American Tour Group Leave on a High after Whirlwind Trip

On the last evening of the ten-day "Christmas in Luxembourg" 2024 holiday tour organised by Luxembourg American Cultural Society (LACS) Luxembourg Board Members and the Roots & Leaves Society, they held a Special Dinner at the Hotel Parc Belle-Vue in Luxembourg city centre.

The tour party numbered 34 participants, with almost double that attending the Saturday evening dinner.

The tour itinerary included a guided tour of Luxembourg City's old town and the parliament, as well as to Clervaux, Vianden, Diekirch, Echternach, Schengen and Remerschen (for wine tasting). The itinerary also included a mass at Notre-Dame Cathedral and visits to museums - MUDAM and the Musée Dräi Eechelen (3 Acorns) - the national archives and the Luxembourg American Cemetery in Luxembourg-Hamm, as well as excursions across the borders to Trier and Bastogne.

The LACS has been organising such trips to Luxembourg since 2011; since 2022, the Roots & Leaves Society has coordinated the visits from Luxembourg. In addition to visiting historical and cultural sites and visiting the areas from where their ancestors came, during the tours, participants sometimes complete their dual citizenship process and apply for their passport. In addition, they met a number of personalities, including the country's Prime Minister, Luc Frieden, the Deputy Mayor of Luxembourg City, Maurice Bauer and Minister of Tourism, Eric Thill.

Chronicle.lu attended the dinner which started with a toast by Carlo Krieger, former Luxembourg Ambassador to China, Russia and Brazil and currently President of the Roots and Leaves society, said he was pleased and honoured to welcome the tour group on their visit to the land of their ancestors. He introduced the Roots and Leaves Society, the partner of LACS in Luxembourg, and recounted the restoration of Luxembourg stone houses in America. He referenced the LACS in Wisconsin, thanking Patricia and Rosie for their planning and organisation. He talked about the LACS museum and involvement in the annual Luxembourg Fest and support in genealogy, also mentioning the lycée - high school exchanges mainly with schools in the US mid-west. He also referenced citizenship and obtaining their new passports, and thanked the government and ministers, including the evening's guest of honour, Erna Hennicot-Schoepges, former government minister, and Guy Dockendorf of the Roots and Leaves society, amongst others.

Erna Hennicot-Schoepges spoke briefly and said she was delighted to see a mix of young and older people in attendance. She talked about her time at the Ministry of Culture and making connections over generations. She talked about continually discovering new things and the country becoming so multicultural, concluding by thanking the group for visiting Luxembourg adding that it is a great example of such achievements.

Roseann Geib, Dual Citizenship Advocate at LACS, said that the tour had been a great experience and she mentioned that those with new Luxembourg / EU passports could now use then in Frankfurt when leaving tomorrow on their way back home.

LACS Executive Director Patricia Lutz said that they had already started planning next year's tour; she thanked Guy Dockendorf and others of the Roots and Leaves organisation who had been central in the planning of the trip's itinerary.

Guy Dockendorf acknowledged the donations received and confirmed that they would be given to a local Ukrainian association. He explained that the reason that he and others do what they do in the Roots and Leaves society is that they feel very indebted to America for liberating the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg not once, but twice. He said that he has great faith in civil society in both the US and Luxembourg, and also referenced heritage passed down through generations.  

Talking with members of the tour group, they acknowledged that, through the many highlights of the tour, they were delighted to be able to attend the Christmas Markets in Luxembourg and Clervaux, amongst others, during their trip.