150th anniversary of Luxembourg's independence

none thumb|right|215px|A monument commemorating 150 years of Luxembourgish independence in Holzthum The 150th anniversary of Luxembourg's independence (lb 150 Joer Onofhängegkeet vun Lëtzebuerg) was celebrated in 1989 to commemorate the 1839 Treaty of London, which established formal independence of the German-speaking part of the country. The celebrations were for the most part funded by the government of Luxembourg, with the central stage taken by a major historical exhibition named From State to Nationhood, 1839–1989. 150 Years of Independence. Background In contrast to some other nations, including neighboring Belgium, Luxembourg does not have a universally accepted independence date, let alone an established tradition to commemorate it. Several historical events could be considered worthy of such designation but it was due to external circumstances that they did not end up with such recognition.Péporté Kmec Majerus Margue 2010 115–116 One candidate was 1815, when Luxembourg was elevated to the rank of grand duchy and gained its formal autonomy at the Congress of Vienna. However, no commemorative tradition could realistically emerge within the next 50 years later, as in 1865 the country was still within the German Confederation. A century on, in 1915, the Grand Duchy was occupied by the German Empire, which made celebrations impossible.Péporté Kmec Majerus Margue 2010 115–116 Another possible date was 1867, the year of Luxembourg Crisis and the second Treaty of London, which resulted in the final establishment of Luxembourg's independence. Yet, in 1917 the country was still under the German WWI occupation, so no commemorative measures were undertaken.Péporté Kmec Majerus Margue 2010 115–116 The year 1839, when the first Treaty of London was signed, and the German-speaking Luxembourg as it is known nowadays was created, was therefore best positioned to produce a commemorative tradition. A proposal to celebrate the 50th anniversary was put forward by Prime Minister Paul Eyschen in 1888, and those plans were scrapped due to concerns about the health of King William III of the Netherlands, who at the time was also the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. The 100th anniversary of the treaty was properly celebrated in 1939.Péporté Kmec Majerus Margue 2010 115–116 Preparations The idea to commemorate the Grand Duchy's independence was conceived by a number of Luxembourgers from the country's cultural elite: writer Jul Christophory lb Jul Christophory, organist Jean-Jacques Kasel lb Jean-Jacques Kasel (Organist), lawyer Christian Calmes, and, most prominently, historian Gilbert Trausch. The group suggested then-Prime Minister Jacques Santer, whom Trausch and Kasel knew personally. The government approved the initiative and agreed to provide necessary funding.Péporté Kmec Majerus Margue 2010 115–116 Going back to holding the independence celebrations on anniversary commemorations to the 1839 Treaty of London was also Trausch's idea, who had been emphasizing the importance of that particular event for the history of Luxembourg for more than a decade at that point.Péporté Kmec Majerus Margue 2010 115–116 A commission in charge of 150th independence anniversary celebrations was assembled by the government in September 1987. October 1987 saw the launch of a sub-committee to oversee the future ‘From State to Nationhood, 1839–1989’ exhibit. Gilbert Trausch was appointed the chair of both.Péporté Kmec Majerus Margue 2010 115–116 Notes References Margue Michel Michel Margue Pit Péporté Margue & Péporté 2011 Evans R.J.W. Marchal G.P. The Uses of the Middle Ages in Modern European States. Writing the Nation https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780230283107_7 Palgrave Macmillan 88–112 Medieval Myths and the Building of National Identity: the Example of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg 978-0-230-28310-7 10.1057/9780230283107_7 Inventing Luxembourg: Representations of the Past, Space and Language from the Nineteenth to the Twenty-First Century National Cultivation of Culture Pit Péporté Sonja Kmec Benoît Majerus Michel Margue 2010 978-90-04-18881-5 2.3. Te 1989 Anniversary: A Return to a National Model 115–121 Building National Museums in Europe 1750-2010. Conference proceedings from EuNaMus, European National Museums: Identity Politics, the Uses of the Past and the European Citizen, Bologna 28-30 April 2011 Peter Aronsson Gabriella Elgenius Linköping University Electronic Press http://www.ep.liu.se/ecp_home/index.en.aspx?issue=064 National Museums in Luxembourg Felicity Bodenstein https://ep.liu.se/ecp/064/023/ecp64023.pdf Muller Jean-Claude De l’État à la Nation : 1839, 1989 : 150 Joer onofhängeg : catalogue de l’exposition organisée à l'occasion du 150e anniversaire de l'Indépendance du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg : 19 avril - 20 août 1989 Ministère d'État 1989 etal Supplément à l'Avenir du Luxembourg 94 21 April 1989 1839-1989: 150 ans d’indépendance du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg https://cercle-werner.aubange.be/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/2Luxembourg-2.pdf fr Le 150e anniversaire de l'indépendance du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg https://sip.gouvernement.lu/dam-assets/publications/bulletin/1989/BID_1989_4/BID_1989_4.pdf fr 1–13 Bulletin de documentation 4 1989 1839 ou comment leLuxembourg s’est inventéson anniversaire https://orbilu.uni.lu/bitstream/10993/27549/1/Luxembourg_date_1839.pdf Denis Scuto Scuto Denis Tageblatt 29 April 2014 100 11–14 fr :de:Michel Pauly Pauly Michel 200 Jahre Grossherzogtum https://orbilu.uni.lu/bitstream/10993/21284/1/200%20Jahre%20Gro%C3%9Fherzogtum_forum%20352.pdf 50-53 Forum 352 June 2015 de External links Spirinelli, Fabio On the political uses of the past in Luxembourg https://www.uni.lu/c2dh-en/articles/on-the-political-uses-of-the-past-in-luxembourg/ Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History 2022-09-19 en 2026-04-15 Category:Regional centennial anniversaries Category:1989 in Luxembourg Category:History of Luxembourg