Credit for this piece goes to Nancy Meyers, who, after reading our previous stories on Luxembourg’s most successful Olympians, reached out to highlight another contender for recognition: her own sister.
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Today, we’re concluding our look the history of Luxembourg’s participation at the Olympic Games.
Mary Meyers, born in Saint Paul, Minnesota on February 10, 1946 (later changing her name to Miriam Rothstein after marriage), was a remarkable speed skater. At just 20 years old, she claimed the gold medal in the 500-meter sprint at the 1967 World Championships in the Netherlands.
At the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, Meyers was a favourite for the title. The 500m sprint became one of the most memorable events, with Meyers, alongside American teammates Dianne Holum and Jenny Fish, all recording identical times of 46.5 seconds, earning them a shared silver medal. The podium was packed with this rare feat.
Mary Meyers had a deep connection to Luxembourg through her grandfather, Hilarius Meyers, who was born in Wahlhausen, near Hosingen, in 1867.
Hilarius, along with two brothers, emigrated to the United States in the late 1880s, following the path of many Luxembourgers of the time, and settled in St. Paul, Minnesota. He passed away in 1948, and his granddaughters later visited his gravesite.
A genealogical search led by Nancy Meyers at the Luxembourg American Cultural Center in Belgium, Wisconsin, uncovered that their family lineage could be traced back to Michael Meyers and Maria Jacoby, who lived in the same village as Hilarius in 1743.
In recent years, Nancy and Miriam (Mary’s new name) reconnected with their Luxembourgish heritage. They began the process of acquiring Luxembourgish nationality and, in March 2018, managed to visit the homeland of their ancestors.
Despite the challenges posed by Miriam’s debilitating haemorrhagic stroke, her determination – typical of an Olympic medallist – enabled her to join her sister on the trip, aided by kind-hearted employees. Although they couldn’t reach Wahlhausen, their discovery of their family’s ties to Luxembourg had a profound impact on their relatives.
Remarkably, 19 of them have since acquired Luxembourgish citizenship.
Nancy caught a severe flu on the flight back to the US, but is eager to return. Her spouse, who received a Fulbright award to teach political science at the University of Luxembourg, saw their plans delayed by the pandemic.
The family’s Luxembourgish ties extend further: one of Nancy and Miriam’s nephews, Jesse Meyers Willienbring, is an artist whose painting Summer was acquired by Luxembourg’s Ministry of Culture.
Yet, it’s the story of Mary Meyers that shines brightest – standing alongside Luxembourg’s most celebrated Olympians, including Michel Théato, Jean Jacoby, Marc Girardelli, and Josy Barthel.
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