René Daubenfeld, the long-serving former mayor of Boulaide and a passionate admirer of the United States, has died at the age of 67 following a long illness.
His death on 6 April 2026, after a prolonged battle with cancer, was announced on Tuesday evening by Luxembourg Legacy and the football club Green Boys 77 Harlange-Tarchamps.
Daubenfeld served as mayor of Boulaide for 15 years. He stepped down from the role in July 2021 for health reasons, as he had explained at the time.
Born on 8 June 1958, he grew up on a farm in Surré. Early in his professional career, he travelled to the US on business, where he developed a lasting fascination with the country. He initially worked for the municipalities of Boulaide and Surré before becoming mayor.
According to Luxembourg Legacy, a specialised service that assists individuals in reclaiming Luxembourgish ancestry through dual citizenship consultations, Daubenfeld’s commitment to improving the municipality earned him recognition as a respected political figure.
During his time as mayor, Daubenfeld became interested in the history of emigration from the region, particularly the many residents who left for the US in the 19th century, according to Luxembourg Legacy. This led him to begin researching Luxembourgish emigration to America.
In 2001, he met Julie Jochum from Bellevue, Iowa, who was researching her ancestry. Together, they later launched Building Bridges Tours, organising trips between Luxembourg and the United States so that people could discover both the historical and contemporary Luxembourgish culture in America, according to Luxembourg Legacy.
Luxembourg Legacy explains further that Daubenfeld travelled frequently to the US, sharing his passion for Luxembourgish-American history and working to strengthen ties between the two countries.
In retirement, Daubenfeld, who never married, devoted his time to researching migration to the US and building a database of more than 50,000 emigrants. He also guided Luxembourgish-Americans seeking their roots around Luxembourg, according to Luxembourg Legacy.
The organisation states further that Kevin Wester, founder and CEO of Luxembourg Legacy, invited Daubenfeld in 2023 to contribute to Luxembourg Legacy Tours. He had hoped to take part in another tour this May, but his health no longer allowed it, according to the organisation.
