Historical Report:  The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

by Rachel Bunkers-Harmes

NOTE:  Several years ago, my daughter prepared the following report about Luxembourg.  Click on this link, then scroll down, to see sources used:  Reflections of Luxembourg

"Moien, wei ass et?"  "Good day, how are you?" 

        Did you know that Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in the world?  It's about the size of Blue Earth County.  If you want to learn more about this tiny but fascinating place, you've found the right report.  In this report you will learn about Luxembourg's people, places, history, and much more.
        Luxembourg's mountains, streams, and rolling countryside make its geography very beautiful.   Luxembourg is divided into two types of land. In the south the land is very flat.   Many coal mines are in the south, and the land isn't very good for farming.  The northern part of Luxembourg has rolling hills and some of the best farmland in Europe.  Also in the north is the lovely forest called The Ardennes. In addition to its beautiful land, Luxembourg is also very small.   The entire country is only about 36 miles wide and about 51 miles long.  This makes it about 998 square miles (about 2586 square kilometers).  Luxembourg is located in the west central part of Europe.  It is between 5 °30E and 6 °30E longitude.   Luxembourg is also between 49 °30N and 50 °30N latitude.  Belgium, Germany and France are all of the countries that border Luxembourg.
        Luxembourgers believe that their climate is among the best in Europe.   There are four seasons in Luxembourg; each of them is very mild.   Luxembourg, unlike England or Belgium, doesn't get much rain; the average annual rainfall in Luxembourg is about 31 inches.   Luxembourg rarely gets any extreme seasons, mostly because of its location.   Blizzards, ice storms, and tornadoes happen rarely, if ever.   The average temperatures in Luxembourg are: January 33°F and July 64°F.  Luxembourg's summers are mild too, with temperatures hardly ever getting above 80°F.
        Because of Luxembourg's small size, there aren't many large cities besides Luxembourg City.    There are a few smaller cities, all within easy driving distance from Luxembourg City.   Luxembourg City is about the size of Mankato and North Mankato put together.   With a population of about 90,000 people, Luxembourg City has about 148 people per square kilometer.   Some of the other cities in Luxembourg are Esch-sur-Alzette (pop. 24,012), Differdange (pop.15,699), Sanem (pop.11,534), and Vianden (pop. 15,000).   Although most of Luxembourg's cities are small, they are all very beautiful.
        The people of Luxembourg come from many different ethnic backgrounds, but they all share a love of the country.   Although there are many languages in Luxembourg, Letzebuergesch or Luxembourgish is used most often.   Letzebuergesch sounds a lot like German, but most Germans couldn't understand it because it is a mixture of German, French, and Flemish.   Many people in Luxembourg are bilingual because Letzebuergesch is not usually understood outside of Luxembourg.   As a second language, most Luxembourgers learn German or French.   English is also spoken in Luxembourg, but mostly in the capital. 
        The people in Luxembourg wear clothes similar to ours.   Some popular brands of clothing include Bennetton, Calvin Klein, Versace and Pierre Cardin.  Today's clothes are unlike those worn in the 19th century, when the people wore dresses and knickers.   A common 'Sunday' outfit for a lady, back then, would be an ankle-length skirt, long-sleeved blouse with a fitted jacket, a bonnet tied under the chin, and high lace-up boots.  A 'Sunday' outfit for a man would be "aziames" (baggy, loose shirt), knickers (either blue or black), a cap, and a jacket.
        The cultural symbols of Luxembourg reflect the people's pride in their history and love of their country.    The people of Luxembourg celebrate many of the same holidays as Americans do (for example, Easter and Christmas).  They also have lots of festivals and street fairs.  One celebration in and around Luxembourg has been the "Year of the European City of Culture" in 1995.  A few other cities that have been given this award are Copenhagen, Antwerp, and Lisbon.
        Luxembourg's flag is very similar to the flag of the Netherlands.  Both flags have three horizontal stripes; the top stripe is red; the next is white; and at the bottom is blue.  The blue on Luxembourg's flag is a sky blue whereas the Netherlands' is royal blue.  Luxembourg takes pride in its national anthem, "Ons Heemecht" ("Our Homeland"), by playing it at every national holiday and important occasion.  The national anthem is especially important to Luxembourgers because they fought so long for their freedom.  Luxembourg's coat of arms has a crown at the top, then blue and white stripes (five of each color) with a lion going across the stripes.  The lion symbolizes the Grand Duke and Duchess and the independence of Luxembourg.  Luxembourg's motto is also important to its people.  It is "Mir wolle bleiwe wat mir sin," or "We want to remain what we are."  Luxembourg wants to remain what it is, an independent nation.
        Luxembourg's government is similar to England's.  Luxembourg has a parliament with representatives elected from all parts of the country.  The Prime Minister is the head of the parliament, which debates and passes the laws for Luxembourg.  After the laws are passed, they need to be signed by the Grand Duke or Duchess.  Luxembourg has a constitution, which spells out all the laws of the land.  The government of Luxembourg is very important to the people because, for so many centuries, Luxembourg was ruled by other countries.  This meant that Luxembourg couldn't have its own laws.  That is why Luxembourgers take their government so seriously.
        Luxembourg's history is very important to the people.  Luxembourg began in 963 A.D., when Count Siegfried bought the Bock Castle, called "Little Burg," on the Bock Fortress.  Various counts ruled Luxembourg until 1196, when Countess Ermesinde became the ruler.  She was very important because she brought many things to Luxembourg, including culture, art, and religion.  In later centuries, Luxembourg was ruled by Spain, France, and the Netherlands.  In 1815 the eastern part of Luxembourg became part of Prussia.  In 1839 some of the western part of Luxembourg became part of Belgium.  Finally, Luxembourg became a Grand Duchy in 1867, and the Grand Duke and Duchess became the rulers.  The House of Nassau continues to rule the country today, with Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte on the throne. 
        Luxembourg has one of the best educational systems in Europe.  There are five types of public schools in Luxembourg, in addition to some private schools.  These schools are: nursery school, primary school, technical secondary school, college preparatory school, and teacher training school.  Nursery school is optional for ages 3-6 years old.  Primary school is required for ages 6-14 years old.  Technical secondary school and college preparatory school both start at age 14.  Students going on to the university will go to college preparatory classes until they are 18.  Students who plan to go into the work force will go to technical school until they are 18.
        According to the Luxembourg Bureau of Statistics, during the 1995-96 school year, the following numbers of student were enrolled at each level of school:

 ·  Public nursery school education:     9,882 students
·  Primary school education:            27,640 students
·  Technical secondary education:       18,129 students
·  College preparatory education:       9,353 students
·  Teacher training:                    271 students
A school day in Luxembourg typically goes from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.  School days are about one hour longer than those in the United States.  Each school year in Luxembourg lasts from late September until early July.  Students also have holidays or vacations at Christmas and Easter, much as we do.  Luxembourgish students study many of the same subjects that we do, with the exceptions that they study European history rather than U. S. history, and they also begin learning different languages (like German, French, and English) while still in primary school.
        The religion of Luxembourg is very much a part of its history and culture.  96% of Luxembourgers are Roman Catholic.  The other 4% are members of many other religions.  The country of Luxembourg is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the main religious site is the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Luxembourg City.  As you drive through the countryside of Luxembourg, you will see a Catholic church in every village as well as many roadside shrines dedicated to Mary and Jesus.  Our Lady of Consolation is the patron saint of Luxembourg, and for many centuries, Luxembourgers have prayed to her to protect and preserve the country.
        Luxembourg has many delicious gastronomical specialties.  Some of Luxembourg's famous foods are: Treipen (black pudding), Smoked pork with broad beans, Quenelles (calf's liver dumplings) with sauerkraut and boiled potatoes, and Luxembourg patisseries, which are delicious pastries.  Luxembourg is also famous for its Moselle wines and its special cherry-flavored liqueur called Kirsch.  Some of the best beers in Luxembourg are Mousel, Diekirch, and Bofferding.  Luxembourgers also eat fast foods such as McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Chili's, and Quick.  Luxembourgers eat three meals a day as Americans do, although their main meal is dinner, which is eaten at noon.
        Because of its financial structure, Luxembourg has a very stable economy.  Luxembourg is a very large banking center, and soon may be one of the major international centers in the area of business.  Luxembourg also plays a major role as a prominent international financial center.  Just about every major bank has a branch in Luxembourg, which is one of the world's most industrialized countries.  In 1993 the gross national product was about $12.5 billion.  Banking, manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism are some of the most important parts of Luxembourg's economy.  By the end of 1996, there were 221 banking firms in Luxembourg with a total of 20,557 employees. The total value of all Luxembourg's imports is about $8.3 billion; the total value of all exports is about $6.4 billion.  Luxembourg does most of its trading with other European countries, such as Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, and England.  Steel is ¼ of the value of export trade; ARBED group produces 99% of all steel output in the country.  21.9% of industrial workers are in the steel business, according to STATEC figures.   In 1996 the average exchange rate was 31.05 Luxembourg francs (LUF) to $1.00 U.S.  The current exchange rate is 35 Luxembourg francs (LUF) to $1.00 U.S.  Luxembourg francs are equal to and interchangeable with Belgian francs.  The average monthly wages (before taxes) for a working adult in Luxembourg are about 46,275 LUF or about $1,500.00 U.S.
        Truly, Luxembourg is the "Green Heart of Europe."  Luxembourgers enjoy a beautiful land and a high standard of living.  Throughout the centuries and despite many economic and political changes, as my report has shown, Luxembourgers have kept their religion, culture, and so much more.  As their national motto says, "We want to remain what we are."  Luxembourgers have remained what they are and who they want to be.

        "See you later, bye."  "Avuhr, eddy."