant phase. Since 1945, the veteran members of the USAL regrouped in order to put in place a congressional session which was held in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

in 1947, and which united 28 societies.

La Fédération des Sociétés d'Anciens de la Légion étrangère

French Foreign Legion Veteran Societies Federation

In 1960, the USAL changed designation to French Foreign Legion Veteran Societies Federation (french: La Fédération des sociétés d'anciens de la Légion étrangère, FSALE).

List of presidents of the USAL and FSALE

Organization

The association is not a group of particularities, however regroups associations, the general assembly is constituted of representatives of different associations of veteran legionnaires members at the prorata of their active members numbers. The functioning is governed by a bureau, the latter having a delegation of the administrative council elected during the course of general assembly. Each three years, the general assembly takes motion under the form of a national congressional session organized by one (or several) local(s) association(s) (congressional session: 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010).

Notable veterans of the institution

* Peter J. Ortiz

References

External links

Site officiel de la FSALE
Official Website of the French Foreign Legion Veteran Societies Federation (Légion étrangère) {{French Foreign Legion navbox French Foreign Legion Organizations established in 1898