Credit: Ali Sahib, Chronicle.lu
On Saturday 23 May 2026, the US Ambassador to Luxembourg, Stacey Feinberg, together with the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC), invited members of the press and public to the annual Memorial Day ceremony at the Luxembourg American Military Cemetery and Memorial.
The ceremony in Luxembourg-Hamm was attended by government and military representatives from both the United States (US) and Luxembourg.
Official speeches were delivered during the ceremony, followed by a wreath-laying in honour of the fallen.
Ambassador Stacey Feinberg said: "I am grateful to mark Memorial Day in Luxembourg, a country that preserves with great care and respect the memory of American soldiers who played a vital role in the liberation of Europe during both World Wars. Today, we honour the sacrifice our service members have made in defence of our freedom and underscore the importance of remembering them. This year, a student joined the official delegation to the ceremony. This marks the beginning of what I hope will become a lasting tradition, ensuring that the responsibility of remembrance is carried forward by the next generation."
There were also speeches by Claude Wiseler, President of the Chamber of Deputies (Luxembourg's parliament), Serge Wilmes, Luxembourg's Minister of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity and Minister for the Civil Service, and Lieutenant General William Taylor, US Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee. This year, a Luxembourg student joined the official delegation to the ceremony and recited a poem "The Young Dead Soldiers Do Not Speak" by Archibald MacLeish.
According to the US Embassy in Luxembourg, Memorial Day honours the men and women who died while serving in the US military. Memorial Day 2026 falls on Monday 25 May, although it is traditionally commemorated in Luxembourg on the preceding Saturday.
Originally known as Decoration Day, the observance began after the US Civil War as a way to remember those who died during that conflict and was formally recognised in 1868. Following World War I, the commemoration evolved to honour all US military personnel who died in service and became known as Memorial Day. In 1971, the US Congress officially established Memorial Day as a federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May.
Many Americans mark the occasion by visiting cemeteries and memorials, attending commemorative ceremonies and parades and gathering with family to honour and remember those who lost their lives in military service.
