Memorial spots in Esch-sur-Alzette

Never forget

The south of the Grand Duchy was occupied like the rest of the country following the invasion of Nazi Germany on May 10, 1940; However, there were occasional battles as units of the French army occupied the area for advanced defense purposes. After the rapidly changing conditions in the following days however, they withdrew and so the entire Minett region, like the rest of the country, came under occupation by the III. Reich - a situation that would last until liberation on September 10, 1944.

The region also played a role in the liberation in 1944, as the south of the country was the first to be liberated by the advancing Western Allies. Today there are a number of monuments here to honor this historical moment, but also, for example, the "Liberty Road", the route of liberation that leads from Normandy, France, to Bastogne in Belgium.

Here in Esch-sur-Alzette, the second largest city in the country and the capital of the south, there are numerous memorial sites. Remembrance cobblestones made out of brass commemorate fellow citizens who fell victim to the repression and persecution of the Nazi regime. Particularly the jewish community, which saw itself persecuted, oppressed and deported, and saw its synagogue destroyed. Today, a memorial parc stands on the former site, on the "Place de la Synagogue", commemorating the community and telling the story of their persecution.

Monuments are dedicated to the victims, but also to the resistance and underground, or to the liberation itself. There is also the "Place de la Résistance", where you can find the Resistance Museum and the Museum of Human Rights ("Musée de la Résistance et des Droits Humains"); As a museum and collection, important statements from contemporary witnesses, prints and objects are documented here that shed light on the repressive regime of the occupation, the collaborators and the resistance. The museum also deals with the concept of universal human rights - a direct result of the atrocities against the civilian population in the occupied countries.