Places of remembrance show a culture of remembrance that is very much alive. You can visit many such places in Luxembourg, markers of significant moments, people and events gone by.
There are the sites that recall the two world wars. Memorials, border fortifications, memorial paths, and, of course, museums. The extensive heritage and vestiges of this presence will be visible in the towns and landscapes of the Grand Duchy for a long time to come. The Liberation Route Europe (LRE) Hiking Trail Luxembourg project also commemorates the liberation of Europe at the end of the Second World War. Following in the footsteps of the Allied troops of that time, it links up the places of remembrance in Luxembourg and beyond its borders.
After the turbulent times of war, the foundations for the modern Europe of today were laid in Luxembourg: a clear commitment to European values and open borders. The corresponding agreement was signed in 1985 in the small winegrowing village of Schengen. More precisely, on the Moselle in the border triangle of Luxembourg, Germany and France on the ship called the Princesse Marie-Astrid. To this day, the Schengen Agreement guarantees freedom of movement across borders within Europe. The European Museum in Schengen tells its story. The original historic ship is currently being converted into an exhibition space on the theme of Europe.
There is also a culture of remembrance outside of politics. The Industrial Revolution also left visible traces in Luxembourg - especially in the southern mining region, the cradle of Luxembourg’s steel industry and the source of its prosperity. The name "Minett" recalls the iron ore in the ground and the mines dug into the land. The pits, blast furnaces and abandoned factories, which can be experienced on the Minett Trail, tell the story of a dynamic past. In the north of the country, you can visit the slate museum and cloth factory, among other things. Here, too, the industrial past remains alive.
