Credit: Jazmin Campbell/Chronicle.lu
Despite its compact size, Luxembourg has its fair share of fables, folktales, myths and legends, from a mermaid and a wild woman to a wolfman and an underwater bogeyman.
In this series of articles, Chronicle.lu will be delving into some of these tales and their lasting impact in Luxembourg.
Next up is the Diekirch Donkey.
For Diekirch, it is not a bogeyman but a donkey that represents the town. There are various theories for this.
According to accounts by Diekirch local Ben Molitor, it could be linked to the town's agricultural past, when peasants in Diekirch used donkeys to facilitate their work in the fields and vineyards on the hilly Herrenberg. Another theory is that members of the bourgeoisie objected to plans to place Diekirch at the centre of the Luxembourg-Troisvierges railway line, over (noise) pollution concerns; the authorities in Luxembourg City reportedly called them "donkeys" who "did not recognise a sign of the times".
Whatever the reason, monuments dedicated to the animal are scattered around Diekirch, notably a fountain with a statue of a donkey excreting coins, which a boy is collecting in his hat. There are also several plaques, as well as a donkey weathervane atop the Old Church of Saint Laurence. Each year in June, Diekirch hosts a donkey festival ("Eeselsfest") dedicated to its mascot.
