Soldier comes home

Cyprus deployment: From the beach to the Christmas table

Uwe Giermaier is now stationed in Cyprus for the second time in the service of the UN.(Bild: zVg)

A Christmas miracle would be an exaggeration, but it is certainly a gift: Uwe Giermaier, who is stationed in Cyprus, has chance to thank for being able to spend Christmas Eve with his family in Feldkirchen. 

Like a total of 600 soldiers in the Austrian Armed Forces, including 123 of his fellow countrymen from Carinthia, Vice Lieutenant Uwe Giermaier is currently deployed abroad. The Feldkirchner is stationed in Cyprus as a seconded soldier in the UN peacekeeping service. As are two other red-white-red army colleagues

There is also a Christmas tree in Uwe Giermaier's official apartment in Nicosia - but he spends Christmas Eve with his loved ones back home.(Bild: zVg)

The Carinthian (right) with his red-white-red commander on site.(Bild: zVg)

"I've been back here at the UN headquarters in Nicosia since July 2 - and the job is always advertised for one year at a time," says Uwe Giermaier in a telephone conversation with the "Krone" newspaper. After six previous foreign assignments in Kosovo and two in Bosnia, this is the Carinthian's second posting to Cyprus.

On behalf of the UN intelligence service
As a specially trained military geographer, the vice lieutenant is deployed on site. Just like at his main base, the Carinthia Military Command. The passionate soldier now has extensive international experience - and has also completed a degree at the University of Klagenfurt as part of his career. Which is why he is also deployed in the UN Intelligence Service department.

Specifically, the Carinthian creates digital maps for the UN units deployed in the "buffer zones" in Cyprus, which are used on cell phones, smart watches or tablets. And his service is much more accurate and detailed than the usual, well-known internet services such as Google Maps. Especially as it is in the nature of things that these specially created geo programs are subject to high security standards.

"First sleep in, then prepare for Christmas"
The Carinthian travels home for short periods four times per year abroad and is visited by his family twice. And Uwe Giermaier was actually supposed to spend the upcoming Christmas Eve with his UN colleagues in Cyprus, a few hours' flight away from his wife and three children.

"But it turned out unexpectedly and at short notice that I can now fortunately go home for Christmas after all. And I actually got a flight to Vienna on the 23rd, will be picked up by my daughter here and will then be with my wife in Carinthia around midnight. After that, it's time to sleep in - and then prepare everything for Christmas dinner and the holidays together."

New Year's Eve and birthday celebrations at home too
The vice lieutenant will only return to the south after New Year's Eve, on 5 January. "That means I can also celebrate a daughter's birthday." A family break, which the Carinthian also needs, as he reveals. With this in mind, the "Krone" wishes you happy holidays!