Luxembourg in 1914

[HisMajestyBOB]

Was Luxembourg occupied and/or marched through by the Germans in WWI? Most of the maps I've seen have Luxembourg as Neutral, not German-occupied like Belgium, but I find it curious that the Germans wouldn't just march through them too, since it would allow more troops to pour into the large flanking manouver.

 

[unmerged(15208)]

It was.

Luxemburg wasn't in much state to do anything, given that their armed forces were, IIRC, 150 strong. (And doubled as post men). The German invasion was met by (again, IIRC,) the Prime Minister, who told the Germans to sod off.

 

[w_mullender]

As a sidenote: As our government officially was linked with Luxembourgh (same royal family), technically we in Holland could/should have been at war as well. Our government politely asked the press not to make mention of this so they could remain neutral.

 

[Archeolooginspe]

Luxembourg was walked over by the Huns, just like Belgium.

 

[unmerged(11486)]

Except unlike Belgium, no-one garanteed Luxembourg's neutrality...

Steele

 

[w_mullender]

Originally posted by steelehc
Except unlike Belgium, no-one garanteed Luxembourg's neutrality...

Steele

Well I have to look it up sometime but iirc we did sort of

 

[Archeolooginspe]

Originally posted by w_mullender
Well I have to look it up sometime but iirc we did sort of

very effectively indeed

 

[w_mullender]

Originally posted by Archeolooginspe
very effectively indeed

I have to look it up somewhere, but I believe the guarantuee was a consequence of the death of Willem 3 who also was grand duke of Luxembourgh. His daughter inherited the throne of Holland but a nephew (or further) inherited Luxembourgh. Still the personal union should have put us at war. Our government kindly asked all newspapers not to reveal this fact as they would rather be neutral with our state-of-the-art-1850's army.

 

[HJ Tulp]

The only way we got a medium airforce was using captured airplanes . Though it would still have been the right thing to do, intervene I mean.

 

[w_mullender]

Originally posted by HJ Tulp
The only way we got a medium airforce was using captured airplanes . Though it would still have been the right thing to do, intervene I mean.

Well the english werent really popular as well due to the Boer wars, so there wasnt too much support anyway.

 

[unmerged(11486)]

I did not know that (Netherlands garanteeing Luxembourg's neutrality), but even so, the Netherlands were (was?) neutral, and hardly a world power at this time (no offence to the Dutch) and in no position to protect anyone.

Steele

PS: This isn't to say that the British did a stellar job protecting the Belgians...

 

[HJ Tulp]

Though that is thrue is still wasn't the right thing to do. I do wonder what would have happened if we would have attacked Germany in early 1918, where there german forces on the eastern border?

 

[w_mullender]

Originally posted by HJ Tulp
Though that is thrue is still wasn't the right thing to do. I do wonder what would have happened if we would have attacked Germany in early 1918, where there german forces on the eastern border?

Nearly none. Only in Belgium.
But I still fail to see why it would have been right (not taking into account the state of our army which was deplorable). OK Germany invaded Belgium, but as I said before the Brits werent really popular here either for finishing off our "relatives" in South Africa. Just look at all streetnames in streets from the early 1900's like Bothaplein etc.

 

[HJ Tulp]

it would be right regarding Luxembourg. It had been a part of the country for some time, it didn't revolt like the belgians. And considiring the amount of belgian refugees we took care of we knew the horrors the germans commited.

 

[Aetius]

Originally posted by steelehc
Except unlike Belgium, no-one garanteed Luxembourg's neutrality...

Steele

Wasn't it a part of the Zollverien (sp?)? In theory an economic part of Germany but with an autonomous government

 

[Archeolooginspe]

Originally posted by HJ Tulp
it would be right regarding Luxembourg. It had been a part of the country for some time, it didn't revolt like the belgians. And considiring the amount of belgian refugees we took care of we knew the horrors the germans commited.

Luxembourg eventually joined Belgian revolt just like Dutch Limburg but was returned in 1839 by the treat of the XXXV articles (number right?) to the Netherlands.

 

[w_mullender]

Originally posted by HJ Tulp
it would be right regarding Luxembourg. It had been a part of the country for some time, it didn't revolt like the belgians. And considiring the amount of belgian refugees we took care of we knew the horrors the germans commited.

It wasnt part of Holland, it was a personal union. Still I dont see the point in declaring war on Germany, it is not like our army could make an impact.

 

[unmerged(2377)]

Originally posted by Archeolooginspe
Luxembourg was walked over by the Huns, just like Belgium.

Belgium fought back though.

 

[CMOTHodad]

Yes, but Belgium was in capacity of mobilising an army. Luxembourg could only double as road, with the army serving not more than to direct German traffic.

 

[brandnew70x7]

The Luxembourg militia in WWII was quite a brave bunch though..