Decade by Decade

1980

In 1980, Radio-Television Luxembourg (RTL) toured the USA to create a documentary film Lëtzebuerger an Amerika. This photo depicts their visit to Belgium, Wisconsin, with Dorothy (Schanen) Simpson of the Luxembourg Society of Wisconsin at the podium. Mary Nilles accompanied the film crew as they visited Luxembourg communities and interviewed Luxembourg Americans. At that moment of history, numerous Luxembourg Americans could still speak old Lëtzebuergesch which caught the interest of the film crew. The 5-segment documentary was well received throughout the Grand Duchy and spurred additional interest about “cousins” in America.

1981

In 1981, genealogist Jean Ensch of Luxembourg visited the communities of Rollingstone, Minnesota and St. Donatus, Iowa at the urging of Mary Nilles. This began his odyssey of countless visits to the USA researching Luxembourg immigrants and their descendants. In additional to Jean Ensch, genealogists Jean-Claude Muller, Lilianne Stemper-Brickler and others began visiting the USA to make genealogical connections. Much of their research has been published in local histories and genealogies in Luxembourg.

1983

In 1983, Mary Nilles published her research on her hometown in the book Rollingstone – A Luxembourgish Village in Minnesota. In 1984, residents of Rollingstone founded the Luxembourg American Society of Rollingstone. In 1987, the Rollingstone Luxembourg Heritage Museum was founded. Under the dedicated leadership of Jean Kalmes, the museum continues to be a unique place to learn more about Luxembourgers in America.

1984

In 1984, Grand Duke Jean & Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte made a State Visit to the USA. After meeting with President Ronald Reagan, the royal couple visited the Luxembourg American community in Chicago. Their Royal Highnesses continued to foster the strong relationship between Luxembourg and the USA dating back to World War II.

1984

In 1984, the people of St. Donatus, Iowa, celebrated Luxembourg Awareness Days. This celebration of the strong Luxembourg heritage of the St. Donatus area gave impetus to a renewal of Luxembourg heritage in the region and led to the founding of the Luxembourg Society of Iowa that same year. In 1985, the St. Donatus Parish Museum was founded. A second society, the St. Donatus Luxembourg Heritage Society, was founded in 1993.

1987

In 1987, historians/genealogists Jean Ensch, Jean-Claude Muller and Robert Owen published an English re-edition of Nicholas Gonner’s 1889 book Die Luxemburger in der Neuen Welt as Luxembourgers in the New World. Along with this, Ensch published his index to Gonner’s Luxemburger Gazette newspaper based in Dubuque, Iowa from 1871-1918. These two English resources opened up the Luxembourg immigration story to English-speakers and remain some of the most important research materials for Luxembourg American genealogy.

1987

In 1987, the Luxembourg Brotherhood of America celebrated its 100th anniversary and remained the longest standing Luxembourg society in the United States. The Luxembourgers of Chicago commemorated this momentous occasion with a huge celebration in Chicago. A commemorative book was authored by Honorary Consul Richard Witry. Special guests for the 100th anniversary were Crown Prince Henri and Princess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg.

1987

In addition to visiting Chicago in 1987, Crown Prince Henri and Maria Teresa visited other Luxembourg American settlements in the Midwest. In this photo, the royal couple is with Beatrice (Wester) Krier, long-time president of the Luxembourg Society of Wisconsin, who is presenting them with her book Tapestry of Luxembourgers-Town Belgium History.

1987

In 1987, members of the Belgium, Wisconsin community came together to form Luxembourg Fest of Belgium, Wisconsin. The Fest included honored families, a parade, ethnic food, heritage exhibits, an outdoor Mass, honored family pageantry, etc. In 2011, as the Fest celebrated its 25th anniversary, the Luxembourg American Cultural Society took over administration of the Fest and it was renamed Luxembourg Fest of America – The World’s Largest Luxembourg Family Reunion. Luxembourg Fest is the largest Luxembourg ethnic celebration outside of the Grand Duchy.

1987

In 1987, the La Ronde Folk Dancers of Luxembourg visited the USA under the leadership of Luxembourgers Robert and Marianne Johanns. On their tour, the La Ronde Dancers performed in Luxembourg American communities in the Midwest. The dancers lived with host families and became another unifying experience between Luxembourgers and Luxembourg Americans.

1988

In 1988, a conference entitled To Stay the Way We Are – Luxembourg Heritage and Rural Historic Preservation was held at Old World Wisconsin in Eagle, Wisconsin. The co-sponsors of the event were the Wisconsin Historical Society, the Luxembourg Society of Wisconsin and the Cultural Affairs Ministry of Luxembourg. This conference brought Luxembourg’s Director of Sites and Monuments, Mr. Georges Calteux, onto the Luxembourg American scene. In the 20 years following, Calteux’s contributions to the preservation of Luxembourg architecture in the Midwest would become legendary.