"Three times Luxembourgish": how an act of civic courage became a symbol of a nation

This weekend, Luxembourg held commemorative events to mark Nationalfeierdag vun der Erënnerung, the National Day of Remembrance, which traces its origins to the tragic events of 10 October 1941. Exactly 84 years ago, the German occupation authorities carried out a forced census (Personenstandsaufnahme) in which everyone was required to indicate their nationality, mother tongue and "race" - an obvious attempt to forcibly "gerund" the population and identify Jews.

The popular response was unprecedented: at the call of the resistance movement, thousands of Luxembourgers wrote the same thing on the questionnaires: "Luxembourgish" in each of the three boxes. This silent act of defiance became a symbol of unity and dignity, and subsequently led to the cancellation of the census itself.

The strength of resistance lay not only in armed acts, but also in the everyday courage not to give in to pressure, not to betray one's identity, to remain human in the face of horror. Women and men, often young and untrained, joined underground organisations, helped refugees, distributed leaflets, refused to cooperate with the regime. Many were arrested, deported, tortured or shot.

The fate of young Luxembourgers who were forcibly conscripted into the Wehrmacht is particularly tragic. They had to fight for a regime alien to them, often on the Eastern Front. Thousands did not return home. Girls did not escape coercion either - they were sent to the Reichsarbeitsdienst and Kriegshilfsdienst for labour service. These sufferings, which have long remained in the shadows, are now receiving the recognition they deserve in the national memory.