Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Grand Duchy of Luxembourg This book has been published on the occasion of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union from 1 January to 30 June 2005 Editors: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Press and Information Service of the Luxembourg Government Conception and editing: Editions Guy Binsfeld Layout: Marc Angel Photos: Archives nationales, Bibliothèque nationale, Editions Guy Binsfeld, Cargolux, Conseil de l’Europe, DuPont de Nemours, Goodyear, Guy Hoffmann, Luxair, Tom Wagner, Christof Weber, Photothèque de la Ville de Luxembourg, Service information et presse du gouvernement luxembourgeois Printed by: Imprimerie Fr. Faber © 2004 Service information et presse du gouvernement luxembourgeois 33, boulevard Roosevelt L-2450 Luxembourg Tél.: (+352) 478 2181 [email protected] www.gouvernement.lu All rights reserved ISBN: 2-87999-144-7 Contents LUXEMBOURG PRESENTS ITSELF ................................................................................................................................... 8 Geography and climate ............................................................................................................................................................... 9 A country explained by history ................................................................................................................................................ 14 The symbols of the state and of the nation ......................................................................................................................... 36 Land of a hundred nationalities ............................................................................................................................................... 39 Mir schwätze Lëtzebuergesch, Däitsch a Franséisch .......................................................................................................... 47 THE HEART OF EUROPE ....................................................................................................................................................... 54 It all began in Luxembourg ........................................................................................................................................................ 55 LUXEMBOURG’S PLACE IN THE WORLD .................................................................................................................... 66 A privileged partner in international institutions .............................................................................................................. 67 Fighting poverty by cooperation .............................................................................................................................................. 76 A CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY IN THE EUROPEAN TRADITION .............................................................. 84 The Grand Duchy’s political system ........................................................................................................................................ 85 THE ECONOMY OF LUXEMBOURG: AN EVENTFUL HISTORY .......................................................................... 96 An itinerary that was all but linear ......................................................................................................................................... 97 Future of the Luxembourg financial market ........................................................................................................................ 112 The “Luxembourg Model”, a guarantee of political and social stability ...................................................................... 118 Research and development ........................................................................................................................................................ 124 MULTIPLE KINDS OF ART ................................................................................................................................................... 130 Culture on the move .................................................................................................................................................................... 131 Literature in Luxembourg ........................................................................................................................................................... 135 On the stage in Luxembourg’s theatres ................................................................................................................................. 149 Contemporary dance in Luxembourg ..................................................................................................................................... 159 Luxembourg in music .................................................................................................................................................................. 163 Audiovisual production ............................................................................................................................................................... 170 BEING A LUXEMBOURGER ................................................................................................................................................. 178 Traditions and festivals ............................................................................................................................................................... 179 Living it up à la luxembourgeoise ........................................................................................................................................... 188 Desperately seeking consensus ................................................................................................................................................. 194 Bibliography .................................................................................................................................................................................... 202 8 Luxembourg presents itself Geography and climate 9 Geographical coordinates: 49° 45’ N, 6° 10’ E Size: 2,586 km2 Neighbouring countries: Belgium, France, Germany Capital: Luxembourg Belgium Troisvierges Germany Clervaux Wiltz Vianden Esch-sur-Sûre Diekirch Ettelbruck Echternach Redange Grevenmacher Mersch Steinfort LUXEMBOURG Until 2004 and the arrival of Malta, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg was the Remich smallest member state of the European Differdange Union. The greatest distance from the Mondorf-les-Bains Esch-sur-Alzette north to the south of the country is 82 kilometres, and from the west to the east Dudelange Schengen it is 57 kilometres. Two major landscapes shape the natural territory: the Oesling in the north and the Guttland in the south France luxembourg presents itself geography and climate 10 Luxembourg City, the capital of the Grand Duchy, has three lower towns, including the Grund with its old houses and its remains of the ancient fortress The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is located in the heart of Western Europe between Belgium, Germany and France. The Grand Duchy has two natural regions: the Oesling in the north and the Guttland (literally Good Land), which includes the Moselle valley in the east and the Minette coal basin in the south. Forests cover almost 40% of the land. The country covers an area of 2,586 km2, 1,758 km2 of which are in the Guttland and the remaining 828 km2 in the Oesling. Its total population in January 2004 was 451,600. The lake of the Upper Sûre is the most important drinking water reservoir of the country and one of the most appreciated The capital tourist attractions of the Oesling The city of Luxembourg has a population of 78,300. Visitors never fail to be surprised by the contrast between the modern upper city, perched on a rocky plateau with a sheer drop, and the three lower old towns, Grund (“the Bottom”), Clausen and Pfaffenthal. The European quarter that is home to the European institutions has been spread- ing over the Kirchberg plateau to the north-west of the city since the 1960s. The city of Luxembourg is at an al- titude of 300 m above sea level. The regions The variety of Luxembourg’s landscapes is one of its main attractions, despite being divided into just two main re- gions, the Oesling and the Guttland. The Oesling, in the north, is part of the Ardennes massif and borders Germany’s Eifel plateau. This wooded region occupies a third of the country and attracts many tourists. It is also the highest region in Luxembourg, rising to some 560 m above sea level (Wilwerdange). The Oesling has a harsh climate and is an area of highland villages, lakes and rivers with oak and pine forests covering its steep slopes. luxembourg presents itself geography and climate 11 The most ancient elements of the fortress of Vianden, which was restored in exemplary fashion, date from the ninth century Its main towns are Wiltz, Vianden and Clervaux. The Troisvierges plateau, to the north of the Oesling, is mainly arable land and has few forests. It is the coldest and wettest area in Luxembourg. As far back as in Roman times, vineyards existed along the Moselle. Wellenstein The Ardennes plateau, traversed by rivers below the Wiltz basin, is the most typical area of the Oesling. Its land- forms part of the numerous little villages scapes are rich in contrasts of form and colour, plateau and forest. The area where the Oesling and the Guttland that produce distinguished and meet is one of the country’s foremost agricultural regions thanks to its rich and varied