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LUXEMBOURGS THREE PARTITIONS & THE BIRTH OF A NATION

BY FAUSTO GARDINI

Historically European countries evolved over centuries from a central core, such as a strategic location, a
settlement, an estuary, a mountain top, a clearing in the woods or a castle. Overlords, such as kings,
granted fiefdoms to vassals in exchange for allegiance. In medieval Europe the institution is referred to as
feudalism. A fief was heritable property of the vassal and usually consisted of revenue-producing real
estate. Everything on the property, including humans, was the property of the feoffee (vassal), though
always at the monarchs discretion, since, at least theoretically, the overlord retained the ultimate
ownership.
On April 17, 963, Siegfried (c. 918/929 - 998) later styled
by historians as the first Count of Luxembourg, son of
Wigeric of Lotharingia, swapped lands with the St.
Maximin Abbey of Trier in the Feulen area against a
hilltop castle known as Lucilinburhuc, the core of the
city and country of Luxembourg to be.
The extent of a fiefdom could vary in the lifetime of the
holder, or subsequently, through various happenings,
such as war, alliances, birth, betrothal, marriage, death,
inheritance or shifting allegiances.

The landed property of the counts of Luxembourg reached its largest expanse of about 10,000 square
kilometers (3,861 mi2) around the year 1364 under Wenceslas I (1337-1383), son of John of Luxembourg
(1296-1346), known as John the Blind, Ltzebuergesch Jang de
Blannen, King of Bohemia and Count of Luxembourg. In 1354, Charles
IV (1316-1378), Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, eldest son of
John of Luxembourg elevated his younger half-brother Wenceslas to
the rank of Duke of Luxembourg.
Historians have come to equate the landholdings of the dukes of
Luxembourg, scattered over parts of todays Grand Duchy of
Luxembourg, Belgium, France and Germany, with the foundation of
todays country of Luxembourg even though the concept of sovereign
nation did not emerge in Europe until the eighteenth century with the
so-called Age of Enlightenment, disparaging the feudal system as the
Dark Ages.
Based on the customary interpretation of equating the original
landholdings of the Dukes of Luxembourg with the country of
Luxembourg, then that original area is eroded over the subsequent five
centuries at three different times, referred to as the three partitions of Luxembourg (French: trois
dmembrements du territoire luxembourgeois).
FIRST PARTITION: NOVEMBER 7, 1659: TREATY OF THE PYRENEES
The Thirty Year War (1618-1648) devastates Europe. Historians contend that Europe lost between 15 and
30 percent of its civilian population, mainly due to famine and disease. In the Luxembourg area the
conflict opposes Philip IV [Spanish: Felipe IV] (1605 1665), King of Spain, Naples and Sicily, Duke of
Brabant, Guelders, Limburg, Lothier (Lorraine) and Luxembourg, Count of Burgundy, Flanders, Hainaut
and Namur (1621-1665), King of Portugal (1621-1640), as Philip III [Portuguese Filipe III] and Louis XIII
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(1601 1643), King of France. In those days, European nation-states lack the financial resources to
maintain standing forces, so Spanish troops, which actually consist of over 8,000 Croats, Hungarian and
Polish soldiers, stationed in Luxembourg invade Trier.
The state of war between France and Spain lasts until 1659, ending with the Treaty of the Pyrenees, with
victorious France imposing her conditions on Spain and gaining territories in Roussillon, Artois, Flanders
and Luxembourg.
On November 6, 1759, on a tiny island Pheasants Island [French: le des Faisans Spanish: Isla de los
Faisanes], located in the middle of the Bidasoa River in the Basque Country of northern Spain and
southern France, Cardinal Mazarin (1602-1661) representing King Louis XIV (1638-1715) of France and
Don Luis de Haro (1598-1661) negotiating for Philip IV (1605-1665) of Spain conclude the treaty known
as Treaty of the Pyrenees. Among other concessions, the treaty grants to victorious France several
fortresses and surrounding territories of the Duchy of Luxembourg, then in personal union with the
Kingdom of Spain. The ceded land encompasses some 1,060 square kilometers (409 mi2), which at the
time represent about one-tenth of Luxembourgs territory. It includes the towns/fortresses of Damvillers,
Ivoix (Carignan), Marville, Montmdy, Stenay and Thionville. The Treaty of the Pyrenees is often referred
to as the first partition of Luxembourg [French: premier dmembrement].
SECOND PARTITION: JUNE 9, 1815: TREATY OF VIENNA
Following the fall of the French Empire in 1814, the Congress of Vienna establishes a buffer state between
France and Germany: the Kingdom of the Netherlands, by uniting Belgium and Holland. The Treaty of
Vienna attributes to Prussia some 2,280 square kilometers (880 m2) of territories of the former Duchy of
Luxembourg, encompassing approximately 50,000 souls, and among others, the cities of Bitburg,
Dudeldorf, Neuerbourg, St. Vith, Schleiden and Waxweiler. The remaining territory of the old Duchy of
Luxembourg, elevated to a Grand Duchy, is allocated, as a personal possession, to the Dutch Monarch,
who henceforth shall also bear the title of Grand Duke of Luxembourg. The fortress in the city of
Luxembourg is to host a Prussian garrison (Treaty of Vienna Articles 25, 53-73).
THIRD PARTITION: APRIL 19, 1839: TREATY OF LONDON
Despotic Willem Frederik, Prins van Oranje-Nassau (1772-1843), as
William I, King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg
(1815-1840), and his autocratic administration are inept at overcoming
the fundamental differences of the Belgian and Dutch factions,
arbitrarily united into one nation by the post-Napoleonic Treaty of
Vienna. Differences in language, religion and general culture are too
deep-seated. In July of 1830 a revolutionary movement sweeps through
Europe. On August 2, the French king, Charles X (1757-1836), is
deposed; on August 24 riots erupt in Brussels. The Belgian revolution
has begun.
A mediation meeting convenes on September 13, 1830; the Dutch king
persistently uncompromising stance furthers the Belgian movement for
independence. On September 23, Dutch troops invade Belgium;
encountering fierce, armed opposition, they retreat four days later. On
October 4, a provisional government proclaims Belgiums independence. On October 16, Belgium
annexes the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. On November 4, in London, the powers of the day, Austria,
France, Prussia, United Kingdom and Russia negotiate an armistice between the belligerent Dutch and
Belgians.
A preliminary agreement, concluded in London on June 26, 1831, leaves the door open for Belgium and
the Netherlands to solve the complex issue of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg:
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Art. 3. The five powers will employ their good offices so that the status quo of the Grand
Duchy of Luxembourg is maintained during the course of the separate negotiation that the
sovereign of Belgium will open with the King of the Netherlands and the German
Confederation about aforesaid Grand Duchy, negotiation distinct from the question of the
borders between Holland and Belgium. It is understood that the fortress of Luxembourg
will preserve its free communications with Germany.
On July 9, 1831, the Belgian Congress accepts the 18 articles of the compromise. On July 21, Prince
Leopold of Saxe-Coburg (1790-1865) takes the solemn oath as Leopold I, King of Belgium. Dutch troops
invade Belgium on August 2 and defeat the Belgian army. French and British troops intervene, forcing the
Dutch army to retreat.
The final Treaty of London, dated November 15, 1831, contains the historic partition of the Grand Duchy
of Luxembourg, an obvious bartering deal, the Dutch king surrendering parts of Luxembourg to benefit
his Dutch Kingdom. Article 2 defines the new borders between the diminished Grand Duchy of
Luxembourg and the Kingdom of Belgium and article 3 clearly states that the deal is a swap:
Art. 3. For the relinquishment in the preceding article, His Majesty, King of the
Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg shall receive a territorial indemnity in the
province of Limbourg.
Article 4 defines the boundaries of the territorial gains in favor of the Dutch Kingdom and article 5 leaves
it up to the Dutch king to settle any issue arising from the application of articles 3 and 4 with the German
federation and/or the House of Nassau.
Historians infer that it is the Dutch king who introduces the notion of partitioning the Grand Duchy of
Luxembourg. Scholars also contend that had Luxembourgers at the time had any say in the matter, the
majority would have opted for the entire Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to be united with the Kingdom of
Belgium. Many Luxembourgers fought valiantly for Belgiums independence and many opt to remain in
Belgium and serve their new country.
Administratively, until May 1839, the new Kingdom of Belgium controls de facto all of Luxembourg, while
the Dutch control only its capital, the city of Luxembourg. While the Belgians are satisfied with the status
quo, on March 14, 1838, William I signals that he is now willing to accept the treaty negotiated in 1831.
The diplomats of the major powers convene again in London. On January 15, 1839, a Belgian delegation
proposes a sixty million francs financial settlement in lieu of territorial concessions, the powers reject the
offer. On February 1, the Dutch king empowers his minister in London to sign the agreement. On March
19, the Belgian Chamber of Deputies approves the treaty by 58 votes to 42. The Belgian senate follows on
March 26, with 31 votes in favor, 14 against and 2
Senators abstaining. On April 19, 1839, the Belgian
delegation signs the agreement at the British Foreign
Office.
At the stroke of a pen, an area of 4,417.65 square
kilometers (1,705.66 mi2) of former Luxembourg
territory becomes the province du Luxembourg Belge. The
surviving Grand Duchy of Luxembourg covers 2,586.31
square kilometers (998.58 mi2). On June 11, 1839,
William I of the Netherlands is back in possession of his
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, with a residual population
of 169,920 souls. According to mile Tandel the
population of the province du Luxembourg Belge at the
time is 164,878.

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THE BIRTH OF A NATION: APRIL 19, 1839
On that date, besides the sealing of the partition of Luxembourg, no other major political episode
unsettled the local population of the time. Nevertheless the date is considered a benchmark event in
Luxembourgs history, leading over the following decades to the awakening of a national consciousness
with an increasing number of Luxembourgers engaging in the political and economic progress of the little
nation.
In 1939 World War II loomed over Europe and more directly at Luxembourgs border with Nazi
Germany. Luxembourgs government and media were determined to affirm to the world that the Grand
Duchy of Luxembourg celebrated on that year its 100th anniversary as an independent and sovereign state.
Centennial celebrations were held throughout the country in cities and villages. Official events were
commemorated in the city of Luxembourg. Since 1939, the year 1839 is recorded in history books as the
official date of independence of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, a date which on this April 19, 2014
marks its 175th anniversary.

2014 Fausto Gardini Jacksonville, Florida

Fausto Gardini is a writer and translator
based in Jacksonville, Florida and the
author of 365 Moments in Time (ISBN
9781484947456) an almanac packed with
anecdotes, biographies, facts and trivia
related to Luxembourg as well as to
immigrants from Luxembourg to the New
World.