Moving moment at PhilharmonieHighest military accolade for Mike van de Berg and Luc Derneden

The first official ceremony was held at the Grand Théatre following the change of government. After that, the ceremony moved to Philharmonie in Kirchberg.

Aside from speeches by the Grand Duke, the President of the Chamber of Deputies and the Prime Minister, the ceremony benefited from musical accompaniment, and a number of people received distinctions for their merits in elation to Luxembourg, be that for their commitment or civic courage.

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14 February this year was a dark day in the history of the Luxembourgish Army, said Prime Minister Premier Xavier Bettel.

Due to an uncontrolled explosion of a WWII bomb in Waldhof, the army’s bomb disposal unit lost two of its members, who will forever stay in our memory. They were two extraordinary people, said the Prime Minister.

Mike van de Berg and Luc Derneden, who both lost their lives in the explosion, were awarded with the Cross of Honour and Military Merit, the highest military honour in Luxembourg. Joe Cottong, who was severely injured in the explosion, received the award personally from the Grand Duke.

Speeches by Xavier Bettel, Fernand Etgen and Grand Duke Henri