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Luxembourg
Luxembourg's name has roots to the Roman times. The Roman settlement of Lucilinburhuc was occupied by the Count of Ardennes, Siegfried I in 963. He built a castle on the old settlement, which eventually lent its name to the entire city and later the country. The name of the settlement is derived from the word Letze, which means "fort."
Lëtzebuerg / Luxembourg / Luxemburg
Introduction:
Luxembourg today may just seem like a tiny country filled with impressive castles and scenery, but culturally, the country boasts incredible depth with multiple foreign influences. The lands of Luxembourg fall between Germany, France, and the Low Countries. Not being too difficult to access, people from all three of these regions settled the lands and introduced their influences.
For much of history the lands were filled with farmers and other people who lived off the land as political power held little control over the region. The people that settled the lands came from various regions as each maintained a different culture, but nearly everyone shared a similar lifestyle. The people remained tied to their cultures as the ethnic French, Germans, and Dutch all clung to their historic languages, religions, clothing, foods, etc.
As the region grew in importance so too did the dynamic on the lands as the region became somewhat of a border as castles sprung up. The region also shifted hands over time, falling under the rule of the Holy Roman Emperors for some time, making the people subject to the Austrians, Spanish, and others at various points in history. These outside rulers didn't change the culture so much as they united the people of the region, no matter their ethnicity, as they fought foreign power.
No matter the ruler, the people slowly started to create a new culture and ethnicity as the Luxembourgers are related to the Germans, French, and others to a lesser degree. They also formed their own language, which, like their ethnicity, is primarily German, but has significant influences from French and other languages as well. Foods, clothing, and other parts of the culture were also merged into one. Despite the many changes, some ethnic French and Germans in the region maintained their historic cultures, languages, and foods and remain more closely tied to the French and Germans abroad than they are linked to the Luxembourgers.
In recent years the culture in Luxembourg continues to be tied to its past, but the social, political, and economic dynamics have greatly changed and this has strongly affected the way of life in Luxembourg. As business changes, the country is becoming more urbanized and modern, while the European Union has a number of organizations based in Luxembourg, making this small country a political center and destination for employees throughout Europe.
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Information for Luxembourg was last updated: March, 2014 ● View our: Sources & Special Thanks