Brief Historical Survey of the war years in Luxembourg (1940-1945)

Since its creation in 1839, and especially after the revised Treaty of London in 1867, the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg had been declared a neutral and independent country by the great European powers, where the Luxembourg nation could freely develop into a constitutional monarchy.

The status of neutrality was violated by Imperial Germany in WW I, when German forces occupied Luxembourg and used it as an administrative and logistical support base until the end of the war. Although no hostilities or armed conflicts took place during that time in Luxembourg, the Germans more or less imposed martial law status on the population, and curtailed individual rights and civil liberties. At the end of WW I, French, and subsequently U.S. forces were stationed in several areas of Luxembourg before returning to the States.

When Hitler came to power, the majority of Luxembourgers, recalling the German occupation of WW I, became very much aware of the threatening danger of Nazism. Luxembourg, which -with the exception of a volunteer army (for schooling and ceremonial functions only)- had no military forces, had repeatedly insisted on its neutral status and was not a member of any alliance in the pre-1940 years.

On May 10, 1940, when the Nazi German armies started their campaign in the West, they poured through Luxembourg in their rush against France. The night prior to the German invasion, the Grand-Ducal family and the cabinet left Luxembourg and went into exile first to the U.S. and Canada, later to London, U.K. at the very site of Luxembourg's embassy to date. Since Luxembourg strictly stuck to its neutrality, no armed resistance was initially opposed to the aggressor, who overran the small country in less than a day. During the Western campaign, and until the capitulation of France, German military troops and logistics were channeled through Luxembourg, martial law having once again been imposed on the population.

When the campaign in the West ended, the victorious German military troops yielded to the Nazi party, which established itself all over Luxembourg, and the Grand-Duchy was integrated into the Third Reich. The name of Luxembourg ceased to exist; from then on the country was called: "Gau Moselland," (Moselle country district), with - at its head- a high ranking Nazi official, the "Gauleiter," whose primary task was to ‘germanize’ the Luxembourg population. German law was imposed, the use of the native language (Lëtzebuergesch) was forbidden, French-sounding names were converted; the Nazis had started a vast campaign to indoctrinate the Luxembourgers, making them believe they were ethnic Germans and luring them "Heim ins Reich" (home to Mother Country). In a referendum organized by the Nazis, 98% of the population vigorously expressed themselves against becoming German citizens, which drew a series of reprisals. People were beaten, harassed and imprisoned by the Gestapo, and as early as 1942, young Luxembourgers, who had organized public strikes against the Nazi occupant were court-martialed and shot the next day in the concentration camp of Hinzert, Germany.

Already earlier, several young men had escaped, and after risky trails ended up in Great Britain to join allied forces being built up. (As such, there were Luxembourgers in the British commandos, Free French, SAS, Belgian artillery, unit "Brigade Piron," later on even some in the U.S. forces, and numerous armed resistance organizations). Nazi oppression became stiffer and penalties became more and more brutal. In late 1942 the Gauleiter started conscripting Luxembourg youths into the RAD (German Labor Service) and the Wehrmacht (Army). Young men were forced to join inder the threat of their families being deported or prosecuted if they did not comply. During the same time, the Nazis also started prosecuting the local Jewish community. All these measures only resulted in the Luxembourgers holding even more together; gradually resistance, which in the initial stage was rather insignificant, because of fear of reprisals, organized itself into networks that had contact with similar organizations in other occupied countries. As such, Luxembourgers assisted shot-down allied airmen to regain unoccupied zones in France, hid about-to-be conscripted youths, or organised clandestine actions against the Germans. People who got caught by the Gestapo (German political secret police) or the SP (Security Service) were sent to concentration or death camps; many of whom were never to return.

With the news of the allied landings on the beaches, in Normandy in June 1944 armed resistance against the Nazis drastically increased, as for example in Vianden. After four years of brutal Nazi occupation, the German troops on their retreat from France, abandoned the Grand-Duchy by early September 1944, and withdrew behind the fortifications of the "Siegfried line," a static defensive structure that stretched from the North sea coast to the Swiss border, part of it marking the border between Luxembourg and Germany.

A typical scene from those unforgettable days in September 1944. Little Jean Barbel of Ulflingen (Troisvierges) welcomes a lieutenant of the 28th US Infantry division with a flower on September 12th. Photo: US Army Note: Jean Barbel passed away on September 30, 2006, aged 63, at his home in Wiltz, Luxembourg. He spent his last years in a wheelchair.

On September 10, and subsequently Sept. 11, and 12, 1944, the entire Grand-Duchy was liberated after several smaller firefights with retreating German troops by units of the 5th U.S. Armored Division under General Lunsford E. Oliver. The entire population prepared an indescribable warm welcome to their American liberators and to Prince Felix and Crown Prince Jean, who had joined allied forces to fight the Germans. Very quickly normal life returned to the Grand-Duchy, while the country was administered by U.S. Civil Affairs in the absence of a government. While the war was still going on in Belgium, thousands of U.S. troops were channeled through Luxembourg on a rotational base. Luxembourg, which in October and November was referred to as the "Paradise for weary troops", thus subsequently accommodated troops of the 5th Armored, 8th Infantry, 9th Armored, 4th Infantry divisions.

During the same time the Germans were building up forces behind the "Siegfried line" to counterattack in the West, which was to become the "Battle of the Bulge." The German surprise attack started on December 16, 1944 after a concentrated artillery barrage and to the complete surprise of the U.S. forces. While massive German troops, supported by armor and artillery, grouped in 3 armies, poured through the Luxembourg and Belgian Ardennes with the objective of securing the strategically- important road junctions at Bastogne to push through Belgium to reach the coast, the understrengthened U.S. troops had to yield terrain in order not to become annihilated. The German attack was also screened by weather conditions, which precluded the use of air strikes.

'Neiewee', the shot-up Bintener house where a German machine-gun nest was located. Photo: Jean Schickes archives

An unhappy family that missed the chance of being evacuated and had to wait for the final liberation as 'cavemen' in the damp cellar. Photo: IWM, London

Whereas the Germans were advancing in northern Luxembourg, most of the civilians were evacuated by the retreating Americans. When the American High Command realized the seriousness of the situation, the only nearby massive American force was Gen. Patton’s Third Army, which at the time was preparing to invade the Saar region. Within 48 hours, Patton succeeded in swinging his army around and during a crash move, reached Luxembourg, pushed north and hit the German attacking force in the left flank, thus considerably weakening the spearhead. After Christmas '44, the weather suddenly cleared up, enabling the massive use of air strikes against advancing German columns and supply trails. Besieged Bastogne was relieved, while German troops in Luxembourg went into defense. At sub-zero temperatures during January 1945, and especially after Patton’s troops had launched massive counterattacks, the German units were gradually pushed back, leaving their heavy equipment behind. By the end of January, 95% of Luxembourg had been liberated with the Germans keeping only two bridgeheads heavily defended for the remainder of their troops to retreat.

They tried, using handcarts, horse-drawn wagons, coaches and bicycles to bring themselves, their families and a few posessions to safety in the direction of Stegen. Photo: IWM, London

On February 7, 1945 the "Bulge" was nearly over, and the U.S. troops in Luxembourg crossed the Sauer river for the invasion of Germany. Four months later Nazi Germany capitulated.

The nightmare for Luxembourg was over. It was not until March and April 1945 that the U.S. authorities allowed the Luxembourg refugees to return to their villages in the Ardennes. The villages had suffered severe damage, and it took months and sometimes years of reconstruction.

German casualties during the Bulge (killed, missing in action, wounded): approx. 67,200. U.S. casualties during the Bulge (killed, missing in action, wounded): approx. 75,000. Of the some 11,200 young Luxembourgers (out of a total population of 293,000 in 1945) drafted by force into the German army, some 2,900 were killed in action or are reported missing. The total toll of lives of the Luxembourg population amounted to 5,259.

Text reproduced by kind permission of Roland Gaul

See also:

New Homepage of the National Military Museum (www.nat-military-museum.lu)
General Patton Memorial Museum
Battle of the Bulge books
The Showrooms
Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial (American Battle Monuments Commission)

Luxembourg Tourist Office - London

last update: October 5, 2006