French Forces in Germany

France was one of four powers allocated an occupation zone.

[1][2] Subsequently, the French military stationed forces in Germany (Forces Françaises en Allemagne, FFA) with headquarters in Baden-Baden during the period of the Cold War.

The makeup of the FFA during the period 1950-1990 A.D. varied according to the demands being made on French military forces serving elsewhere.

For example, the presence of large numbers of Algerian Muslims, both volunteers and conscripts, in the French Army at the beginning of the Algerian War, in 1954, raised increasing concerns regarding divided loyalties and the danger of defection with weapons.

Accordingly, the majority of Algerian tirailleur (infantry) units were deployed to West Germany, replacing Metropolitan French troops for service in North Africa.