Roland and Michael Mack Receive Highest French Orders of Merit

(eap) The French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Europa-Park founder Roland Mack and his son Michael Mack, Managing Partner of Europa-Park and CEO of Mack ONE, to the Élysée Palace in Paris yesterday to honor them both for their exceptional commitment to Franco-German friendship. Roland Mack was named “Officier de la Légion d'Honneur” and Michael Mack “Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur”. The declaration states that both are “great friends of France” and that the Mack family has been very successful in promoting mutual understanding between the two nations for decades. Europa-Park is one of the best theme parks in the world and has been developed by Roland and Michael into a truly Franco-German company: with around a quarter of the total 5,250 employees from France, and around 1.4 million French park visitors last year alone.

Michael Mack has been the French honorary consul for the administrative districts of Freiburg and Tübingen since 2018. In his role, he is committed to maintaining and intensifying Franco-German cooperation. Numerous measures in the areas of mobility, language education and tourism can be traced back to his initiative. In addition, with the founding of MACK One France in 2022, he has created an innovation center in which both the MACK Group’s marketing and sales activities for the French market and the creative developments in the technological field are bundled.

In addition, Roland and Michael Mack are responsible for numerous transboundary meetings and events in culture and sport. Examples include the annual Euro-Musique Festival, Alsace Day and exhibitions of paintings and works by Tomi Ungerer and Raymond-Émile Waydelich. The Mack family has also taken over a traditional vineyard in Hartmannswiller near Colmar in Alsace and opened the “Amitié – La Cuisine du Château” restaurant, which stands for Franco-German friendship and direct encounters between people. Their commitment to supporting disadvantaged and disabled people is also outstanding: Over a million visitors, including several hundred thousand guests from France, have been able to visit Europa-Park free of charge in recent years.

Former minister and current member of the French National Assembly Brigitte Klinkert emphasized: “Europa-Park brings Europe to life in a playful way. Young people and families from different countries and cultures meet here and experience the real, living Europe: a togetherness full of joy and diversity. This living Europe forms the heart of our border region. Without Alsace, Europa-Park would not be the same, and without Europa-Park, we Alsatians would not be the same either! We consider ourselves lucky to have this park right on the other side of the Rhine – as an economic engine and a symbol of friendship. Our shared commitment to Franco-German relations has united us for many decades, and I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to you for your services to Franco-German friendship.”

Roland Mack wird von Emmanuel Macron zum „Officier de la Légion d‘Honneur“ ernannt. © Laurent Blevennec / Présidence de la République France

“We see the awards we have received as both an obligation and an incentive to continue to do everything we can to maintain and promote this fundamentally important partnership. It is our deepest concern to further strengthen the Franco-German friendship and the European idea through our work and to carry it into the future,” Roland Mack expressed his gratitude.

Michael Mack wird von Emmanuel Macron zum „Chevalier de la Légion d‘Honneur“ ernannt. © Laurent Blevennec / Présidence de la République France And Michael Mack postulated: “Franco-German friendship is a foundation of stability and trust. Europe needs a clear vision for tomorrow and our border region offers numerous opportunities for this. That is why I am proud to have been named ‘Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur’ and it spurs me on to intensify our efforts for cross-border cooperation in the future.” ■