Being a Luxembourger ı Traditions and festivals

Being a Luxembourger ı Traditions and festivals
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Traditions and festivals? A local comic once said that Luxembourg’s annual cultural highlights
were the Oktav, the Revue and the Schueberfouer (or Fouer). In a way, this jibe is not too far off the
mark: each year, the Oktav, the Revue and the Fouer give rise to Luxembourg’s three major traditional ‘pilgrimages’ from country to capital: the first to console the afflicted, the second to
satirically reminisce about the more memorable events of the year and the third to enjoy a
funfair that lasts several weeks. The origins of many of the festivals punctuating the year can
be traced back to the country’s religious traditions.
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The first Sunday after Carnival,
Buergen are set alight atop the country’s hills
Every year on 2 February, children go liichten
(celebrating light)
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St Blaise
The feast of St Blaise has no connection with Carnival, despite being celebrated around
the same time each year. On 2 February, groups of children carrying rods tipped with
little lights, called Liichtebengelcher, or else sporting a more sophisticated version of the
same, go from house to house singing the song of St Blaise (‘Léiwer Herrgottsblieschen,
gëff äis Speck an Ierbessen...’) and asking for treats. This custom is called liichten
(celebrat­ing light). As the song suggests, in bygone days, begging involved bacon, peas,
Candlemas pancakes and other edible products. This tradition, however, like many others,
has evolved over time. While children these days eagerly accept handouts of sweets,
they often prefer donations of the copper (not to mention the green) variety, which some
have been known to be particularly fond of away from the watchful eye of their parents.
Buergbrennen
The first Sunday after Carnival is Buergsonndeg, when huge stakes supporting a large
cross in their midst (known as Buergen) are set alight atop the country’s hills. Currently
used combustible materials include straw, branches and logs. Most of the time, the
Buergen are erected by the local young people, who sometimes also organise a torch-lit
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procession from the village to the Buerg, which they then set alight under the supervision of the local fire brigade. Since it is a cold time of year, tradition dictates that mulled
wine and grilled meat are consumed. In some towns and villages, the honour of setting
the Buerg ablaze goes to the most recently married local couple. Since time immemorial,
this tradition takes place at summer solstice. The blaze symbolises the rebirth of spring
and the end of winter, the triumph of warm over cold, of light over darkness. Some claim
the blaze to be a symbolic reminder of the time when witches were burnt at the stake.
Easter
Legend has it that, after the Gloria of Maundy Thursday mass, church bells fly to Rome
to receive the Easter blessing from the Pope. In the absence of the bells, school children
take part in the masses of Good Friday and Easter Saturday as well as the matins of the
resurrection on Easter Sunday, which they punctuate with loud rattling, hammering
and clanging, while calling out ‘Fir d’éischt Mol, fir d’zweet Mol, ’t laut of ’ (ringing
once, ringing twice, ringing all together).
Boys and girls then brandish their ratchets and swing their rattle boxes through the
village streets. As a reward they get given Easter bunnies or cash, usually while going
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Mid-Lent, men are obliged to buy
a pretzel for their beloved
On Easter Monday, the Éimaischen festival takes place in Luxembourg City and Nospelt.
Little whistling birds made out of clay bring joy to adults and children alike.
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from door to door on the morning of Easter Sunday, once the bells are back in business.
‘Dik-dik-dak, dik-dik-dak, haut as Ouschterdag’ goes the Klibberlidd, the traditional
ratchet song.
In Luxembourg, as in many Christian countries, Easter would be incomplete without
the Easter bunny and painted Easter eggs. Parents and grandparents take great pleasure
in hiding colourful Easter goodies around the house or the garden in little handmade
‘nests’, before standing back and watching as delighted children hunt for them. And although supermarkets display ready-made coloured Easter eggs in industrial quantities,
the tradition of painting eggs by hand at home has not lost any of its popularity.
On Bretzelssonndeg (Pretzel Sunday), tradition dictates that men give their wives or
sweethearts a pretzel, a symbol of love; in return, come Easter, women present their
husbands or beloveds with a magnificent praline-filled chocolate Easter egg.
Easter Monday, rather than Easter Sunday, is traditionally the day that people celebrate,
often by going op d’Éimaischen in celebration of St Emmaus. Two Éimaischen fairs are
held in Luxembourg, one on the Fish Market in the capital’s old quarter, the other in
Nospelt, a remote little town in the western canton of Capellen.
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Both places provide food, drink and traditional entertainment, with the main focus
being the pottery displays. In Nospelt, a place known for its remarkable clay deposits,
potters can still be seen working their wheels and honing their art. Both places feature
stalls selling the traditional Éimaischen keepsake: the Péckvillchen, a little bird made out
of baked clay and producing a whistle much like the cry of a cuckoo.
The Oktav
The Oktav, celebrated in honour of the Virgin Mary, is the main religious event of the
year. Over the period of a fortnight, usually during the second half of April, parishioners
from all over the country, as well as from the Eifel in Germany, the Belgian province of
Luxembourg and France’s Lorraine region, embark on a pilgrimage to Luxembourg’s
capital. This tradition dates back to 1666, when the provincial council at the time appoint­
ed the Virgin Mary, mother of God, as the country’s patron saint and Consoler of the
Afflicted (consolatrix afflictorum), to protect the people from the plague. The origin of
the statue of Mary, carved from dark wood, has not been historically established. What
is known is that in 1666, the Jesuits transferred it from the old Glacis chapel to the Jesuit
church at the time, these days known as Luxembourg’s Cathedral. During the period of
the Oktav, the statue of the Virgin Mary stands on a special altar in the main choir.
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Pilgrimage during the Oktav in Luxembourg City
Procession in Wiltz in honour of
Our Lady of Fatima, an annual event for the
many Portuguese living in Luxembourg
A highly colourful procession is the main attraction
of the annual gorse extravaganza in Wiltz
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The pilgrims arrive at the outskirts of the city, where they form processions that make
their way to the Cathedral while praying. Over the fortnight of the Oktav, different parishes and various organisations celebrate their own masses. The Oktavsmäertchen held
on Place Guillaume II is a little market closely linked to religious tradition. After the
visit to the Cathedral, pilgrims can head to the market to enjoy a drink or some food
and to buy a souvenir among the various ornaments and articles on offer.
Gënzefest in Wiltz
The end of the Oktav is marked by a final solemn procession, during which the statue
of the Virgin Mary is carried through the capital’s streets. Believers forming the procession
are joined by members of the grand-ducal house, representatives of the government,
Parliament, the Courts of Justice and other public institutions.
Wiltz pays tribute to gorse in its Gënzefest, held on Whit Monday. The main attraction
is the traditional parade. Not only gorse, but also the customs of the old farming country
are celebrated on this occasion.
Gorse can be found throughout the country but nowhere in greater abundance than on
the cliffs and hilltops of the Oesling region. Every year, around Whitsun, the usually
bleak northern countryside is literally transformed by the bright yellow of millions of
tiny little blossoms.
the Echternach Sprangprëssessioun
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fatima plays an important role in the country’s religious life, which is not
surprising considering approximately 15% of the population of Luxembourg are Portuguese nationals. Ever since 1968, the pilgrimage in honour of ‘their’ Lady takes place
on Ascension Day near Wiltz, in the Oesling region.
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The Echternach Sprangprëssessioun (skipping procession) dates back to a very old religious tradition. Unlike the Oktav, it is known beyond the borders of Luxembourg and
the procession, which takes place each year on Whit Tuesday, is an internationally
renowned curiosity.
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Above and following double page // The internationally renowned skipping procession of
Echternach attracts hundreds of participants each year
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Obscure pagan traditions are at the origin of this procession. According to legend, it
can be traced back to the 8th century, to St Willibrord and a certain Vitus, known as the
‘Fiddler of Echternach’. The story has it that Vitus went on a pilgrimage to the Holy
Land with his wife, only to return by himself, his wife having died along the way.
Jealous relatives, who during his absence had appropriated all his possessions, spread
the rumour that Vitus himself had killed his wife while abroad. The unfortunate man
was sentenced to death and upon being led to the gallows asked whether he could play
his violin one last time.
His wish was granted and Vitus started playing. Onlookers gathered around the gallows started to dance. They danced for hours on end, until their feet sank into the
ground, with Vitus having long fled the gallows and the city of Echternach, still playing
while the crowds continued to dance. This is when St Willibrord was called upon to put
an end to this curse and release the unfortunate from the St Vitus’ dance.
In ancient times, it was believed that the Sprangprëssessioun healed not only St Vitus’
dance, but also other aches and pains afflicting men and animals. Far from being a
mainly traditional event as it is today, in bygone days the procession was a true pil­
grimage, drawing people from afar and mostly on foot. To this day, the story is told of
worshippers from Prüm in the Eifel who never set out for Echternach without taking
along a few coffins, because invariably their group lost a pilgrim or two en route.
The Sprangprëssessioun is literally a skipping procession: participants skip two steps to
the left, two to the right. In the past, skipping consisted of three steps forward and two
steps back (there exists a humorous saying of something progressing ‘at an Echternach
pace’). The procession, composed of rows of five to seven dancers with each dancer
grasping the ends of a handkerchief, moves forward slowly to the repeated sounds of
the lively Sprangprëssessioun melody, inspired by the traditional song Adam had seven
sons, the tune of which still rings in the ears of both participants and onlookers, long
after the day is over.
The music is played not only by the country’s brass and wind bands, but also by accordion and fiddler ensembles. The procession takes some three hours to make its way
through the streets of the old abbey town, with the bands and the skipping procession
passing before the tomb of St Willibrord, who lies buried in the crypt of the Basilica.
The number of spectators amounts to around ten thousand.
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Torch procession and fireworks in the
context of national day celebrations
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National Day
From a historical point of view, Luxembourg has been independent, with a dynasty of
its own, for only a relatively short period of time. During the 19th century, the Luxembourg people celebrated their national day on Kinnéksdag (the birthday of the Dutch
king). The new country’s first real national holiday in a patriotic sense was Groussher­
zogins­­gebuertsdag (the birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte, who reigned from 1919 to
1964). Given that this day fell on 23 January, it was transferred in 1962 to a more summery date, namely 23 June. Ever since Grand Duke Jean ascended the throne in 1964,
23 June has continued to be celebrated as the country’s national day.
The festivities in the capital start with a torch-lit parade before the palace, where the
people gather to cheer the royal family. Thousands then attend the Freedefeier (fireworks
display) launched from the Adolphe bridge. The eve of national day is characterised by
joy, entertainment and music: concerts take place on virtually every square, while
smaller bands and street musicians can be seen playing elsewhere. Clowns, fire-eaters
and many other street entertainers also fill the streets.
National day itself is dedicated to an important military parade, culminating in the
Grand Duke appraising the country’s troops along the Avenue de la Liberté. The royal
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family and the country’s politicians then proceed to the Cathedral where they take part
in the Te Deum, a solemn religious service in honour of the House of Luxembourg, during which notably ‘Domine salvum fac magnum ducem nostrum’ is rendered, a piece
for four voices composed specially for the occasion. A gun salute, fired from Fort Thüngen
(Dräi Eechelen), concludes the national celebrations.
Every one of the country’s 116 local councils celebrates this day. The Te Deum is sung in
the local churches, the mayor addresses a patriotic speech to the assembled citizens and
association members and an Order of Merit is conferred upon musicians and firefighters. Following which, the representatives of the town’s political establishment and its
clubs and associations retire to a local restaurant for the banquet démocratique.
The Schueberfouer
No one really knows how this former market, now a funfair, came by its colloquial
name. Some claim the name to be derived from Schadebuerg, the former name of the
Holy Ghost Plateau, where the market was originally held, while others claim that the
origin of the name lies in Schober (haystack or barn), given that the fair takes place
around St Bartholomew’s day, the harvest period. The Schueberfouer (or Fouer) was
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Founded by John the Blind in 1340, the Schueberfouer has since
turned into a large fairground with all kinds of imaginable attractions
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founded in 1340 by John the Blind, count of Luxembourg and king of Bohemia. As a
result, the fair’s stallkeepers erected a monument in his honour in the nearby municipal
park.
In bygone days, the market, which was a selling place for cattle and all sorts of other
things, used to last eight days. Nowadays, the fair normally lasts for three weeks centred
around the day of St Bartholomew on 23 August. Over the years, the market has grad­
ually been transformed into an entertaining funfair, a Kiermes, with the Cathedral’s
consecration celebrations coinciding with the Fouerzäit.
Today, the Fouer has its home in the capital’s Limpertsberg district, on the Glacis parking
ground. It boasts an amusement park featuring all imaginable rides: roller coasters, ghost
trains, a Ferris wheel, and other exhilarating activities. Small stallholders can be found
lining the Allée Scheffer, where all sorts of items can be purchased, from nougat to grilled
almonds, from African ebony sculptures to whisks to can openers to collector CDs.
As at any funfair, food and drink take centre stage. One speciality deserves particular
mention: Fouerfësch, whiting fried in brewer’s yeast, traditionally eaten with Fritten
(chips) and washed down with a beer or a glass of dry Moselle wine.
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A word about the Hämmelsmarsch (the March of the Sheep): early on the Sunday morning of Kiermes Day, musicians dressed in 19th-century blue farming overalls make their
way through the streets of the capital, playing their instruments behind a shepherd and
a little flock of sheep wearing ribbons. While money is collected door-to-door, the same
tune is played over and over again: the Hämmelsmarsch, a traditional old melody that
national poet Michel Lentz wrote the lyrics to. The tune can also be sung.
It goes without saying that the shepherd, his sheep and the musicians all attend the
official opening of the Fouer. The city’s mayor performs the opening ceremony, which
is followed by an inaugural tour of the fair grounds by the country’s politicians and
aspiring politicians in a rather contrived effort to ‘mingle with the crowds’. The tour
concludes over a platter of Kiermesham (ham) and Kiermeskuch (cake) served at one of
the Fouer stands.
Despite all the hype and entertainment, the Fouer still retains a touch of nostalgia.
When in early September, the rides start being taken down and the steel skeleton of the
traditional Ferris wheel starts to unravel in the city’s skyline, the sad truth always
dawns that summer is drawing to an end. And by the last day of the fair, when the closing fireworks (Freedefeier) fill the night sky, the swallows can already be seen gathering
on the overhead wires.
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Grape and wine festivals
These days, grapes are cultivated almost exclusively on the slopes of the Moselle. The
small quantities grown on this acidic soil are transferred to a press and made into seven
types of white wine: Elbling, Rivaner, Auxerrois, Pinot gris, Pinot blanc, Riesling and
Gewürztraminer. Rosés can be found in lesser quantities, such as the Elbling rosé,
Pinot rosé and Pinot noir. And of course a number of sparkling wines are also produced, known as Schampes and very popular with locals and visitors alike.
There is a significant difference between a grape festival and a wine festival. Grape festivals are usually held in October, as a thanksgiving for a good grape harvest. A queen
of grapes is usually elected and, to the accompaniment of music, paraded through the
local town wearing sumptuous clothes and handing out wine to onlookers, as for instance in Grevenmacher. In Schwebsange, the grape festival boasts the unique feature
of a town fountain supplying wine instead of water.
Wine festivals are village events usually held during spring, in local wineries or outdoors under large marquees. They feature live music and traditional food accompanied
by wine (and beer).
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On Proufdag (tasting day), the grape harvest and wine marketing adopt a more ‘professional’ tone. Between May and June, each wine cellar schedules one such day, during
which it organises wine tastings of its latest products. While the best wines have yet
to mature, experts can already utter some confident predictions as to which wine will
develop into a Grand Premier Cru by autumn.
St Nicholas
St Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop of Lycia in Asia Minor. His life is shrouded in
legends (the most well-known being how he miraculously saved three children from
the salting tub of a malicious butcher), contributing to him being the patron saint of
children. On the eve of St Nicholas Day, which falls on 6 December, he descends from
heaven, accompanied by his little donkey laden with parcels and his fear-inspiring
black helper (called Houseker in Luxembourg), leaving presents for well-behaved children and rods for those who have been naughty.
In several towns, the holy man and his helper still go from house to house late on
5 December bearing presents for children, in which case the parents have usually
‘called’ St Nicholas. Usually, however, children wake up early the next morning, on
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6 December, to discover all their presents. Unless of course their local council or one of
the village associations has arranged a collective distribution of presents, in which case
Kleeschen himself arrives by car, train, boat or even plane and is escorted by the local
brass band to the village hall, where children are waiting to greet him with songs and
speeches. They are usually rewarded with presents prepared by the organisers.
Text: Josy Braun
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