Luxembourg, commonly known as Lëtzebuerg, officially known as the
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a country in Western Europe. The
country lies between Germany, France and Belgium.
The
smallest country in the Benelux countries is best known for its
banks and cheap fuel, but also impresses with its diverse low
mountain landscape, rich cultural heritage and eventful history.
In 963, Count Siegfried I acquired the small Bockfelsen in the
Alzette Valley with the Lucilinburhuc Castle and thus laid the
foundation stone for the country and noble family of Luxembourg. For
a long time, the Grand Duchy was the plaything of the major European
powers, which alternately sought to take control of the territory;
Numerous castles still bear witness to the country's former
strategic importance. After the disputes over Luxembourg resulted in
a diplomatic crisis, an agreement was reached in 1867 on the
country's independence and “perpetual neutrality”. The phrase “Mir
wëlle bleiwe wa mir sinn” (we want to remain what we are) played an
important role in the fight for independence and is still deeply
anchored in the consciousness of Luxembourgers as a motto today.
This neutrality was violated by Germany twice: in the First
World War, German troops marched through unarmed Luxembourg to
France in accordance with the Schlieffen Plan; in the Second World
War, Luxembourg was occupied by German troops and was one of the
theaters of the Battle of the Bulge in 1944. The occupation in the
Second World War in particular caused severe trauma among the
Luxembourg population, which is why Luxembourg gave up its position
as a neutral state: Today, Luxembourg is one of the greatest
advocates of a united Europe, a leader in the European Union and the
seat of the European Court of Justice. At the same time, the country
has never given up its traditions and is now the only remaining
Grand Duchy in the world.
Luxembourg is best known as a
country of banks: due to the liberal legislation and low taxes,
numerous banks from all over the world have settled in Luxembourg.
Investment funds from numerous European banks in particular are
traded from Luxembourg, which German bank customers can recognize
from the Luxembourg telephone number. The Kirchberg above Luxembourg
City, home to most of the banks, can be recognized from afar by its
huge office buildings. Luxembourg's economic strength radiates far
into the otherwise sparsely populated and structurally weak region,
so that countless commuters from neighboring countries travel to
Luxembourg to work every day; The greater region around Luxembourg
is often referred to as Saar-Lor-Lux. The once important steel
industry, which was based on the country's rich ore deposits, is now
only of secondary economic importance after numerous serious crises,
but has left numerous traces in the form of industrial monuments,
especially in the south of the country.
The country borders
the Kingdom of Belgium in the west, the Federal Republic of Germany
in the east and the Republic of France in the south. In the
northeast of the country lies the small Luxembourgish Switzerland
and in the north is the tourist region of Ösling. Here is the town
of Vianden with the castle of the same name, which is open to the
public and is a real experience. In eastern Luxembourg, it is worth
visiting the border town of Echternach with Germany. There is a
butterfly house in the town of Grevenmacher, which is open from
April to October. For the most part, southwest Luxembourg is
characterized by industry. However, the capital, Luxembourg City, is
located here. There are numerous tourist offers here. The entry
prices are cheap. The food here, as in the entire country, is above
the German average. You can save on petrol and tobacco products.
There are numerous hotels, hostels and campsites. For hikes, for
example: B. the Valley of the Seven Castles.
Apart from the
agglomeration around the city of Luxembourg and the agglomeration
around Esch-Alzette and Differdange in the southwest, the country is
sparsely populated by Central European standards.
The country is divided into twelve cantons and 105 municipalities.
Twelve of these communities have city status. The municipalities are
self-governing bodies. The city of Luxembourg is the capital of the
Grand Duchy and the seat of the government.
Tourist regions
Northern Luxembourg (Ösling, Éislek) is the transition region from the
Eifel to the Ardennes
Canton of Clervaux
Canton of Diekirch
Canton of Redingen
Canton of Vianden
Canton of Wiltz
Gutland (Bon Pays) is also called Central Luxembourg
Canton of
Capellen
Canton of Luxembourg
Canton of Mersch
Müllerthal,
together with the German-Luxembourg Nature Park, forms the “Little
Luxembourg Switzerland”.
Canton of Echternach
Luxembourg
Moselle Valley is the Luxembourg part on and in the Moselle Valley
Canton of Grevenmacher
Canton of Remich
Minett (Terres Rouges)
is the southern mining region, it is also called “Red Earth”.
Canton
of Esch an der Alzette
Cross-border regions
The Little
Luxembourg Switzerland region is part of the Eifel region.
The Ösling
region partly belongs to the Eifel (e.g. the Ourtal) and the rest
belongs to the Ardennes (which extend into Belgium and France).
The
Moselle region is part of the greater Moselle valley region, which
predominantly belongs to France and Germany.
The remaining parts of
Luxembourg are part of the Lorraine strata region, which predominantly
belongs to France, but also partly to Germany and Belgium.
1 Luxembourg – capital and largest city of Luxembourg, picturesque
old town with a large shopping mile, seat of the Grand Duke of
Luxembourg. The old town and fortress of Luxembourg are recognized as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
2 Esch-sur-Alzette – Luxembourg's second
largest city, former mining town with many industrial relics.
3
Echternach – border town with Germany on the Sauer, known for its
basilica.
4 Diekirch – Important military history museum.
5
Grevenmacher – winegrowing town on the Moselle with the most important
wine festival in Luxembourg.
6 Vianden – Picturesquely located in the
Ourtal with Vianden Castle.
7 Wiltz – Important castle, military
history museum.
8 Clervaux – Ardennes village at the northern tip of
the country with a castle and Benedictine abbey.
9 Ettelbruck
10
Merch
11 Petange
12 Remich (Réimech)
13 Bettembourg
1 Upper Sûre reservoir (Stauséi Uewersauer) info edit - The largest
body of water in the country offers extensive opportunities for water
sports in summer (swimming, water hiking, diving), and nature lovers
will also get their money's worth here.
1 Castle/Castle Vianden
(Buerg Veianen) . Vianden Castle, or Vianden Castle, is a medieval
fortification in Vianden, Luxembourg. It is one of the largest preserved
castles west of the Rhine.
2 “Minièresbunn” mine railway
(Fond-de-Gras). Museum railway Train 1900 in Differdange (Fonds-de-Gras)
with a 4 km long route.
Airplane
The country's only airport is Luxembourg Airport (IATA:
LUX). In addition to the state airline Luxair, Lufthansa and Swiss fly
to the airport; destinations from German-speaking countries include
Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Vienna and Zurich, and seasonally
Innsbruck, Rostock, Salzburg and Usedom.
Train
The only
long-distance connection to Luxembourg is the TGV Luxembourg -
Thionville - Metz - Paris. All other long-distance transport connections
were discontinued.
From Germany, the RE 11 runs from Koblenz via
Trier to Luxembourg, while the RB 83 amplifier trains run from Wittlich
Hbf via Trier to Luxembourg. The journey time from Koblenz is 2:20
hours. It should be noted that the trains usually run coupled between
Koblenz and Trier; One part of the train goes to Luxembourg, the other
part of the train from Trier via Saarbrücken to Mannheim. It is
important to make sure that you get on the right part of the train in
Koblenz. IC line 37 runs once a day from Düsseldorf via Cologne, Bonn
and Koblenz to Luxembourg; This Intercity can be used from Koblenz with
local transport tickets.
From Belgium, local trains run under the
name Intercity from Brussels (Brussels Midi station) directly to
Luxembourg. The other connection leads from Liège via Troisvierges to
Luxembourg.
From France, TER trains run frequently between Metz
and Luxembourg, sometimes connecting to Nancy. The other connection from
Longwy to Luxembourg is only served sporadically, sometimes with a
connection to Charleville-Mézières on weekdays.
The
Rhineland-Palatinate Ticket + Lux is valid in Rhineland-Palatinate and
Saarland as well as for the crossing to Luxembourg (local transport
there is free anyway) on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. the
following day, or on weekends and on Public holidays from 0:00 a.m. All
local trains and most buses can be used with it, but travel to
Luxembourg is only possible by train. The price for one to five people
is between €26 and €50.
The Luxembourg Special Ticket is valid as
a day return ticket for one person for a return journey on CFL trains
boarding at Trier Hbf, Trier Süd, Karthaus, Kreuz-Konz or Igel to all
Luxembourg train stations and back. It can be used on a freely
selectable calendar day from 0:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. the following day
and costs €5.20 (or €11.20 in 1st class).
bus
Luxembourg City
can be reached from Saarbrücken without stopping using the
Luxembourg-Saarbrücken Express L40 of the Luxembourg Railway Company.
The bus runs several times a day. The Luxembourg-Saarbrücken Express is
included in the Saarbrücken universities' semester ticket, otherwise a
Luxembourg ticket must be taken. German tariffs do not apply on this bus
route (see mobility).
Other connections include: from Saarlouis
via Dillingen and Merzig to Luxembourg City, from Perl to Luxembourg
City, from Bitburg via Vianden to Ettelbrück, from Losheim am See via
Mettlach to Kirchberg, from Saarburg to Kirchberg, from Schweich to
Kirchberg and from Trier to Luxembourg Airport. Most of these
connections are designed for rush hour traffic and are therefore only
served Monday to Friday.
Some German bus lines also run
cross-border to Luxembourg, but they are only of regional importance
because of the travel times. Among other things, there are the
connections:
Gerolstein - Prüm - Clervaux (line 460)
Bitburg -
Vianden (line 455)
Bitburg - Kirchberg (line 410)
For
travelers from France, the CFL offers a shuttle bus to and from Lorraine
TGV station on the Paris-Strasbourg high-speed axis. The departure times
of the shuttle buses are coordinated with the arrival times of the
French TGV trains.
Long-distance buses
Most long-distance bus
connections to Luxembourg were discontinued after the introduction of
zero fares in public transport due to inefficiency. There are still some
night bus connections from Flixbus etc. to Amsterdam. The feeder buses
to all surrounding airports have also been suspended.
Car/motorcycle/bicycle
Two motorways lead to Luxembourg from Germany:
the A8 leads from Saarbrücken to Luxembourg, the A64 leads from Trier to
Luxembourg. There are also numerous border crossings in the secondary
road network, the most important being the B257 from Bitburg to
Echternach, the B50 from Bitburg to Vianden, and the B410 from Prüm to
Dasburg.
From France, the A31 leads from Metz to Luxembourg.
From
Belgium, the E25 leads from Liège via Arlon to Luxembourg. From the
Saint Vith region you can also enter via the country road near
Troisvierges.
Due to the high proportion of cross-border commuters,
the motorways to and from Germany, Belgium and France are quite busy
every morning and late afternoon on weekdays, and there are often
traffic jams.
By boat
Arriving by ship is unusual, although
the Moselle is generally navigable. There are no regular passenger
connections along the Upper Moselle. Pleasure boats can easily dock in
Luxembourg.
The only ferry in the country runs between
Wasserbillig and Oberbillig (Rhineland-Palatinate).
By bicycle
the PC30 connects the city of Luxembourg with Echternach
The EuroVelo
5 (Brussels - Saarbrücken route) passes the city of Luxembourg, although
the route is unclear and not signposted.
Luxembourg was the first country in the world to introduce zero fares
in public transport: the use of all buses and trains in the Grand Duchy
is completely free. Tickets are only required for 1st class train travel
and for cross-border journeys abroad.
By train
The railway
network in Luxembourg is operated by the state-owned Chemins de Fer
Luxembourgeois (CFL). The train lines run in a star shape from
Luxembourg City in all directions; the trains are modern and comfortable
and usually run every hour.
If train tickets are still required
(which is only the case for cross-border journeys or for 1st class),
these can be purchased from machines available at every train station.
The machines accept euro coins and all common bank cards, at important
rail junctions additional notes of up to €50, and for tickets with a
selling price of €40 or more, also €100 notes. The only staffed counter
is at Luxembourg train station.
Taking your bike on the train is
also free within Luxembourg, provided there are free spaces available.
For cross-border train connections, a bicycle card may be required for
the foreign part of the journey. The CFL offers continuous bicycle
tickets for trips to Trier Hbf, Aachen Hbf, as well as all destinations
in Belgium and the Netherlands.
There has been a tram in
Luxembourg City again since 2017.
By bus
There is a dense bus
network within Luxembourg with more than 300 intercity lines, plus 15
lines in the southern region and 25 lines in the capital and surrounding
areas. There are special on-call bus services for older and disabled
people in various towns (call-a-bus).
The state portal
Mobilitéitszentral offers live timetable information for all public
transport in Luxembourg as well as reports about construction sites and
cancellations. In addition to the website, the portal is also available
as an app on your smartphone.
A ticket only needs to be purchased
for cross-border bus routes; there are two tariff zones:
Tariff zone
2 (single trip €5, day ticket €9): Buses to Saarlouis, Dillingen, and
the Luxemburg-Saarbrücken-Express
Tariff zone 1 (single trip €3, day
ticket €5): all other bus routes
If you wait at a bus stop, you
have to hail your bus from the street - if you just sit, you can wait a
long time.
On the street
Speed limits in Luxembourg:
For
cars and motorcycles: 50 km/h in urban areas, 90 km/h outside of urban
areas, 130 km/h on motorways (110 km/h in wet conditions)
For cars
with trailers and mobile homes: 50 km/h in urban areas, 75 km/h outside
of urban areas, 90 km/h on motorways
The road conditions are
generally very good, the motorways are even excellent. The country's
motorways are mainly directed towards the metropolitan areas of
Luxembourg and Esch in the south; there are no motorways in the north of
the country and, due to the topography, the roads are very narrow, steep
and curvy, which can sometimes make the journey very strenuous. Anyone
planning to cross the north of Luxembourg should have at least basic
experience of driving in mountainous areas; This is especially true if
you drive a motorhome or even a caravan.
Speed checks take place
outside of town along national roads and occasionally on lower-ranking
roads, using both mobile and stationary monitoring systems. Stationary
systems are mostly of the Poliscan Speed Tower type, which is also
frequently used in Germany and has a long range. In contrast to Germany,
there is usually a white sign with the inscription "Radar" and the radar
symbol about 500 to 700 meters in front of a stationary system.
The alcohol alcohol limit is 0.5 per mille and 0.2 per mille for drivers
who have not had their driving license for two years. Making phone calls
while driving is only permitted using a hands-free device.
Motorways in Luxembourg can be used free of charge; there are no tolls
or vignettes required.
Luxembourg is known for its cheap fuel.
Fuel prices in Luxembourg are among the cheapest in Europe and are
around 8 to 10 percent lower than neighboring countries, which is why
the density of gas stations along the border is very high; Some border
towns such as Wasserbillig, Remich, Schengen and Frisange have entire
promenades full of gas stations. There are two large motorway service
stations on the main motorway routes, the “Aire de Berchem” on the
Luxembourg-Metz motorway and the “Aire de Capellen” on the
Luxembourg-Arlon motorway. The Aire de Berchem is the gas station that
achieves the highest fuel sales in Europe and is one of the top 5
worldwide. Fuel prices are set daily by the government and are
consistent throughout the country, so it doesn't matter which gas
station you go to. Common fuel types are diesel, E10 (E5 is not
available in Luxembourg) and Super Plus. Filling up reserve cans is
prohibited in Luxembourg (although this ban is not always observed).
Traffic information is reported in Luxembourgish by Luxembourg radio
stations. The only German-language radio program, RTL Radio, broadcasts
traffic information in German for Luxembourg and the surrounding areas,
available on the FM 93.3 and 97.0 frequencies.
Roadside
assistance can be reached in Luxembourg on telephone number 26000. Even
in small traffic accidents, the police should always be called in; they
will document the accident and check the driver's license and the
registration of the vehicles in question. A high-visibility vest must be
worn when leaving the vehicle on motorways and expressways; There is no
general obligation to carry it (even if various magazines repeatedly
claim otherwise).
With the taxi
Taxis are stationed at the
airport, in the capital and in larger towns and can be ordered by
telephone. However, the prices are relatively high. Unlike some
neighboring countries, hailing a taxi from the street is not allowed in
Luxembourg.
The colloquial language is mostly Luxembourgish (Lëtzebuergesch), a
Moselle-Franconian language variant.
A law from 1983 states: “The
language of Luxembourgers is Luxembourgish.” Nevertheless, Luxembourg
has three official languages, in addition to Luxembourgish, French and
German.
Luxembourgish is just as difficult to understand as
Schwyzerdütsch for a person who only speaks Standard German. It takes a
few hours or days to get the hang of it. You have great advantages if
you speak Moselle-Franconian (dialect in Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland
and Western Lorraine). Standard German is understood and mostly spoken
almost everywhere, as local Luxembourgers learn Standard German and
French in elementary school; However, French-speaking cross-border
commuters usually speak neither German nor English. Especially in
Luxembourg City, there are more and more cross-border commuters from
Belgium and France who only speak or understand French. Knowledge of
French is clearly an advantage.
The legal language is French, so
all legal texts and most signs, including traffic signs, are in this
language. On the place names, the Luxembourg place name is listed below
the official French place name (often the same as the High German one).
The majority of print media appear in standard German, while radio and
TV programs are available in German and Luxembourgish.
Anyone who
wants to listen to the Luxembourgish language can tune in to RTL's
Luxembourgish program, which can be received nationwide on the
frequencies 88.9 MHz and 92.5 MHz with a program tailored to regional
needs as well as traffic reports in Luxembourgish. Alternatively, there
is Radio 100.7 with a more culturally oriented program.
Anyone planning a city tour in Luxembourg should consider purchasing
a Luxembourg Card. With this card, many offers, such as entry to museums
and sights and use of bicycle rental stations, are free. The card is
available for 1, 2 or 3 freely selectable days within a calendar year.
Hiking is possible throughout the country. There are numerous
signposted long-distance and circular hiking trails that appeal to both
professional hikers and recreational walkers. In the country's more
important hiking regions, the appropriate equipment can also be
purchased locally.
Cycling: In addition to the river valleys, the
numerous railway hiking trails are ideal for cycling; One of the most
scenic cycle paths is the Luxembourg-Echternach route. If you don't have
a bike with you, you can rent one on site; bike rental stations are
spread throughout the country. With the Luxembourg Card, the bikes are
even free.
Motorcyclists get their money's worth in Luxembourg: the
narrow and winding roads in the charming low mountain landscape are
ideal for bikers, and most hotels are geared towards this target group.
Water hiking is possible along the Sauer.
The currency in Luxembourg is the euro. Virtually every shop in
Luxembourg accepts card payments, although cash is occasionally required
for parking machines that only accept coins.
Luxembourg is an
expensive country. Although Luxembourg has the lowest VAT in the EU (17%
general, 8% on food - reduced to 16%/7 in 2023 to curb inflation), the
high cost of living in the country has a full impact on prices. Coffee,
spirits and cigarettes have tax advantages in Luxembourg and are
therefore cheaper than in Germany, which is why a fuel stop in
Luxembourg is often used to stock up on supplies.
Shopping miles
are mainly located in Luxembourg City along the Grand-Rue (“Grousgaass”)
and around the train station, in Esch-Alzette (rue d'Alzette
“Uelzechtstrooss”) and in Ettelbruck; otherwise the offering is very
thin in keeping with the population density . Gas stations in Luxembourg
almost always have a shop corner (significantly larger than what you are
used to in Germany), where, in addition to the above-mentioned
tax-privileged goods, many Luxembourg specialties are also available. In
many smaller towns, the gas station is the only place to shop. There are
French-style hypermarchés along the major transport axes, which offer a
significantly larger range of food than in Germany.
Opening hours
are not regulated in Luxembourg and the vast majority of shops are also
open on Sundays. Usual opening hours for smaller shops are 10 a.m. to 6
p.m., supermarkets are usually open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Gas stations
are open much longer, often around the clock.
Luxembourgers prefer German quantity with French quality. Most
restaurants are on this line.
Occasionally you can also find
“Nouvelle Cuisine”, which focuses on high quality but low quantity.
Luxembourg cuisine is often a bit slow, even in takeaway restaurants. If
you have less time, it is better to use Italian and Chinese restaurants,
which are available in most cities.
Luxembourgers love to eat in
restaurants, so the density and variety of restaurants is very high. The
most comprehensive directory of all restaurants in Luxembourg can be
found at Explorator.lu.
A Kuddelfleck is a tripe that has been cooked for hours and is
breaded like a schnitzel.
Bouneschlupp is a green bean soup
Judd
mat Gaardebounen is pork neck with broad beans
Fierkelsjelli is
called suckling pig in aspic
Riesling paschtéit is a veal pie in a
pastry crust with aspic
Stäerzelen are dumplings made from gray flour
with cracklings and cream
Paschtéit is cooked chicken fricassee with
mushrooms in a white sauce. Served in special puff pastry molds and
fries as a side dish
Kachkéis is a Luxembourg cooking cheese. It
belongs to the country like the Echternach jumping procession.
The
dish is often served with Luxembourg beer, usually the Diekirch brand,
which is brewed in the city of the same name. Luxembourg beers are
hardly known outside the country, but can easily compete with German
beers. If you like something a little more classy, you can also order
Luxembourg Moselle wine, which is dry according to French tradition and
not sweet or sweet like German wines.
Nightlife takes place mainly in the capital. There are numerous bars and clubs here with a wide variety of music styles. The prices are in the middle class. There are mainly quaint and trendy bars in Clausen and Grund, while nightclubs are more likely to be found in the train station area.
There are numerous hotels, hostels and campsites. The hotel prices in
Luxembourg City are definitely at an international level. But if you are
willing to stay overnight even just 5-10km from the center, the prices
go down relatively quickly. The campsites are all very well developed
and comfortable to luxurious. In summer the places are largely occupied
by Dutch people, followed by Belgians and Germans.
If you are
mobile, you should consider booking a hotel near the border on the
German side and just commute to Luxembourg on a daily basis; The price
level of German hotels is usually significantly lower.
Luxembourg is a very safe travel destination. The police presence in
the Grand Duchy is significantly higher than in Germany, and petty crime
practically does not occur during the day. At most, you should exercise
a certain degree of caution when visiting train stations at night.
The greatest danger in the Grand Duchy comes from nature. Since much
of the country is hilly to mountainous, many hiking trails are located
on steep cliffs that drop far down. Paved paths should not be left and
particular caution should be exercised after heavy rainfall. Lyme
disease, which is transmitted by ticks, is very common in Luxembourg.
Unlike TBE, vaccination is not possible, so you should wear long
clothing when walking in the forest and watch out for tick bites after
the walk.
Flooding in river valleys does occur, but warnings are
usually given in advance.
Luxembourg itself has very good basic and emergency medical care.
However, due to the manageable size of the country, it can happen that
one of the emergency centers is overloaded, but this does not result in
poorer care, but simply in sometimes longer waiting times.
There
are larger clinics in Luxembourg City, Esch-Alzette and Ettelbruck, and
regional hospitals in Steinfort, Dudelange, Niederkorn and Wiltz.
In Luxembourg City, Esch-Alzette and Ettelbruck there are so-called
Maisons médicales, which are specialized houses for medical care from a
doctor that you can go to for minor medical problems during the night
and on weekends.
Luxembourg also has an extremely well-developed
air rescue system (Luxembourg Air Rescue) relative to the population.
All information about rosters of emergency centers and pharmacies
can be found here: Emergency Portal
For medical treatments in
Luxembourg, advance payment applies: The patient initially pays for the
doctor's visit out of his own pocket and then submits the original
invoice (no copies) to the national health insurance company, the Caisse
Nationale de Santé. This usually reimburses 88 percent of the cost of
the doctor's visit (the full cost for children and adolescents). Under
certain circumstances, such as a hospital stay, the doctor can also bill
the health insurance company directly. The European Health Insurance
Card is recognized in Luxembourg (the invoice must then be submitted to
the health insurance company in your home country).
A sensitive topic for Germans is language. Show respect for the
national language, Luxembourgish. Under no circumstances should you
equate it with German or call it a “German dialect” or something
similar, even if linguistics does not come to a clear conclusion. Doing
this has a Nazi connotation for many there and will greatly upset many
Luxembourgers, as the Luxembourgish language is one of the few central
elements of Luxembourgish identity.
This is related to
Luxembourg's history during the Second World War. The Nazi regime used,
among other things, the supposedly "German" language of the
Luxembourgers as a reason to occupy Luxembourg ("Home to the Reich").
During the war, the Luxembourgish language was a central feature of
resistance and demarcation against the Germans and subsequently
developed as a strong national symbol. The same applies to the
Luxembourg monarchy.
Although the Luxembourgish language is
similar to German in many ways, it still has its own rules and
standardized grammar and orthography. Luxembourgish is nevertheless
clearly part of the Moselle-Franconian dialect continuum, which builds a
bridge to the other German dialects.
In the eyes of a
Luxembourger, questioning the independence of the language would be
tantamount to a declaration of illegitimacy by the Luxembourg nation and
should be avoided.
Luxembourgers are a balanced people, open and
modern. Luxembourg City is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in
Europe, with over 120 nations living and working here. In practice, this
has led to the greatest possible tolerance; racist riots are almost
unknown in Luxembourg.
Germans should exercise caution when it
comes to World War II. Measured against its population, Luxembourg had
one of the highest proportions of losses among the civilian population
in an international comparison during the war, specifically due to the
forced recruitment of Luxembourgish young people for the Wehrmacht and
the Reich Labor Service, the Gestapo's rampage among the (civilian)
opposition and during the Rundstedt offensive. As a German, you don't
have to worry about being asked about it unless you want it or force it
through inappropriate behavior or speech.
In general, the
Luxembourger loves restraint, almost British understatement. Regardless
of nationality, arrogance is mercilessly punished with contempt. On the
other hand, as a foreigner you can also joke about the smallness of the
country - the Luxembourgers know how big it is and see it ironically
themselves. The motto of the Luxembourgers is: “Mir wëlle bleiwe wa mir
sinn” (We want to remain what we are.) If you want to come into contact
with Luxembourgers, the easiest way is to be friendly and modest. It may
take some time, but then the relationship will become all the more warm.
The post office in Luxembourg is operated by POST Telecom, which is
still state-owned. The mailboxes are the same yellow mailboxes as in
Germany and can be found in large numbers. Letters in standard format
and postcards cost €1.00 within Luxembourg and €1.40 to other European
countries (as of 2022). Post offices are present in all major towns.
There are 3 mobile networks, in addition to the state postal
authority POST Telecom, Tango and Orange also operate a mobile network.
Coverage is patchy, especially in the more sparsely populated regions,
but is okay in metropolitan areas. To purchase a SIM card, an
identification document must be presented. Since Luxembourg is part of
the EU, the EU roaming regulation also applies here, so that the
domestic tariff from Germany or Austria can be used without additional
costs.
Newspapers: If you want to find out about what is happening in the
country, you can choose between two nationally available daily
newspapers: the conservative Christian Luxemburger Wort and the social
democratic Tageblatt.
Smoking ban: There has been a strict ban on
smoking in restaurants in Luxembourg since 2014. Bars are allowed to set
up a separate smoking room if there is a filter system there, but no
service may take place in this room. Smoking is also prohibited in
playgrounds and sports fields as well as in your own vehicle if children
under 12 are traveling there.
The first traces of settlement in what is now Luxembourg date back to
the Paleolithic period. The Neolithic begins with the Linear Ceramic
Culture around 4900 BC. BC settlements of the Celts date back to the 2nd
century BC. About a hundred years later, Romans invaded the country when
Caesar arrived around 58 to 51 BC. BC conquered Gaul and part of
Germania up to the Rhine border. The area that is now Luxembourg became
part of the Roman Empire.
In the 5th century AD - at the time of
the migration of peoples - the Germanic Franks pushed back the Romans.
Wandering monks built the first monasteries in the area. The Echternach
Monastery was founded by the Anglo-Saxon missionary Willibrord in 698.
In 963, when the country belonged to the East Franconian Empire, Count Siegfried I acquired the small Bockfelsen in the Alzette Valley with Lucilinburhuc Castle through a barter deal with the Abbey of St. Maximin in Trier. In doing so, he laid the foundation for the aristocratic family of Luxembourg and the County of Luxembourg.
In 1308, Count Henry of Luxembourg was elected Roman-German king. He
and his son Johann, who became King of Bohemia in 1310, established the
Luxembourgers' position of power in the medieval German Empire (Holy
Roman Empire). In 1354, the County of Luxembourg was elevated to a duchy
by Emperor Charles IV. The first duke was Wenceslaus I. With the death
of the Roman-German Emperor Sigismund in 1437, the main line of the
House of Luxembourg died out and the rule of the Luxembourgers in the
empire ended. In 1441, the last duchess of the House of Luxembourg sold
the land to the French House of Burgundy, but under constitutional law
it remained a fiefdom of the empire. After the death of the last Duke of
Burgundy, Charles the Bold, in 1477, Luxembourg and the remaining
Burgundian inheritance fell to Charles' daughter Mary of Burgundy and
her husband, the later Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I of Habsburg. In
1482 it came under the rule of the Habsburgs and in 1555 it came under
the Spanish line. Since the duchy's connection with the House of
Burgundy and later with the Habsburgs, both of whom also ruled in
Brabant, Flanders and Holland, the history of Luxembourg has been
closely linked to that of the northern and southern Netherlands (cf.
Burgundian Netherlands).
In 1659, the Peace of the Pyrenees
between the Kingdom of France and the Habsburg-ruled Kingdom of Spain,
to which the former Burgundian Netherlands (including Luxembourg) was
subordinate, led to the first partition of Luxembourg, the cession of
the south of the country from Diedenhofen to Montmédy to France. From
1684 to 1697, the country was entirely under French rule as a result of
Louis XIV's War of Reunion of 1683/84.
In the War of the Spanish
Succession in 1713, Luxembourg fell to the Austrian Netherlands and thus
once again became a Habsburg-ruled territory within the Roman-German
Empire. From 1795/1801 to 1814, the country came under French rule again
after the entry of French revolutionary troops.
The Roman-German Empire, to which the duchy had belonged, was
dissolved in 1806. Like the German territories on the left bank of the
Rhine, Luxembourg fell to France until Napoleon I's empire fell. In
1815, the Congress of Vienna determined that the country, which had now
been elevated to a Grand Duchy, became a federal state of the newly
founded German Confederation. At the same time, the congress resolutions
led to a personal union with the Kingdom of the United Netherlands, so
that the Netherlands, what later became Belgium and Luxembourg formed a
unified state association from 1815 onwards; Belgium was eliminated as a
result of the Belgian Revolution in 1830. The resolutions of the
Congress of Vienna brought about the second division of Luxembourg, but
actually only an incomplete restoration of the status quo ante: some
northern areas of the old Luxembourg fell from France directly to the
Netherlands, and eastern areas to the Prussian Rhine Province. In 1830
Luxembourg joined the Belgian Revolution. In 1839 the third and final
partition occurred, in which the “French Quarter”, namely the
French-speaking western half, along with areas around the cities of
Arlon and Martelange, fell to Belgium as the province of Luxembourg;
Since then, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has only been left with the
“Germanic Quarter”, the Moselle-Franconian-speaking eastern half.
In the German Bundestag, the Kingdom of the Netherlands exercised
the virile vote for Luxembourg until the dissolution of the German
Confederation in 1866.
In 1867 the Luxembourg crisis occurred: Napoleon III. tried to take Luxembourg from King William III. the Netherlands to buy. The public in the Grand Duchy and other areas of the German Confederation was outraged against this plan: Luxembourg, the homeland of the Luxembourg dynasty, which had provided four Roman-German emperors, should not fall to France. A protest movement submitted a petition to King Grand Duke William III. for the status quo. At that time, Luxembourg's later motto “Mir wëlle bleiwe wa mir sinn” (We want to stay what we are) became popular among the Luxembourg population. The crisis resulted in the Second Treaty of London of 1867, in which the country was declared “forever neutral” as a compromise. The Luxembourg Fortress as a fortress of the German Confederation in Luxembourg was then razed.
Luxembourg achieved complete independence after the death of the
Dutch King William III. in 1890: Due to the extinction of the male line
of the Dutch royal house of Orange-Nassau, the closest male relatives,
the Dukes of Nassau-Weilburg, who had lost their duchy to Prussia in
1866, took over due to a private inheritance contract between the
princes of the House of Nassau (Nassau Heritage Association). , the
government in Luxembourg. This gave Luxembourg its own hereditary
dynasty, while in the Netherlands the Orange succession was continued by
an heir to the throne, Wilhelm III's daughter, Wilhelmina.
After
the creation of the North German Confederation and the German Empire,
the Grand Duchy remained a member of the German Customs Union until
1919.
During the First World War (1914–1918), Luxembourg's contractual
neutrality was violated by the German army, which invaded France through
Luxembourg and occupied Luxembourg until the end of the war in 1918. The
state crisis of 1918/19 arose: Because of her (allegedly) pro-German
stance during the war, Grand Duchess Marie Adelheid came under domestic
political pressure and abdicated in favor of her sister Charlotte.
Active and passive women's suffrage was introduced in 1919 when the
Constituent Assembly decided on May 8, 1919 to extend the right to vote
to all women and men of Luxembourgish nationality over the age of 21. On
May 15, 1919, the revised constitution came into force. Women were
allowed to vote for the first time on September 28, 1919, in the
referendum on the continuation of the monarchy, and for the second time
on October 28, 1919, in the chamber election.
The Union
Économique Belgo-Luxembourgeoise was signed on July 25, 1921 and came
into force on December 22, 1922. This contract regulated, among other
things: the parity (exchange rate 1:1) between the Belgian and
Luxembourg currencies. From then on, the Belgian franc was recognized as
a means of payment in Luxembourg.
In the 1920s, new political
currents gained strength, such as the Lëtzebuerger Sozialistesch
Aarbechterpartei (LSAP), which emerged from the workers' movement, and
the Catholic-oriented Chrëschtlech Sozial Vollekspartei (LCV), which
gradually replaced the dominance of the liberals.
National
Socialism viewed Luxembourg, like Alsace-Lorraine and East Belgium, as
genuinely German territory with a German-speaking Aryan population.
Since the seizure of power on January 30, 1933, the Grand Duchy of
Luxembourg was threatened with annexation by the Nazi regime.
Even before the Second World War and the occupation of Luxembourg by
Germany on May 10, 1940, anti-Semitism was widespread in Luxembourg. He
expressed himself primarily in national-populist movements, but also in
Catholic-conservative circles around the daily newspaper Luxemburger
Wort. From 1936 onwards, entry regulations for Jewish refugees from the
German Reich were tightened. The Nuremberg Laws were adopted by
Luxembourg in 1935 to the effect that Germans living in Luxembourg were
prohibited from marrying Jews. Jews who fled to Luxembourg were
registered separately. Jews were discriminated against, among other
things, when looking for work.
On May 10, 1940, German troops
occupied Luxembourg. The government and the Grand Duchess fled into
exile in London. After a temporary military administration, a civil
administration was set up under Gustav Simon, NSDAP Gauleiter of the
neighboring Moselland Gau. Luxembourgers were drafted into the German
Wehrmacht and into military service, and Jewish citizens were deported
to German concentration camps. In August 1942, Germany annexed the
occupied country and formed counties out of the districts.
The
Second World War became a test for the young nation and led to national
symbols such as the monarchy and the Luxembourgish language becoming
firmly anchored in the consciousness of Luxembourgish society. On
September 10, 1944, Luxembourg was liberated for the first time by US
troops. The Wehrmacht began the Ardennes Offensive on December 16, 1944
and also advanced against Luxembourg on its left flank. The 3rd US Army
under General George S. Patton then turned north on the orders of
General Dwight D. Eisenhower, stopped the attackers within a few days
and pushed them back. In January 1945, Luxembourg was finally freed from
the yoke of Nazi rule.
The deportation of Jews from Luxembourg
took place in seven transports from October 16, 1941 to June 17, 1943.
Luxembourg was criticized by international historians for not having
objectively dealt with this chapter of history and for falsely
portraying itself as a victim. The subsequent investigations by the
Luxembourg historians Denis Scuto and Vincent Artuso revealed that the
Luxembourg Administrative Commission, which had acted as a replacement
government, had actively participated in the deportation. She not only
collaborated, but also extradited Jewish adults and children to Nazi
Germany of her own accord. She acted actively and not just as a
recipient of orders. In June 2015, Luxembourg officially apologized to
the Jewish communities for this misconduct. As of early 2015, Luxembourg
has not yet returned the expropriated assets, real estate and companies
or paid any compensation or financial reparation. There was also hardly
any denazification in Luxembourg.
After the Second World War,
Luxembourg's monetary union with Belgium was restored and the customs
and economic union was extended to the Netherlands (Benelux). Luxembourg
became a member of the United Nations in 1945. In 1948, the country
formally abolished the “perpetual neutrality” that had existed since
1867. In 1952, Luxembourg became the seat of the European Coal and Steel
Community (ECSC, Montanunion). Luxembourg was one of the six founding
members of the European Economic Community (EEC), founded on March 25,
1957. Luxembourg is a contracting party to the Schengen Agreement, which
was concluded in 1985 with four other EU states and is named after the
Luxembourg town on the Moselle. In 1986 the Charlemagne Prize was
awarded to the entire Luxembourg people for special services to European
unification. In 1990, the Schengen Implementing Agreement was concluded,
which led to the abolition of border controls between the contracting
parties on March 26, 1995; The Schengen area was created. At the
beginning of 2002, the euro was introduced as the successor to the
Luxembourg franc as the official means of payment in cash transactions;
It had already been book currency since the beginning of 1999.
Luxembourg measures 81 kilometers from north to south and 55 kilometers from east to west. It borders France for over 73 kilometers in the south, Belgium for over 148 kilometers in the west and Germany for over 135 kilometers in the east. The north of the country is part of the Ardennes and is called (the) Ösling. This part lies at an average of 400 to 500 meters above sea level. The landscape in Ösling is characterized by forested mountains, hills and deep river valleys, for example the Sauer valley. At 560 m, the “Kneiff” hill in Huldingen is the highest elevation in the country. In the north of Luxembourg, 358 square kilometers of the country are protected by the German-Luxembourg Nature Park.
In the south lies the fertile estate, which is part of the Lorraine Steps. This area has a higher population and industrial density than Ösling. The country is drained by the Sauer, which runs west-east, with Klerf and Our in the north and Alzette in the south. The lowest point in the country, called Spatz (129 m), is located at the confluence of the Sauer and Moselle in Wasserbillig.
Important rivers in Luxembourg are the Moselle, which forms the border river with Germany in the southeast, the Sauer, the Our and the Alzette.
Luxembourg has a temperate Central European climate (Cfb climate according to Köppen & Geiger), which is influenced by Atlantic sea winds and is characterized by mild winters and temperate and therefore pleasant summers. The air is usually mild and humid; the annual rainfall is 782.2 mm; Annual average temperatures 9 °C, in January 0.8 °C, in July 17.5 °C. The average temperatures measured in January, the coldest month, are around 2 °C. The highest temperatures are usually recorded during the summer months of July and August. At this time the average temperature is around 15 to 25°C. In the north of the country, the Ösling, it is usually a little cooler and there is more precipitation.
The Ösling in the north of the country, part of the Ardennes, is
characterized by forested low mountain ranges and deep river valleys.
The most widespread tree species are European beech, oak, maple and
spruce. Oak coppice forests, the so-called tan hedges, still take up a
large part of the forest area. Bell heather and holly, among others, are
characteristic of unforested areas. The mint germander and grape
germander are Mediterranean plants that occur in the southeast of
Luxembourg. There is a variety of meadow types; However, the extensively
used, species-rich poor meadows are declining (20% of the grassland
species surveyed are on the Red List of Luxembourg's vascular plants).
The vegetation of the lower southern part of the country (approx. 300
m), in the so-called Gutland, is characterized by agricultural use and
wine growing on the Moselle.
Luxembourg's spruce forests, which
cover 30% of the country's forested area, are considered unnatural. They
are the result of the afforestation of coppice forests that became
fashionable after the Second World War and of less profitable areas for
this fast-growing species. With the exception of the Scots pine, all
conifers in Luxembourg are located outside their natural areas.
The animal world corresponds to the fauna usual for Central European
countries. However, the Ösling impresses with large populations of red
deer and wild boar as well as birds of prey and rare bird species such
as the black stork and the hazel grouse. However, there has been a
significant decline in the population of other species. In the 1960s,
there were still 3,400 to 4,200 breeding pairs of little owls in
Luxembourg. In 2006 the population had declined to 15 to 20 breeding
pairs. Luxembourg is known for its abundance of fish; there are trout,
pike, zander, eels, carp and many other species of fish. The wall
lizard, an animal usually found in Mediterranean countries, has settled
particularly in the mild Moselle valley, but also in many other places
(e.g. along railway lines).
Hunting in Luxembourg is inextricably
linked to property ownership and is organized in a territorial hunting
system. The most important game animals to hunt in terms of the value of
the game and the damage caused by game in the forest and fields are roe
deer and wild boar. Other game species relevant to hunting include: Red
deer, mallard and brown hare.
54.8% of mammal species, 41.5% of
bird species, 33% of reptile species, 71.4% of amphibians and 62% of
fish species in Luxembourg are threatened. This is according to the
Observatoire de l’Environnement Naturel (OEN), which has updated the
National Protection Nature Plan.
There are a number of planned or
already implemented nature conservation projects: for example the
Bongert Altenhoven, the semi-dry grasslands near Junglinster, the
Deiwelskopp nature trail, the Neibruch near Grosbous, the Prënzebierg
nature reserve, the Sonnebierg nature reserve, the Canecher
Wéngertsbierg or the Cornelysmillen wetland.