Luxembourg will hold ceremonies on Sunday, 13 October, to honor the Resistance, the victims of forced recruitment, and those who suffered during the Shoah.

On Sunday, 13 October, Luxembourg will commemorate the commitment of the Resistance, the fate of those forcibly recruited, and the victims of the Shoah. Ceremonies will take place at various locations throughout the country, beginning with a ceremony at the Plateau St. Esprit, home to the “Kanounenhiwwel” monument, starting at 10.10am. For those interested, the full program of events can be found here.

Read the official proclamation issued by the Luxembourgish government 

National Commemoration Day 2024

The National Commemoration Day marks the anniversary of the population registry initiated by the Nazis on 10 October 1941. During the occupation of the Grand Duchy, the Nazis sought to identify Jewish citizens by asking about nationality, mother tongue, and "race." The Resistance encouraged Luxembourgers to answer "Luxembourgish" to these questions, and many complied, leading to the cancellation of the population registration.

Especially on this day, it is our duty to remember our past and to take away lessons for the future. 
In 2024, we are commemorating the 80th anniversary of Luxembourg’s liberation. On 9 and 10 September 1944, the first American troops entered the Grand Duchy, sparking joy and relief among citizens who had kept faith in freedom and democracy. However, the war did not end there. On 16 December 1944, the Battle of the Ardennes brought renewed devastation. Entire towns and villages were destroyed, hundreds of civilians were killed, and about 10,000 soldiers lost their lives in one of the most brutal battles of the war.

For many, the liberation did not immediately signify the end of Nazi tyranny. Concentration camps across Europe continued to operate until the war's end, where countless Jewish families and members of the Resistance endured systematic torture and death. Those forcibly recruited by the Nazis were still imprisoned or forced to fight for Hitler’s regime, while exiled families dreamed of returning home.

From today’s perspective, the liberation 80 years ago marked the dawn of a new era for Luxembourg and Europe, an era characterised by the restoration of freedom and democracy, reconstruction, solidarity, and the pursuit of peace through international cooperation. For 80 years, Luxembourg has enjoyed peace.

Yet today, with a new war in Europe fueled by extreme ideologies and efforts to polarise populations, it is more important than ever to remember the solidarity and dedication of the past. We must continue to defend freedom, peace, and democracy both within our borders and beyond.
 
Luc FRIEDEN, Xavier BETTEL, Martine HANSEN, Claude MEISCH, Lex DELLES,
Yuriko BACKES, Max HAHN, Gilles ROTH, Martine DEPREZ, Léon GLODEN,
Stéphanie OBERTIN, Georges MISCHO, Serge WILMES, Elisabeth MARGUE, Eric THILL