Ten Things You Didn't Know About the French Foreign Legion

I first became curious about the French Foreign Legion after watching the wonderful family movie, Secondhand Lions (2003) with Michael Caine and Robert Duvall. In the movie, they play brothers who recount the harrowing adventures of their days in the Legion just prior to the First World War . I never realized prior to the movie, that middle class and wealthy young men from all over the world have joined the Legion for the sheer adventure throughout its existence!

I was aware that men from many different nations could join, but I had always thought it was a legion of hardened criminals cast off by their respective nations. I decided to research the Legion and its current status. These are ten of the most interesting facts that I dug up:

1) Part of the French Army, the French Foreign Legion was started in 1831 to enable foreign nationals to fight for French causes. It has always been commanded, however, by French officers ¹ .

2) Traditionally, recruitment in the French Foreign Legion rises when countries around the world experience political upheaval. For instance, after WWI, many Russians joined who had been loyal to the Tsar. Just prior to WWII, many Eastern European Jews and others, including men from Czechoslovakia, and Poland joined to fight against impending persecution ¹ .

3) After WWII, many German soldiers joined the French Foreign Legion to continue their military careers. (French Intelligence made sure none were wanted for war crimes.) Today, the Legion still contains a large percentage of Germans ^{1 _.}

4) Traditionally composed of wanderers in need of a fresh start and a regular income, or those from countries in turmoil, today the Legion attracts many well-to-do and middle class men from Britain, the United States, and France itself ¹ .

5) Legion recruits are accepted from 17 ½ to 40 years of age ² .

6) Recruits are taught French during basic training, so no prior knowledge of the language is necessary to join the Legion ² .

7) If you are accepted into the French Foreign Legion, you must enlist for a minimum of 5 years. After that, you may renew your contract every six months ³ .

8) All recruits of the French Foreign Legion are listed as "single", regardless of marital status ³ .

9) Men from all nations must enlist in the French Foreign Legion under a declared identity to keep everyone on a level playing field-those that need anonymity and those who don't. Due to extensive background checks today, however, if you have done something really bad, you probably won't be accepted ³ .

10) After 3 years of serving the French Foreign Legion faithfully with "honor" and "fidelity," you may become a French citizen, but you must be serving under your real identity. The Legion has a "military regularization of situation" program to enable transition from declared to real identity, available after one year of service ³ .

Sources: 1. "The French Foreign Legion," Wikipedia.org.

2. "French Foreign Legion, "french-foreign-legion.com/french_foreign_legion_traditions.

3. "French Foreign Legion - La Légion étrangère recrute," legion-recrute.com/en/.